GRAND RAPIDS – Two new candidates and one incumbent are running for two open seats among the Grand Rapids
Township trustees.
Eric Flora, a resident of the township for 22 years, has lived in the area all his life. The biggest
reason he’s running is, "the trustees all need to work together to take care of township business,
take care of the needs of the residents. I just think that’s important, and I don’t think it’s being
done. It’s time for a little bit of change, something new, something different."
Flora stated his biggest goal is to have a good working relationship with other local governments, the
zoning board and other trustees. He wants residents to come to meetings and have the trustees "take
care of their concerns in a good way."
He served on village council for six years and has been a firefighter for 16 years. Flora said he is in
favor of building a new fire station, but "it’s definitely going to take time. We’ll have to
acquire property, probably want to stockpile money so it’s not a burden on the taxpayers. It’s
definitely needed." He added he is not opposed to any specific location for a new station and noted
there "are definitely other options" than the former middle school site.
The budget is definitely a big concern to Flora. "Everybody is in tough times. You don’t want to tax
anyone. (A new fire station) is something for the future and doesn’t have to be done right away."
Incumbent George Foos has served 20 years as a trustee. "I think I bring something with my 20 years
of experience. I do understand Grand Rapids Township is a very small township. You’ve got to look at it
differently than other townships."
Foos said trustees can’t be "management people," but do things township employees normally do.
"Not all the jobs are the sexy jobs: Trees on the road, equipment to fix, drainage issues." He
added it was not uncommon to get a call from a deputy at 3:30 a.m. about a limb across a road, then get
out of bed and use a chain saw to get rid of it.
"It is a lot more than going to meetings and buying new stuff."
Foos said the township needs a strong fire department, and since he is not a firefighter, "I can
look at it objectively from a non-fireman viewpoint." He said he has "gotten the message
now" about not even considering a new fire station in the current economy and until employment is
back on track.
He wants the township’s current zoning code updated since it has had no changes since 1992. Foos said the
township has areas of blight which are driving down the values of surrounding properties.
Tracy Punches has lived in the township for 26 years after moving to the area in 1983. "I think we
need unity and cooperation on the board," he said of his candidacy. "I’m just witnessing it
going to trustee meetings. I think a lot of projects stalled out because of a lack of cooperation."
He has been a firefighter for 26 years but "right now I’m not in favor of building a fire
hall." He wants to work in stages getting a new one eventually built when the economy is better.
But Punches noted some fire equipment is aging, and residents will be affected in one of two ways.
"You either pay for it on your home insurance (rates) going up or paying for a fire levy." He
added, "I don’t want a new fire truck and fire hall at the same time."
Punches said the budget "is the biggest concern and how that affects the people of this
township," as well as needing cooperation from the trustees on zoning. He said the trustees need to
be involved in the zoning issue.
