Macomb voters approve charter; Metro Detroiters vote down non-school taxes

Delores Flynn / The Detroit News

Macomb County voters took a historic step toward a new form of government, most incumbent mayors held onto their seats and school millage requests fared well across Metro Detroit in suburban elections Tuesday.

Sixty percent of Macomb residents voted to adopt a charter that will pave the way for an elected executive and halve the county's 26-member board. County voters also approved by 64 percent a plan to turn the independent Road Commission into a county department.

Incumbent mayors retained their seats in Southfield; Romulus, Lincoln Park, Sterling Heights, Mount Clemens, Ecorse and Dearborn, while Pontiac voters elected a former deputy mayor to the city's top spot.

Voters generally were generous with school millages and bonds, with requests passing in the Oxford, Warren Consolidated and Grosse Pointe districts. River Rouge voters, however, turned down a bond issue that would have raised $795,000 for remodeling and repairs at Sabbath Elementary.

Other ballot issues were less successful. In Oakland County, voters in Royal Oak voted down a proposal to place a two-year moratorium on new liquor license applications, which failed 1,852 votes to 3,718. Berkley voters also defeated two proposals, a $15 million bond proposal and 1.5-mil tax to operate to build and maintain a new community center.

In Royal Oak Township -- the most-taxed community in Oakland County -- voters defeated a 4.5-mill increase in property taxes known as Proposal G. Township leaders asked for the increase to pay for police services. If passed, residents would have paid 73.4 mills overall and businesses 91.4 mills.

One tax request squeaked by. Voters in Wayne County's Brownstown Township approved a 2-mill increase for firefighter personnel and improvements by only four votes: 1,822 to 1,818.

The measure means the hiring of more firefighters and the bolstering of a budget with a projected $1.38 million shortfall next year, fire officials say.

Incumbent mayors fared well, with one exception. In Taylor, Jeffrey Lamarand ousted Cameron G. Priebe, 5,596-4,448.

In Southfield, voters re-elected Mayor Brenda Lawrence to her third four-year term. She defeated challenger Sylvia Jordan, who gave up her City Council seat in June as pro-tem.

Pontiac's ex-deputy mayor, Leon Jukowski, also was victorious Tuesday night against Sandy Michael-McDonald. Incumbent Mayor Clarence Phillips lost his re-election bid after receiving the fewest votes in the September primary.

Suburban Wayne County voters re-elected Mayor Alan Lambert, who defeated Harry Crout in Romulus, and in Lincoln Park, incumbent Frank Vaslo defeated Joseph Baughman. Dearborn Mayor John B. O'Reilly Jr. easily defeated Michael J. Prus, while Ecorse voters re-elected Herbert Worthy, despite his legal woes, over former mayor Larry Salisbury.

In Livingston County, voters approved tax hikes to pay for police and parks in Hamburg Township and ousted Clerk Matt Skiba in a recall vote on Tuesday, according to the Livingston County Clerk's office.

Results for a $59.5 million bond to fund technology and building upgrades in Pinckney Community Schools was too close to call with one of seven Hamburg precincts not counted, School Board President Anne Colone said.

dflynn@detnews.com (734) 462-2206