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WSW: Battle Creek's City Commission Election

Battle Creek City Hall - file photo by WMUK
WMUK

There will be at least one new member of the Battle Creek City Commission after the November election. One incumbent has decided not to run for re-election. 

Battle Creek Government Accountability Reporter Jennifer Bowman says Jeff Domenico, who served two terms in Ward Five has probably been the most polarizing member of the city commission. He decided not to seek another two year term.

Dave Walters has served as an at-large city commissioner, but is now running for the seat in Ward Five. He is running unopposed for that seat. There are also uncontested races in Ward One where Mayor Deb Owens is the only candidate on the ballot. Mike Sherzer is running unopposed for re-election in Ward Four. Bowman says there is a smaller field of candidates compared to two years ago which might explain the three wards with uncontested races.

In Ward Two Vice-Mayor Lynn Ward Gray is running for re-election. Leonard Davidson, a political newcomer is her challenger. Bowman says Gray is well known in the community and has fended off challengers in previous elections.

In Ward Three Dean Newsome is running for his second term against Kate Flores. Bowman says this ward has had the highest turnover of incumbents in recent years. She says it might be a race worth tracking again this year.

Three incumbents and two challengers are running for four at-large seats on the commission. Susan Baldwin, Mark Behnke and Andy Helmboldt are seeking re-election. All three have run, unsuccessfully for state House in recent years. Baldwin and Behnke have both served as mayor of Battle Creek. At least one of the two challengers will win an at-large seat. Kaytee Faris ran for an at-large seat in 2013. Rob Rumsey is a political newcomer.

Asked about issues in the campaign, Bowman says economic development and code compliance come up in most elections. She says there is a focus on the BC Vision Project. Bowman says the effort is mainly focused on the economy and quality of life in Battle Creek.

Last year’s organizational meeting deadlocked over the selection of the mayor before Owens was picked by her fellow commissioners. Bowman says the long meeting led to discussion, again, of changing the system to allow for direct election of the mayor. Currently the commission chooses its mayor and vice mayor every year. But Bowman says after one workshop the issue wasn’t raised again.

Gordon Evans became WMUK's Content Director in 2019 after more than 20 years as an anchor, host and reporter. A 1990 graduate of Michigan State, he began work at WMUK in 1996.
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