Brandon Twp.- When Supervisor Kathy Thurman asked 10 township residents applying in January for appointment to an open trustee seat whether they planned to run for election to the position this fall, all responded yes.
At 4 p.m. Tuesday, as the deadline to turn in petition signatures passed, it was revealed that only two candidates for township trustee, both Republicans, will be on the August primary ballot? Dana DePalma and Cheryl Gault. The winner will be the sole trustee candidate on the November ballot.
Under a scoring system the township board devised for selecting an appointee from the ten who applied, Gault scored first and DePalma second. Gault was chosen in February to fill the trustee seat until the November election. The seat was left open by the death of Charlene Carlson in December, and whoever is elected will serve a partial term until 2012.
Gault, 58, a resident of the township since 1987, is vice-president of commercial lending at Michigan Commerce Bank, Auburn Hills office. She founded in 2007 the township group ‘Defending Our Natural Treasures? and has served on the Brandon Preservation Committee since 2004.
‘I would like to fulfill the obligation I took on when I was appointed? to complete a three-year budget and make sure we’re maintaining the fiscal integrity of our township and the health and safety of our residents,? said Gault about her reason for running for the trustee position.
DePalma, 37, has been a resident of the township since 2003. She is a certified public accountant and accounting manager for Clarkston MRI. She serves as treasurer for the Brandon Co-Op Preschool, and is a member of the Walsh College Alumni as well as the Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants.
‘The budget is a major concern,? said DePalma. ‘As a CPA, I’ve done a lot of budgeting work and helping companies with their finances. I want to be involved in the community, so I think this will be a good first step.?