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Curtis Township supervisor recalled

CURTIS TOWNSHIP — Residents of Alcona County’s Curtis Township on Tuesday voted to recall township Supervisor Darrell Kenyon and elect Gary Griffith to finish Kenyon’s term.

Residents cast 251 votes for Griffith and 168 votes for Kenyon, according to unofficial election results.

Kenyon, a Democrat who was serving his second term as the township’s supervisor, said the people have spoken.

“I enjoyed working for the township,” Kenyon said late Tuesday. “I’m proud of the work we’ve done and I hope everybody is successful in the future. I hope they continue to do the kinds of things that make the township a good township.”

Griffith, an independent, will serve the remainder of Kenyon’s term, which is set to expire in November 2020. He previously told The News he decided to run for supervisor at the encouragement of friends and business owners he respects.

Griffith said he was feeling “overwhelmed” on Tuesday night, but that he’s “going to do the best he can.”

“I have no plans,” he said. “I want to serve the people. What they want is what I’m going to try to accomplish.”

Glennie resident Christopher Clouse circulated a recall petition accusing Kenyon of misrepresenting the Curtis Township Hall’s operating expenses to justify a decision not to buy the building from Oscoda Area Schools.

Curtis Township used to lease the former Glennie Elementary School for office space. The building was then purchased by Clouse, who paid $10,100 on Aug. 22, 2017, according to information provided by Oscoda schools Superintendent Scott Moore’s office. Clouse purchased the building while it was still being leased by Curtis Township and offered to lease the building to the township for $1,000 a month, plus operating costs.

Kenyon, in a written statement previously provided to The News, said the building “was bought by a local individual with the intention of renting it to the township, which would have been exorbitant.” He said continuing to lease the building was not in the best interest of the residents of Curtis Township.

The township no longer leases the school building for its offices.

Clouse declined a request for comment on Tuesday.

The Curtis Township board will meet at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Curtisville Civic Center, at 8465 Clouse Road.

Crystal Nelson can be reached at cnelson@thealpenanews.com or 989-358-5687.

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