EDITOR:

Teresa Nelson represents the citizens of District 3 on the Delta County Board of Commissioners. Currently the only woman on the board, Nelson has honorably and effectively represented District 3 since first taking office in 2017.

Now Nelson is running against Bob Barron who currently represents District 5. When county board district lines were redrawn earlier this year, Barron’s residence was incorporated into District 3. The difference between candidates is illustrated by each commissioner’s position on the Area Agency on Aging.

At the July 19, 2022 county board meeting Nelson voted in favor of the multi year plan for the Upper Peninsula Area Agency on Aging (AAA) developed and administered by the Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress (UPCAP). The goal of AAA is to ensure quality services for people age 60 and over. Meals on Wheels is the best known AAA service.

At county board meetings throughout the U.P. every board member approved and supported the AAA program. Except one. Barron was the only county commissioner in the entire U.P. to vote against the Area Agency on Aging program.

A partial list of AAA’s services, in addition to Meals on Wheels, illustrates UPCAP’s dedication to the UP community – adult day care, caregiver training, care management, help with understanding Medicare and Medicaid, help with prescription drugs for those who qualify, assistance for grand parents raising grand children, relief for care givers, transportation, meals at senior centers, disease management, housing options, home care assistance.

Barron’s pique towards UPCAP arose when his peers, the UPCAP governing board, removed him from the board at its April 22, 2022 meeting. The members of UPCAP governing board are a cross section of the U.P. Each county board in the U.P. is represented. UPCAP members are chairs, vice chairs and committee heads on their home county boards.

The Delta County board replaced Barron with Teresa Nelson as its representative on UPCAP board.

It is the only time in UPCAP’s 61 year history that a UPCAP board member has been expelled. The minutes of April 22nd UPCAP meeting do not specify the reason the members of the board voted 13-2 to remove Barron from the board.

At the May 17, 2022 Delta County Board meeting Barron requested time to talk about his removal from UPCAP. Barron told the Delta County Board of Commissioners, “I’m not even sure exactly what the charges were.” Hmmm. Barron also told the Delta County Board that he felt he was labeled a “racist, sexist, bigoted, homophobe.” Whether he was labeled by anyone a “racist, sexist, bigoted, homophobe” or not, his behavior was egregious enough to persuade county officials from across the U.P. to remove Barron from the UPCAP board. The Delta County Board approved a motion that Barron was not a racist, sexist bigoted homophobe.

Teresa Nelson has always represented District 3 in a competent and commendable manner. She should be our choice in this election.

Richard Clark

Escanaba