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District 7 Leelanau County Commission candidates Dowd, Yoder address housing, clean energy, broadband

The Nov. 5 election will determine which party controls the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners (BOC), and which policies and initiatives they pursue next year. The Commission is currently deadlocked between three Democrats and three Republicans, with one seat vacant. In District 7, which serves Kasson and Solon Townships, Democrat Tim Dowd faces Republican Steve Yoder. Yoder unseated longterm incumbent Melinda Lautner in the primary election. The Glen Arbor Sun reached out to all 14 candidates for the BOC and asked about their positions on issues or initiatives that are key to Leelanau County citizens: namely, affordable housing, renewable energy, broadband access and services for both seniors and families with young children. Our questions, and their responses are below. Today we’re featuring Dowd and Yoder, who are vying for the District 7 seat.

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Voters oust Commissioner Lautner after nearly three decades, approve millages

Melinda Lautner, a fixture on the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners for nearly three decades, resoundingly lost yesterday’s primary election to fellow Republican Steve Yoder, by a count of 401 votes to 241 votes, according to preliminary results that were not yet certified. Lautner’s Aug. 6 loss to the 32-year-old Yoder, currently a Solon Township trustee, came in her first ever primary election challenge since she joined the Board in 1995. Meanwhile, with most precincts reporting, it appears that Leelanau County voters have approved all county-wide millages.

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Leelanau Energy task force boasts big goals: Commissioner Lautner pushes back

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The Leelanau County Energy Futures Task Force, which was created by the County Commission last fall “to identify opportunities and facilitate implementation of energy efficiency and renewable energy in Leelanau County,” has big, green goals for this peninsula. The Commission earlier this year voted to apply for a $1.5 million grant to erect two solar arrays at the County Governmental Center campus. If awarded and approved by the Commission, the solar arrays could provide about 30 percent of the campus’ energy requirements, while saving the County $35,000 per year and more than $1.5 million in energy bills over the next 30 years. But the advisory group’s honeymoon ended soon after it was created. Commissioner Melinda Lautner, a Republican who has represented Solon and Kasson Townships for nearly three decades, has led the opposition to the solar array grant, even after voting to create the task force. “She inserted herself as the very last new member of the task force, then she missed all but one meeting to date,” said task force chairperson Joe DeFors. “She’s been an opponent of virtually every initiative we’ve put forward.” Lautner, who has been a Commissioner since 1995, faces her first-ever primary challenge from a fellow Republican on Tuesday, Aug. 6.

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Election 2022: County Commission District 7 race features Lautner vs Flanagan

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The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners District 7 race features Republican incumbent Melinda Lautner, who has served on the body for more than 25 years, vs challenger Nancy Flanagan, who won a crowded Democratic primary that saw her win one more vote than the second runner-up. Both Lautner and Flanagan responded to our questions.

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Q&A with Melinda Lautner and John O’Neill, District 7

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Incumbent Lautner (Republican) is challenged by O’Neill (Democrat) in District 7, which represents Kasson and Solon Townships From staff reports Glen Arbor Sun: Please name three top goals you’d like to accomplish as County Commissioner Melinda Lautner: Top three goals are: 1) See to the completion of the new 9-1-1 dispatch and radio system for […]

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Glen Arbor Sun’s 2016 election coverage

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In advance of the Nov. 8 general election, the Glen Arbor Sun reached out to interview candidates for Leelanau’s seven County Commission seats (both incumbents and challengers) and two candidates vying to replace John Soderholm as Glen Arbor Township Supervisor. At least one candidate for each County Commission seat responded to our interview request, as did both candidates for Township Supervisor — Bob Hawley and Peter Van Nort.

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Your Leelanau County 2014 election guide

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With important races looming for United States Congress, the Michigan House of Representatives and the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners (all politics is local!) the Glen Arbor Sun reached out to candidates on both sides of the political aisle and asked questions about important local issues, prior to the November 4 election.

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Leelanau County Commission race: Melinda Lautner vs. John O’Neill

The following are interviews conducted via email with Leelanau County Commission incumbent Melinda Lautner (Republican) and her challenger John O’Neill (Democrat). Lautner represents Solon and Kasson Townships, in the middle of the County. She stands by her vote to disband Leelanau’s Economic Development Corporation, which garnered headlines statewide.

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Trusted weatherman Dave Barrons seeks “balance” for Leelanau County Commission

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Dave Barrons, northern Michigan’s trusted television meteorologist for nearly two decades, officially declared his candidacy today for a seat on the Leelanau County Commission. Barrons, a Democrat, lives in Elmwood Township in the county’s southeast corner. He seeks to unseat District 2 incumbent, Republican Deb Rushton, in this November’s election.

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