GREENVILLE The microphone was disinfected repeatedly, but there was no need to sanitize the candidates comments during a civilized primary election forum Thursday evening.

From left, candidates for Michigans 70th District state representative, Republicans Martin Ross, Pat Outman, Arturo Puckerin, Greg Alexander and Democrat Karen Garvey, sit together as they are introduced to the public during a candidate forum held at Veterans Park in Greenville on Thursday. DN Photo | Cory Smith

An estimated 100 people with their lawn chairs in tow relaxed in Greenvilles Veterans Park while listening to 10 candidates answer questions and share their goals including six 70th District state representative hopefuls, three Montcalm County District Court judge contenders and two Montcalm County clerk candidates.

The event was hosted by the Daily News, the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce, Montcalm Community College and the Womens Action Network. Roger Coles served as the capable moderator and Chamber Executive Director Gae Wolfe cleansed the microphone with a disinfectant wipe in between each speaker a nod to the coronavirus pandemic which continues to dominate most aspects of life, including Thursdays event.

Christopher Comden, one of five Republican candidates for 70th District state representative, was absent from the forum as he was self-quarantining while awaiting the results of a coronavirus test after noticing some symptoms, which he said may just be the result of bad hay fever.

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70th DISTRICT STATE REP

Four of the five Republican candidates for 70th District state representative were present Greg Alexander, Pat Outman, Arturo Puckerin and Martin Ross along with Karen Garvey, the lone Democrat challenger the Republican primary election winner will face in Novembers general election.

Alexander represented himself as a blue-collar man of the people, calling himself a grease monkey, a mechanic.

Your voice is what needs to be in Lansing, not the corporate bigwigs, he said. Im one of you. I do not seek endorsements. I do not want to be one of their puppets. I want to be your guys voice.

Outman also cited his blue-collar roots as a home builder and excavator by trade and said his father, State Sen. Rick Outman, R-Six Lakes, inspired him to run for state rep.

I decided to run for this seat because I thought public service has never been more important to our community and state and country than it has now, he said. Currently, theres a radical push to transform our country. My generation is a big proponent behind that. Its going to be up to my generation to correct the course on that and uphold our traditional values. Its something that Im certainly up to the task for.

Puckerin, the executive director of the Muskegon-Oceana Community Action Partnership, brought his charisma and touted his childhood growing up with parents in the military, along with his current leadership job as his qualifications.

Id like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me the opportunity to be here with all you guys, he declared. Its ominous what the futures going to look like. Now is going to be the time that we have to elect and put people in office that have progressive forward-thinking ideas. Im the only candidate that you saw during this pandemic anywhere out helping, out serving, out doing anything I can to see how I can help you. Now walk with me.

Ross, a retired longtime U.S. Post Office employee, positioned himself as the most conservative of the bunch, rating himself a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10 (with 1 being liberal and 10 being conservative).

Im a common-sense conservative, Ross said. Conservative solutions work. The free enterprise system works. Taxes, we want them as low as possible. Freedom, we want them as high as possible. Government is not always the answer. Sometimes its the problem.

In comparison, Alexander ranked himself a 5 while Puckerin ranked himself a 7 or 8. Outman wasnt sure where he would rank on the scale.

Ross noted hes the only candidate of the bunch who was endorsed by Michigan Right to Life and he took a dig at Outman, who has the support of his state senator father, as well as outgoing State Rep. Jim Lower and former State Sen. Judy Emmons.

Many of my competitors may indeed be pro-life but after they (Right to Life) thoroughly vetted us, they decided I would be the best choice for protecting rights of the unborn in Lansing, Ross said. I am pleased to be homegrown, instead of handpicked. I am a candidate not of the Lansing interest, but of the local interest. This seat does not belong to one family. This seat does not belong to the voice of a handpicked few. This seat belongs to us, the people of the 70th District. Its not me thats been sending you 12 and 16 and 18 mailers. I am not the Lansing candidate, I am the local candidate and I hope that you will reward me with your vote.

When asked about his qualifications, Puckerin, who has attended Cooley Law School, replied, A state representative, a legislator, is a lawyer. If you dont have any legal training, I dont believe you have the requisite competency to be in competition with all that we have going on.

Ross called out Puckerin who is not an attorney for this answer.

Art, I couldnt disagree with you more, Ross said. We need citizen legislatures, not more lawyers. I want to be a citizen legislature in the way that our Founding Fathers envisioned that you would serve your friends and neighbors for a time and then return to your plow, return to your mercantile and live under the laws that you have created.

The candidates were asked for their thoughts on mail-in election ballots.

Certainly the concept of mail-in ballots I have no issue with, Outman said. The issue of potential fraud is what concerns me, not around here, but particularly in areas of southeast Michigan and Detroit. The potential for fraud is a concern of mine. Donald Trump won this state by less than 10,000 votes. Every vote counts in this election and I would certainly hope our clerks maintaining the integrity of it.

Ross said during a recent visit to Winfield Township, Clerk Colleen Stebbins explained the process to him.

The clerk was very forceful in saying Michigan doesnt have mail-in ballots the same way that Colorado does, he said. I certainly would not like to move to all mail-in ballots. I would like to see voter ID at the polls.

Puckerin agreed with these thoughts but noted that this year was unique.

Weve got to recognize that these are trying times, he said. Theres a lot of apprehension for senior citizens, a lot of apprehension for all our Montcalm and Gratiot county friends and neighbors with this unprecedented disease. Im willing to consider this year a different kind of year.

Im going to the poll, Alexander declared. If youre scared, mail it in. With the mail right now, the mail is slowed down because of COVID. Theyve lost mail deliveries and everything else. My concern if you mail it in is to make sure it gets to the clerk. Everybody needs to go to the voting poll, everybody needs to show their ID and get checked out so we can be sure whos voting. Id like to see everything back to normal.

The candidates were asked for their views on universal background checks for guns.

Im certainly against any more gun control regulation, Outman said.

I think we have enough burdensome regulations when it comes to firearms, Puckerin said. I find them to be just a bit invasive. We are talking about a federal right, we are talking about a Second Amendment right.

If gun control works, Chicago would be the safest city on this earth, Ross noted. There already are background checks and theyre extensive. I am not for any expansion of or infringement on our Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

I dont have a problem with universal checks, but as somebody that has protested at the Capitol for Second Amendment rights, I do not agree with any more checks and balances, Alexander said. Weve got enough. Enforce what weve got.

All four Republican candidates agreed its a problem that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the state Legislature are not currently working together amid the coronavirus pandemic.

We need to get to a place where businesses can open again, Ross said. Unless an area is hard hit by the coronavirus, we need to unlock Michigan. Damage has already been done with small businesses being closed for so long. Unlock our economy and let these businesses recover. A governor should not continue to issue herself 28-day extensions of that (emergency declaration). If the governor does not want to work with the legislature, what more can they (the legislature) do?

We need to put people back to work, Alexander agreed. People want to work, thats our nature, thats what we do. We need to unlock the legislation, let us work together. The first thing we need to do is get rid of some of the amendments that shes (Whitmer) running on all by herself and get us all working together. Its not a one-man show.

I would certainly work to restore the proper system of checks and balances in our government, Outman said. Were all in this together and we need to start showing it with effective cooperation between our three branches of government.

DISTRICT COURT JUDGE RACE

The three attorneys running for Montcalm County District Court judge Keeley Blanchard, Adam Eggleston and Tom Ginster each worked to stand out from each other at Thursdays forum.

Blanchard positioned herself as the most progressive and community-oriented candidate. One of her goals is to combine the District Court and Circuit Court offices and cross-train clerks to make those offices more efficient, as well as move to electronic filing. Eggleston pointed out that e-filing is up to the State Court Administrative Office, which Blanchard agreed with, but she said she would make it a priority with that Lansing office.

Our courts have contact with a huge number of our community members each year and in a large context thats in criminal cases, Blanchard said. Its important to me that the people who have contact with our court go back out into our community as better people. That will be my focus. I want people to have a positive experience with our courts.

Eggleston touted his local roots hes a seventh-generation Montcalm County resident as well as his many endorsements by local officials and his years of experience working in District Court. He said he likes to take collaborative approaches to court programs with his colleagues and other agencies.

The people who regularly interact with the Montcalm County court system trust me to protect the citizens rights and to keep this community safe, he said. On day one, if elected, I will be able to hit the ground running and take the court to the next level.

Ginster described his judicial philosophy as a law and order judge who strictly interprets the law to its plain meeting and doesnt make the law. He reiterated his three goals reduce the number of people who die in Montcalm County traffic accidents, create a rocket docket to speed up the process of domestic violence cases and to be the hardest working judge in Michigan and also pointed out that he isnt accepting any campaign contributions from attorneys, unlike his two opponents.

Im not accepting any money from lawyers, Ginster said. I was disheartened to learn that both of them are conducting fundraisers in bars with attorneys that are funding their campaigns. I dont think a litigant should be left to wonder which lawyer has given the judge more money. I think that undermines confidence in the judicial system.

Blanchard said attorneys can legally donate to judicial candidates, but she noted that candidates should be aware of how donations may appear to voters.

Its something that you want to not come into your campaign, as far as bias about who donated and who didnt donate, she said. Thats also true, I think, for endorsements. I think that seeking out endorsements of our local officials can potentially create some bias in the way that we decide cases.

Eggleston who has touted his many local endorsements wasnt phased at being called out.

I will take money from lawyers. Ive gotten money from lawyers. Ive also gotten a lot of endorsements from community members and a lot of community support, Eggleston said. I dont really apologize for it. I actually appreciate it. I think its a recognition of my candidacy more than anything. Its not going to affect the way I make any rulings in the court. It doesnt matter what a person feels about me or how a person feels about me. They deserve justice and they deserve to be treated fairly no matter what. I believe that I can put aside any kind of donations.

The candidates were asked how they would work to ensure equality in court for people of all backgrounds.

I believe strongly that every single human being is made in the image of God and a judge should treat every litigant with respect and rule with impartiality, Ginster answered.

I also believe that everybody should be treated equally despite anything in their background or orientation or race or ethnicity, Eggleston responded. I believe that everybody should be treated fairly and honestly and we should do the best that we can.

The reality that Ive seen in our criminal justice system is that racial bias does exist, Blanchard noted. The first step that we need to take is acknowledging that. That means that judges, including myself if elected, will have to look inward and examine my own bias. We also have to work to ensure that everybody working in our court system has an opportunity to examine their own bias so we dont have that in the way of us implementing justice in our court.

COUNTY CLERK RACE

Montcalm County Clerk Kristen Millard touted her 31 years of county clerk office experience 23 years as the elected county clerk while challenger Meg Mullendore cited her extensive public sector experience as qualifications for the office of county clerk.

Mullendore said her experience working for three cities have prepared her for this job.

I bring more than just the clerk knowledge, Mullendore said. There are other skill sets that other departments can utilize. Ive been watching this for the last couple of years, the relationships that are deteriorating and the bridges that need to be repaired. The clerks office has become divisive with the Board of Commissioners and some of the other departments. You dont have to like who you work with, but you still have to work with them.

Millard disagreed that city clerk knowledge is the same as county clerk knowledge.

I have county knowledge, Millard said. Its a whole different ballgame between municipal government and county government. Its nothing like working in a city clerks office or overseeing a city clerk. I think I have done pretty darn good job. I have an amazing team of deputy clerks. We have functioned amazingly with just the limited staff that weve had over the last three years.

Both women said they would like to see the clerks Elections/Vital Records Office open five days a week again that office has only been open three days a week since budget cuts in 2017 but disagreed on whether that office should be merged with the clerks Circuit Court Office.

Millard noted the topic of getting the Vital Records Office open full-time again was discussed at Thursdays Montcalm County Finance & Personnel Committee budget workshop.

The biggest thing that needs to happen is that we need additional staff, Millard said. There are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that individuals arent aware of. Its certainly not ever anything that we wanted to do, closing the office two days a week. Hopefully, once we get through this budget process, well be hiring staff and reopening our Vital Records back to five days per week. We are going to look at e-filing. We have a very serious space issue. Everything we have in Montcalm County is paper.

I would like to see the office reopen back to five days and I would like to see the consolidation, Mullendore said. I think the big thing is cross-training so that all the employees are cross-trained in the event that something happens. Primarily it is about access and customer service.

I dont believe that the consolidation of the two-county clerk offices is in the best interest of the county and I would not push for it, Millard countered.

An audience member asked the candidates to share their thoughts on a discussion at the Montcalm County Finance & Personnel Committee level about possibly using a voter-approved law enforcement millage to fund some budget requests at the prosecutors office (as reported in Tuesdays Daily News).

Everybody I know that voted for it believed it was dedicated solely to the sheriffs department, Mullendore said. I think by doing that, the Board of Commissioners jeopardizes themselves and their own credibility if they do tap into that by reducing what the sheriffs department normally gets out of the general fund. I think it will impact their credibility and theyre going to lose the trust of the voters and I dont see other millages passing.

If the Board of Commissioners decide theyre going to tap into that and use it for any other law enforcement function, I think theyve lost all public trust, Millard agreed. I dont think were going to see any other millages pass. I would really hope that our Board of Commissioners would not do that.

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