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Former Charlevoix County Commissioner Rich Gillespie has agreed
to run again. This Island-born lifetime resident’s reluctance
was due to the heavy demands of his business projects, but his
memory of the difference an Island-based Commissioner can make
when he served in this capacity a decade back motivated him to
enter the race. “Last time I was effective in helping bring
the County Transit System to the Island, and helping get the King’s
Highway repaved,” he said. “Well, the paving’s
giving out, and without a voice on the Commission, Beaver Island
could miss out on effective opportunities to remedy the situation.”
Rich feels strongly that he’s the right person for the job.
“I learned first-hand what good can come from sitting on
that Board, and saw the benefits it brought to Beaver Island.
Prior to my taking a seat on the County Board, we were not taken
seriously by county officials. I chaired several important committees
during my tenure, and grew respect for Beaver Island and its citizens
as a result. My great concerns these days are taxes, and equal
distribution and representation.”
Like everyone else in business, he’s had some disagreements,
but he hopes that anyone who may be skeptical will overcome their
differences for the good of the Island. “For me, the Island
has always come first. I’d like to give something back to
the community that has been so good to my family and I. There’s
really nothing in this for me personally except the chance to
help improve the quality of life for everyone here.”
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