Five candidates will be competing for three Boyne City Commission seats in the November 7th election. The candidates are: Chad Culver, 1035 Lakeview Dr.; incumbent Ron Grunch, 400 Silver St.; Sally Page, 817 E. Main St.; Andy Smith, 6 W. Main St.; and Dean Solomon, 859 Deer Run Dr. Incumbents Laura Sansom and Gene Towne are not running for reelection, so there will be at least two new commissioners. We asked each candidate to provide us with some brief background information:
> CHAD CULVER - I am excited with the opportunity to serve the people of Boyne City. I have lived in Boyne City for 20 years with two children going through our school system and two more currently in high school and middle school. My main goal is to find a way to help our citizens by supporting your voice as our community continues to grow and evolve. After over 20 years in public education, I now own and operate a car wash in town as well as work for Bluegreen Resorts at Boyne Mountain. My family and I love Boyne City and want only the best for our beautiful small town and those visiting our city. I would be proud to serve as City Commissioner and am interested in hearing the concerns of residents.
> RON GRUNCH is the only incumbent running for reelection. He has served on the City Commission for 18 years, include a period as mayor. "My motivation is to 'keep the dream alive. We have a great team working for you - city staff and management, City Commission, Team Boyne, and the greatest group of volunteers in Northern Michigan. Boyne City has a great business model. And I would like to, God willing, continue as a member."
> SALLY PAGE - "My roots in Northern Michigan date back to 1962, but my permanent move back to the area came in 1987 when my husband and I moved from New Mexico to Harbor Springs and I became Office Manager for the Emmet County Prosecutor's Office in Petoskey. I held that position until I retired in 2013. For the last 12 years I have lived in Boyne City. I moved here to be closer to my children, who both lived in Boyne City at that time. My daughter Liz has been co-owner of Lake Street Market since 2004. At the urging of friends in the community, I decided to run for city commissioner because I felt that my years of government experience spanning 40 years would lend itself well to such an undertaking. My goal for Boyne City would be to make it serve all its citizens, and to involve the entire community, from the youngest to the oldest. I believe that a strong community spirit, including those who have lived here all their lives and those who are relatively new, is vital to that success."
> ANDY SMITH - " I have been living year-round in Northern Michigan for three years, but have been spending portions of my years in Boyne City since 1999. My career in Northern Michigan began with Boyne Resorts. I currently work in marketing for Boyne Mountain Resort. I see serving as a commissioner as a great opportunity to get involved in the community and help share my ideas and opinions on how we can all work together to grow the community in sustainable and successful ways. I would like to work with the community to find ways to facilitate sustainable growth as one of the premier cities in Northern Michigan. Boyne City is not just a beautiful vacation destination, it is an incredible place to call home and offers a multitude of recreational pursuits of wellness. I will work with the community to further develop these healthy outlets for people, young and old alike."
> DEAN SOLOMON is the recently retired head of the Boyne City MSU Extension office. "Since moving to Boyne City 11 years ago, my family and I have grown to love the area - its beauty, friendly people, and can-do attitude. We truly live in a special place. I'm really excited about the possibility of serving on the City Commission and helping Boyne City continue to grow and meet our future challenges."
Latest News
