As candidates go, these two are as different as night and day.
One is a 73-year-old Republican, retired pharmacist and small business owner, father of five and grandfather of 13.
The other is a 21-year-old Democrat who attends Oakland University and works part-time as a library clerk and veterinary assistant.
But there’s at least one thing Bill Patterson (R-Oxford) and Democrat Brandon Galbraith, of Addison, have in common ? they both want to represent District #1 on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.
District #1 includes the townships of Oxford, Addison, Brandon, Groveland and a portion of Independence, and the villages of Oxford, Leonard and Ortonville.
Patterson, who was elected to the board of commissioners in 1998, is seeking his fourth, two-year term in office. ‘I have represented the district very well for the past six years and will continue to do so,? he said.
As a commissioner, Patterson’s primary job has been administering the county’s approximately $500 million annual budget. He said he’s spent nearly three terms trying to keep county dollars ‘heading north,? instead of having them ‘all go to the southern end (of the county).?
Besides keeping tabs on the county’s dollars and cents, Patterson said he enjoys using his position to help people on a one-on-one basis and is always willing to listen to his constituents.
‘I get a lot of calls at home,? he said. ‘I don’t mind a bit.?
Senior issues are of special importance to Patterson. He and Commissioner Eric Wilson (R-Lake Orion) have put together a group of local officials to explore the idea of possibly building a multi-community senior/transportation center to serve Oxford, Addison and Orion townships (see story on page 3).
Besides attending commission meetings, Patterson also chairs the Airport Committee and General Government Committee, and sits on the county’s Personnel Committee, Oakland County Community Advisory Committee, and Oakland County Community Development Council.
The last group oversees the local distribution of Community Development Block Grant funds.
Prior to his election to office, Patterson owned and operated Patterson Prescription Pharmacy in downtown Oxford for more than 30 years until his retirement in 1994. He served on the Oxford Board of Education for eight years and is a past president and current member of the Oxford Area Chamber of Commerce. He’s also a past president and current member of the Rotary Club of Oxford.
Patterson resides in Oxford with his lovely wife of 52 years, Ruth, and enjoys spending time with his five children and 13 grandchildren.
Attempting to unseat Patterson, is Brandon Galbraith, of Addison.
The 21-year-old Oakland University student and 2001 graduate of Oxford High School is running for office because he believes voters are ‘ready for new ideas.? He said the people he’s talked to ‘think it’s time for something different, somebody new.?
‘And I’m open to new things. I want to hear what people have to say, what’s bothering them. If I can fix it, let’s fix it. That’s what I’m all about.?
If elected, one of the primary things Galbraith would like to accomplish is increasing the amount of public services to residents in the northern townships.
‘People don’t get anything out here,? he said.
Traffic control, maintenance of infrastructure and roads and hazardous waste removal are some of the ‘service issues? Galbraith intends to raise public awareness about if elected.
Galbraith said he’s also interested in curbing urban sprawl by study the master plans of District #1’s communities and helping to rectify any problems that may arise from ‘discrepancies? in them.
Galbraith said he became active in politics only within the last year due to his dissatisfaction with ‘the current administration,? meaning the presidency of Republican George W. Bush. A friend with the Oakland County Democratic Party asked him to run for the District #1 seat.
‘They were looking for candidates in this area and they asked me if I was interested,? he said.
Earlier this year, Galbraith was elected as a legislator in the Student Congress at OU. Outside of school and politics, the young man holds down two part-time jobs ? a desk clerk at the Addison Township Public Library and a veterinary assistant at The Animal Clinic at Oxford Mills.