By Bruce Rolfe
While four incumbents will be running unchallenged for their current four-year seats on the Climax Township Board, two new candidates will be seeking the Township clerk position for a four-year term in the August 6 Primary Election. Polls open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.
Current Climax Township Clerk Marcia Lewis is not seeking re-election.
Murat Bates and Sarah DeBoer will both be seeking a four-year term running on the Republican ticket for the clerk position.
Current Climax Township Supervisor Trent Piper will be running for a four-year seat on the Republican ticket.
Incumbent treasurer Steve Walman will be seeking another four-year term running under the Republican ticket and current trustees Cheryl Bates, who will be running under the Democrat ticket, and Richard Theirjung, running on the Republican ticket, will be running for four-year seats unopposed.
Because the clerk position is contested, the Climax Crescent offered both candidates an opportunity to answer the same questions. However because Murat Bates ran for a Kalamazoo County Commission seat in two previous election cycles as a Democrat, he was asked an additional question why he changed party affiliation to Republican for the August 6 Primary Election.
Climax Township Clerk Candidates
Name - Murat Bates
Question: You are changing your party affiliation from Democrat on the last two County Commissioner election cycles to Republican for the Climax Township Clerk position in the August Primary. Why?
Answer: “I consider myself a moderate and have always believed in policies that come from the two majority parties. When I was thinking of running for a second time as County Commissioner in 2022, I actually attended a number of meetings with the KGOP because I thought about running as a Republican at that time. I decided against it when the new districts came out, and I would have had the incumbent, John Gisler, as a primary opponent. While I was considering running for the position of Climax Township Clerk I spoke with a number of current officials from both parties, and we all agreed that my running as a Republican was best.”
Question: How long have you lived in Climax Township
Answer: “I have been a resident of Climax Township for almost five years. I moved here in September of 2019.”
Question: Any previous or current experience serving on any municipal board or council
Answer: “I am currently the Chairperson on the Climax Township Board of Review, and on the Climax Township Road Committee. I was a board member on the Lawrence Memorial District Library for over 3 years, and the library board President for 2 years.”
Question: Why are you running for the position of Climax Township Clerk
Answer: “I was approached about running for Climax Township Clerk, and had discussions with a number of people about running. I looked into the job responsibilities for the position and decided it was something I would enjoy doing. I would have a chance at serving the people of Climax Township, and to be a voice for them on the board.”
Question: Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the clerk position
Answer: “When I first decided to run for County Commissioner in 2019, I began to attend township meetings every month. Not only did I attend Climax Township meetings, but I also attended Charleston, Wakeshma, and Comstock Township meetings. I learned much about how townships operate and made some great connections with board members. I spent over 3 years attending these meetings, and learning from them. It was because of this that I was approached to join the Lawrence Memorial District Library Board, and the Climax Township Board of Review and Road Committee. I have also attended a few of the monthly Township Supervisors meetings and met the Township Supervisors from all 15 townships in Kalamazoo County. I feel having made these connections it will be beneficial for me as Climax Township Clerk.”
Question: What are some big issues Climax Township faces and what would be some of your suggestions to help correct those issues
Answer: “In all the years I have attended Climax Township meetings I have seen how the board members have handled any issue that comes before the board in a very timely manner. Currently, I can say that there are no major issues that the board needs to address. However, if an issue does arise, I think it is prudent to work efficiently in resolving it through communication and research of the issue.”
Question: What are some changes you feel should be considered in Climax Township to help make the township a better place to live and work in.
Answer: “Even though I have attended dozens of township meetings, it is not until I am a board member that I will really be able to understand what goes on behind the scene as a clerk to decide what may or may not need change.”
Name - Sarah DeBoer
Question: How long have you lived in Climax Township
Answer: “I have lived my whole life in Kalamazoo and moved into Climax Township in 2019.”
Question: Any previous or current experience serving on any municipal board or council?
Answer: “In 2016, I became active in local politics when my township rezoned the neighboring farmland for industrial usage. My neighbors and I learned the hard way to pay attention to local politics. We began attending board meetings and zoning committee meetings. In 2017, I became a poll worker and have been working the elections for the past eight years.”
Question: Why are you running for the position of Climax Township Clerk?
Answer: “I am running for Clerk of Climax Township because I want to serve my community. One of the highlights of the year is Election Day when I get to spend the entire day interacting with voters and my fellow
poll workers. As Township Clerk, I look forward to getting to know the voters of this community, interacting with them as they do their civic duty. I want to be someone who the citizens of Climax can trust to run
their elections and all the other important, less visible administrative duties of Clerk.”
Question: Why do you feel you are the best candidate for the clerk position?
Answer: “Attention to detail and a passion for people make me a good candidate. I am an unabashedly conservative farmer’s wife and home school mother of six, with a son serving in the United States military. I believe in limited government! My household has been 100% debt free since 2018, so I know how to operate under a strict budget - the kind of budget our government should operate under.”
“My opponent, Murat Bates, has run for political office before. Most recently, he ran in 2020 as a Democrat for the Kalamazoo County Commission District 7 under the name Anthony Bates where he was endorsed by the Michigan Education Association and Planned Parenthood, he was hailed by the Progressive Voters Guide as the “progressive candidate.” He ran again as a Democrat in 2022, again under the name Anthony Bates, for the District 6 Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.”
Question: What are some issues Climax Township faces and what would be some of your suggestions to help correct those issues?
Answer: “Currently, the township is working on zoning as it relates to solar energy. The question is how to balance a citizen’s right to install solar panels on their property with an outside interests’ ability to buy up large tracts of farmland to fill with ‘solar gardens.’ While I would certainly vote ‘yes’ to the first and ‘no’ to the second, I feel that the voices of the residents must be listened to.
“Access to fast, reliable internet is always an issue in rural areas. As Clerk, I would definitely look for ways to improve the internet services in Climax Township, whether it’s improving infrastructure or removing barriers for companies looking to offer their services to residents.”
Question: What are some changes you feel should be considered in Climax Township to help make the township a better place to live and work in?
Answer: “Early voting is currently run by Kalamazoo County, and I want to bring it back to Climax. Government works best when it’s local. The voters of Climax deserve to vote locally, in their own precinct during the nine days of early voting, just like they do on Election Day! Holding early voting in Climax is more convenient for voters, and it allows them greater opportunity to observe the process and hold their election officials accountable. Climax holding its own early voting should also save the Climax taxpayers money. For example, neighboring Pavillion Township does their own early voting for nearly half the cost quoted them by Kalamazoo County to run their early voting.”
“As Clerk, I’d like to partner with the Climax-Scotts Schools to bring students in to work the election season. Several of my older children were poll workers and I felt it was a great hands-on real life civics lesson. I’d love to offer the same opportunity to the local students who are at least sixteen years old. It’s a great opportunity for them to experience local government up-close, get to know their local leaders, interact with their community, and maybe inspire the next generation to get involved with government.”
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