Nominating petitions are in and Marine City has a new candidate

Algonac has three seats up while Marine City has four spots

By Barb Pert Templeton

Unless there are some robust write-in campaigns launched for open council and commission seats in Algonac and Marine City this fall, there will be just one new face at the board tables.

The deadline for filing nominating petitions ended at 4 p.m. on April 21 and there are three incumbents in Algonac and three in Marine City who will be running unopposed. In addition, newcomer Walter Tripp is seeking a four-year term for another open commission seat in Marine City.

Marine City Clerk Jason Bell confirmed that the incumbents are Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche and commissioners, Rita G. Roehrig and Jacob Bryson. Commissioner Sean O’Brien’s seat was also up for reelection but he opted not to run and instead newcome Tripp will be running unopposed for that spot.

The two-year term of Mayor Vandenbossche is expiring this year. She has served as the city’s mayor since 2022. The seat is open for another two-year term that will expire in 2028. She’s also running unopposed.

In addition, Roehrig and Bryson are seeking new four-year terms that will expire in 2030.

Roehrig was first elected to the commission in 2022, following her sister, longtime commissioner and current Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Hendrick, onto the ballot for the first time.

Bryson was first elected to the commission in 2018.

Each candidate had to submit petitions with 25–50 signatures from registered Marine City voters, along with an Affidavit of Identity and Statement of Organization.

The limited number of candidates means there won’t be a need for an August primary but instead the four incumbents names will be on the ballot in November.

Other points of interest:

· Commissioners are paid $2,000 per year on a bi-annual schedule (each April and October). The mayor is paid $3,000 per year on the same schedule. *Although the city manager recently announced that the commissioners and mayor have agreed to take a $1 in pay for the next fiscal year to help with the budget deficit.)

· Regular Marine City Commission meetings are held twice a month at 7:00pm on the first and third Thursdays of each month. The meetings are held at the Municipal Building and are open to the public. The Commission may also hold additional meetings for workshops or for special meetings on specific issues.

Algonac candidates are ready

In Algonac, Mayor Rocky Gillis, Mayor Pro Tem Dawn Davey and Councilman Ed Carter all filed their petitions with the city in a “timely” manner, according to City Clerk Lisa Borgacz.

Algonac City Council members are elected to four-year terms on a rotating basis in even-numbered years

All three will be running to serve on council but the decision on who will be mayor and mayor pro tem will be voted on by the full council, seven total members, at an organizational meeting in November. Therefore, despite the council seats themselves being elected every four years, the appointment of mayor and mayor pro tem actually occurs every two years as new or returning council members take their seats.

A lack of candidates in Algonac means there will be no need for a primary in August and instead the trio will be on the ballot on Nov. 3, 2026.

The Algonac City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays of the month at 6 p.m. Council members earn $40 per meeting and an additional $10 for any special meetings.

At the most recent Algonac Council meeting Mayor Rocky Gillis commented that the deadline has passed to file petitions to run for the city council and the only ones who are running are the three incumbents.

“Either all those people scare them too much that they don’t want to do it or we’re doing a good enough job, or a little of both because the only ones that filed to run are the incumbents,” Gillis said. “So, unless there is a successful write-in campaign than you are stuck with us for four more years, congratulations.”