Brown elected to Harrison Township board

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — A change of personnel changes very little with the Harrison Township Board of Trustees.

Republican candidate and six-year resident Liza Brown has replaced fellow Republican Paula Rose, keeping all of the township’s trustees and full-time elected officials squarely within the GOP camp.

“I am excited to represent the people of Harrison Township,” Brown said. “I am excited, as a mother of small children and a small business owner right here in Harrison Township. I feel that I will offer my fresh perspective to the board and I am eager to work with people who make our township go. I am fortunate to have married a Harrison Township native and I’ve built my life here, so I am excited to get started.”

Brown claimed the second-highest vote totals of the five trustee candidates at 8,789 votes (21.44%). Incumbent Brian Batkins claimed 8,927 votes (21.77%) with fellow incumbents David Bratto and Dean Olgiati respectively taking the third and fourth most votes in the race at 8,742 votes (21.32%) and 8,380 votes (20.44%). A sharp drop-off separated the lone Democratic challenger Craig William Bardill from the Republican candidates. Bardill garnered 5,889 votes (14.36%) to place fifth in the race.

“I’ve known Liza for a little while,” Township Clerk Adam Wit said. “I think she will be a great addition to the board and bring a different perspective. I look forward to working with her.”

Wit, along with Township Supervisor Ken Verkest and Township Treasurer Larry Tomenello, were uncontested on the ballot.

Wit said the election ran smoothly throughout the township’s six precincts and saw a turnout of around 72%. No issues were reported on Election Day and poll workers were prepared to handle the township’s early and absentee votes.

“It was a matter of scale,” Wit said. “This is our fourth time running early voting this year and we were 200s for the highs of the total turnout for that and we were 3,800 for the presidential for early voting. People were taking the opportunity to vote when it was convenient for them and still having the advantage of tabulating their ballot.”

Rose, the township’s lone outgoing trustee, opted to run against Barbara Zinner in the Republican primary for the Macomb County Board of Commissioners 9th District. Rose lost to Zinner, who went on to defeat Democrat Donald Wheaton Jr. by a margin of 23,267 votes (58.32%) to 16,414 (41.15%).