St. Clair Shores

Incumbents win re-election, newcomer leads in votes in St. Clair Shores election

By Julie Snyder
C & G Staff Writer

Millage renewal passes with 66 percent

ST. CLAIR SHORES — Three incumbents won re-election and a newcomer took a majority of the votes during the Nov. 6 general election.

Mayor Robert Hison, a city government veteran since 1984, won re-election on Nov. 6 with 9,219 votes (62 percent) over his young and passionate contender Nathan Kaczmarek.

Kaczmarek, a 27-year-old Mount Clemens attorney, received an impressive 37 percent of the vote.

“I really am grateful for all the support from the residents of St. Clair Shores,” said Kaczmarek, a resident of the city for more than four years. “Six months ago I was relative unknown. What I have come to learn from this election is that I have wonderful, wonderful neighbors.”

Kaczmarek said he would continue to be involved in the city regardless of his loss. “I want to help in any way that I can,” he said last week. “I want to see good things for this city. It’s an untapped resource.” He also extended his hand of congratulations to Hison and the winning council members — incumbents Beverly McFadyen and Ronald Frederick and newcomer David Rubello.

“I wish them all luck in the next four years,” he said.

Hison was appointed mayor in 2004 after Mayor Curt Dumas stepped down, and won election to fill the two remaining years in 2005.

Frederick was appointed onto council in 2005 following the resignation of City Councilman Mike Boyle, who stepped down after moving out of the city. Frederick, a former South Lake School Board member, received 7,349 votes — roughly 19 percent — in this year’s election.

“I’m very excited by the way St. Clair Shores residents returned Beverly and I to council,” Frederick said.

He added that he was also pleased with the renewal of the three-year, $3 million Police and Fire Millage. “These two departments are very important to the city,” he said. 

Frederick said the election is proof that he and McFadyen have been successfully representing the citizens. “We want to continue what we have been doing for the city and the residents.”

St. Clair Shores City Clerk Mary Kotowski said a steady flow of voters kept poll workers busy the entire day, and the 32 percent voter turnout was expected.

“That’s pretty much right on target for an election when the mayor is on the ballot,” she said.

Kotowski said there was close to 7,000 absentee ballots issued this year, with 93 percent, or 6,458, returned by the end of the day. “More people utilize the absentee process because we are such a busy society,” she said. Kotowski said there were virtually no problems associated with the new Michigan law that now requires identification be furnished upon voting.

McFadyen, a council member since 1999, received 17 percent of the vote with 6,877 nods.

Newcomer David Rubello won the most votes with 23 percent or 8.997 votes, and won 23 of 24 precincts.

“The high number of votes I put up is a testimony to hard work and dedication,” Rubello said. “It shows that anything can be accomplished if you are willing to work hard and give others credit. This was a total group effort; I had a wide grassroots movement.”

Rubello, an employee with
• Mark E. Beghin / 3,106 / 46.80%
• Shannon R. Harvey (I) / 3,502 / 52.76%



• Write-in Votes / 29 / .44%

LAKEVIEW PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Registered voters / 15,885

Ballots cast / 5,577 / 35.11%

Lakeview Public Schools Bonding Proposal
• Yes / 2,898 / 53.22%

•

No / 2,547 / 46.78%

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Julie Snyder at jsnyder@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1039.