KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — The more things change…the more they stay the same. That’s the apparent outcome of Tuesday’s city elections in Kalamazoo and Portage.
In fact the only incumbent who won’t be returning is Nasim Ansari, and that’s only because he ran against another incumbent and only one could win. That’s Patricia Randall, who will serve as Portage’s new Mayor.
Portage Incumbents Claudette Reid and Terry Urban will be returned for new terms. There will be two newcomers to the Council, Lori Knapp will fill a third vacancy, and Christopher Barnes, who came in fourth, will likely to be appointed to serve the rest of the term that Randall will give up to become Mayor.
Randall says her priorities are to cut taxes and to expand the Senior Center, and to do the later without reducing the former.
Mayor Bobby Hopewell will become the longest serving Mayor in Kalamazoo history, as he has won a sixth term.
Incumbent Erin Knott finished second and will become Vice-Mayor.
Eric Cunningham, who was appointed to fill a vacancy but failed to win reelection the first time, has won this time. Incumbent Jack Urban has also won reelection.
There were six running for four seats in Parchment. The winners are Thomas Jordan, Robert Britigan, Richard Bagley and Chester Emmons.
In some of the money items on the ballot, Alamo Township voters handily rejected extra millage for expanded emergency services, while voters in Pavilion Township supported paying more for improved fire protection by an equally wide margin.
Vicksburg School voters approved a routine renewal for operating millage.
For more results, try Election Magic.
