Incumbent Michael Spisz and challenger Michelle McClellan are vying for the two-year District 3 seat on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners in the Nov. 8 general election.

District 3 includes townships of Addison, Brandon, Oakland and Oxford. It also includes the villages of Ortonville, Leonard and Oxford.

Spisz (R-Oxford) has represented the district since 2012.

Among his government experience, Spisz served on the Oxford Township Board of Trustees from 20-12. He currently serves on the Oxford Township Planning Commission.

He holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from GMI (Kettering University), and a Master of Business Administration in Global Business from Davenport University.

If re-elected, Spisz said his main goal will be to maintain Oakland County’s financial position and a balanced budget.

“I want to keep Oakland County moving forward and to maintain our AAA bond rating and to continue to keep us as one of the best counties in the country,” said Spisz.

According to Spisz, he will also work to improve public safety in the communities by supporting the Oakland Sheriff’s Office and to continue to bring employers to the county.

Spisz has served as an engineering director at Takata for the past eight years – an experience he feels has greatly improved his abilities as a county commissioner.

“I’m very fact-based, being an engineer. I make all of my decisions based on facts, rather than emotion,” Spisz said. “I’ll continue to work with both sides of the aisle and keep an open mind.”

McClellan, who’s running as a Democrat, has been an Oxford resident for 14 years.

While she does not have prior government experience, McClellan has held several positions of leadership, both in her professional career and during her community service efforts. Last year, McClellan also served as an assistant coach for the YMCA Stride program.

She currently serves as clerical Coordinator/senior massage therapist for Beaumont’s Integrative Medicine Department. She holds an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Oakland Community College.

If she is elected to the Republican-controlled board of commissioners, McClellan said she would like to act as a catalyst for change within the community.

McClellan says she will focus on improving area infrastructure and the deterioration of roads. “(For Oxford), you go back to infrastructure and (study) how it affects the area. They’re doing a lot of work on Lapeer Road and I-75, but just looking at Addison, Oxford, Brandon… I want to focus on making things run smoothly between those communities (and) the downtown areas,” said McClellan.

McClellan also said she will work to ensure safe drinking water through water testing for Oakland County and strive to improve the mental health department and will research county-level educational programs for Oxford Schools.

McClellan said, while she prides herself on her ability to get along with others with opposing views, she added that she will always hold the best interest of the community at heart.

“I’m not a ‘yes man,’ I’m going to say that I will go with my views and what I think is good for the community based on what people are telling me they want with my heart and what the community wants… I’m not a career politician.”