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Incumbents retain seats in city elections

By Daily Press Staff 3 min read
Ilsa Minor | Daily Press Mary DeBenedittis helps a voter who is filling out an identification form at Escanaba’s Precinct 1 Tuesday. By noon, only 64 people had voted at the precinct, which at the time was the most voters at any of the city’s four precincts. Only one issue was on the ballot for Escanaba residents, the election of two city council members. Other communities weighed in on other issues.

ESCANABA -- The people have spoken and elected familiar faces to represent them in Escanaba and Gladstone.

ESCANABA

Two city council seats were up for grabs in Escanaba Tuesday, with incumbent council members Tyler DuBord and Karen Moore seeking to defend their spots on Escanaba's legislative board from challenger Rhonda Waters.

When the votes were counted, the city's two incumbent council members were reelected. Securing seats on the board were DuBord, who received 1,244 votes (42%), and Moore, who received 958 (32%). Waters, who failed to secure a seat on the council, received 767 (26%).

The election marks the second time that both Dubord and Moore have been elected to the council. Both candidates were elected to the council for the first time in 2019.

While the makeup of the council won't be changing, the council members themselves are looking forward to continuing the rapport they've built with each other.

"It has been a great pleasure serving on city council for the past four years and I look forward to being elected for the next four years. I really have enjoyed city council. I believe this council currently is running very smooth and well organized, we have great communication, great honesty," DuBord said of his time with the council and with Moore during the recent League of Women Voters forum, adding he intended to continue asking tough questions and doing any research necessary to make informed decisions.

Moore also reflected on her time on the commission.

"The last four years have been fun, interesting, educational, controversial and very rewarding," she said, adding the realization that "changes in the community require participation by individuals and clear, concise sharing of goals and expectations" helped her to grow in her role as a council member.

Both DuBord and Moore will serve on the council for four years.

GLADSTONE

A total of 983 voters turned up to make their voices heard for the city of Gladstone, reelecting two incumbent commissioners.

Of the three candidates on the ballot for Gladstone City Commission, the two who secured the seats were Bradly Mantela, who received 597 votes (61%), and Judy Akkala, who earned 542 (55%). Also in the running was Brian Godfrey, who snagged 378 votes (38%). The positions that were available had been held by Akkala and Mantela, whose terms were expiring.

Mantela and Akkala will enter into terms of four years on the Gladstone City Commission.

Historically, the Gladstone City Commission has asked citizens to make a mayoral advisory vote -- that is, select a candidate to recommend to the commission for appointment as mayor of the city of Gladstone. 2023 was no different, and everyone who has been sitting on the commission was eligible. The people selected Joe Thompson with 412 votes (42%). The other contenders were Mantela with 202 votes (21%), Akkala with 133 (14%), Robert Pontius with 74 (8%), and Greg Styczynski with 69 (7%).

The new appointments will be made at the regularly scheduled Gladstone City Commission meeting of Monday, Nov. 13. If the commission appoints Thompson as mayor -- and City Clerk Kim Berry said it would be a first if the Commission did not honor the vote -- and he accepts the position, he will serve a two-year term as mayor.

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