Candidates in Farmington Area Races Report Campaign Finances
Some seeking office have raised thousands of dollars.
Campaign fundraising reported for the Nov. 8 city council and school board races in Farmington and Farmington Hills stretches across a fairly wide range – from $475 to more than $7,000.
Farmington Hills city council
A check of the Oakland County on-line database shows committees for Farmington Hills city council candidates Randy Bruce and Ken Massey and challengers Richard Lerner and Erik Lindquist all filed the required reports. Lindquist's report was filed Nov. 3; the deadline was Oct. 29. His committee has been assessed a $75 late fee.
Challengers Seth Doyle III and Christopher Trotter both filed for reporting waivers, indicating they intended to raise and spend less than $1,000. William Huber did not form a campaign committee.
Of the four who filed, Massey has raised $7,403 (84 donors), which exceeds the total raised by the other three. Lindquist raised $1,665 (17 donors), Lerner, $2,090 (38 donors), and Bruce (16 donors), $2,291.
The vast majority of contributions for all candidates came from individual contributors. One of Massey's contributions, $150, came from a political action committee, WMI (Waste Management Incorporated) PAC of Michigan. The company has a 5-year contract with the city, which expires in 2013, to provide waste hauling, yard waste and recycling services. Lerner received $300 from the Ninth District Republican Committee. Lindquist received $500 from the Farmington Democratic Club.
The committee backing the only mayoral candidate in Farmington Hills, Barry Brickner, reported no funds have been raised for this race. The committee had a balance of more than $600 from previous elections.
Farmington School Board
In the Farmington School Board 6-year term race, the Oakland County database shows campaign statements have been received from committees for incumbent Karen Bolsen and Howard Wallach, challengers Irving Ginsberg and Angie Smith. Samuel Ramsey III filed for a reporting waiver.
Bolsen and Wallach easily outpaced the challengers in the 6-year race, raising $5,215 (30 donors) and $6,219 (61 donors), respectively. Ginsberg's committee reported $2,910 (11 donors) in contributions; Smith's, $475 (10 donors). With one exception, contributions in the race came from individuals or businesses. Ginsberg received a $300 contribution from the Ninth District Republican committee.
On Friday, Bolsen was contacted about $2,000 contribution, drawn on a joint checking account, which appeared to exceed the contribution limit of $1,000 per person that applies in large districts like Farmington. Election officials told Bolsen she is not in violation of campaign law, so long as she either returns $1,000 of the donation or obtains a note from the donor's wife indicating half the contribution came from her, within 30 days. Bolsen said today that she has returned the $1,000.
Both candidates for the 4-year term, Murray Kahn and David Sampson, filed reports. Sampson's committee raised $4,262 (21 donors) to Kahn's $2,618.50 (7 donors). With one exception, donations for both candidates came from individuals; Kahn received a $300 contribution from the Ninth District Republican committee.
The candidate for a partial term, George Gurrola, filed for a reporting waiver.
Farmington city council
All Farmington city council candidates – Greg Cowley, Bill Galvin, Kevin Giannini, Kristin Kuiken, JoAnne McShane, Sean Murphy, Greg Sako and Jeffrey Taylor – filed for reporting waivers.
In This article
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City of Farmington Hills Municipal Offices
31555 W 11 Mile Rd, Farmington Hills, MI -
Farmington Public Schools Lewis Schulman Administrative Center
32500 Shiawassee Rd, Farmington, MI -
City of Farmington Municipal Offices
23600 Liberty St, Farmington, MI
KP
1:45 pm on Monday, November 7, 2011
Thanks for detailing everything !
Irving Ginsberg
3:18 pm on Monday, November 7, 2011
The check in question came from a donor, Nabil Suliman of “Wabeek Forrest,” according to Bolsen’s campaign finance report filed in late October.
At the contentious June 14 school board meeting that addressed the controversial sale of Eagle, then-school board president Howard Wallach identified a speaker during public comment as “Suliman of Wabeek Forest in Bloomfield Hills.” The name of the speaker and street matches that of the donation in question on Bolsen’s
campaign finance report. Suliman’s occupation on the report is listed as “physician,” which is also how the speaker identified himself at the June 14 meeting.
At that public school board meeting, Dr. Suliman said the following:
“If you want to know, who are these ICA that we’ve been talking about all night? This is me. I am ICA, my wife, my kids, my family; this is who we are.”
Bolsen voted at that meeting in favor of the sale of Eagle Elementary to the ICA (Islamic Cultural Association).
A lawsuit challenging the sale is now in court.
The FPS board announced at its Oct. 18 meeting that the district granted an extension to the ICA to purchase Eagle Elementary.
I find this very disturbing. This raises questions especially since the sale has not been finalized. I believe this warrants further examination.
Irving Ginsberg, Ph.D.
Candidate for FPS Board
inez robinson
10:13 am on Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Thank you, Dr. Ginsberg, for bringing this disturbing fact to light. I would very much like to hear from Ms. Bolsen on this matter. If indeed she is not influenced by special interest groups who have a vested interest in specific issues, perhaps she should look elsewhere for campaign contributions. The Eagle School matter is still on the table---and the satin lining of her pockets makes it difficult to believe that she can remain impartial. So sorry to hear this--although transparency is a good thing, it can also tarnish the image of those we previously held in such high esteem. Re-thinking my vote today....
FH Lesa
4:23 pm on Monday, November 7, 2011
Joni, thank you for information and updates on each of the candidates. I have looked to your reports as I continue to try and finalize my decisions for tomorrow. Admittedly, this election year has been one of the most difficult for me with the taste of new (expensive) administration buildings, closed schools, cut policing programs, and community vs. council(s)...still fresh on my lips.