Flint Township View

Trowbridge to challenge Young for 5th District county seat


 

 

GRAND BLANC — Two candidates will be in the running for the 5th District Genesee County Commissioner seat in the Nov. 3 election.

Incumbent 5th District County Commissioner Mark Young, a Democrat, will seek another term this fall when he is challenged by Republican Sean Trowbridge.

Here is what the candidates had to say:

Mark Young, Age: 61

Education: County Commissioner, Genesee County 2013 – Present (and still learning), Baker College Graduate, Series 7 (General Securities License) & Series 63 Paramedic (FOH), Deputy Sheriff, Genesee County (Retired), US Army/National Guard – Infantry Scout

Accomplishments: My greatest accomplishment is a successful marriage of over 20 years to my beautiful wife, Norma! I truly thank God every day for my blessings!

As your current County Commissioner, I stand on my proven record! I have helped to lead the county thru several successful audits, the development & implementation of multiple balanced budgets and for the first time helped to establish a 3-year budget in order to better plan & assess proposed changes & their long-term effects. I also helped to lead an effort to establish best practices at the Genesee County Animal Shelter including remodeling the facility through millage dollars. This, along with establishing a no-kill policy, lead to our shelter being awarded “The Most Improved Shelter in Michigan”. All of this was done without spending additional dollars from our General Operations funds.

Tell us what your goals are for the community if elected? Keeping this county safe and in good financial order. I have a proven record on safety and have been endorsed by Prosecutor Leyton, Sheriff Chris Swanson, as well as Sheriff Pickell (Ret.). I continue to work for senior citizens, and I have a great relationship with many of the Senior Center Directors. My vision led to the creation of a position for Community Outreach through Social Media. The county needs to make sure that everyone knows the services available through your county resources. I helped lead the county to a $38 million surplus. I continue fighting to make sure that the county does not cut funding for public safety, nor try to build this county up on the back of our retirees.

Sean Trowbridge, Age: 33

Education: Graduate from Goodrich High School and Central Michigan University

Accomplishments: Sean Trowbridge was born in Flint and raised in Atlas Township where he resides today with his wife and two kids. Their family is active in the community and manages a local farm business that is now in its eighth year. Trowbridge has served on several boards, both educational and professional, received multiple awards for successful business management, and built strong relationships with many associations throughout Michigan. He believes strong community ties and a commitment to local businesses are essential to keeping Southeast Genesee County vibrant and growing and is what our area needs more focus on right now.

Tell us what your goals are for the community if elected? Bringing together the community and strengthening our residents’ bonds to their villages, cities, townships, and county to create a vibrant region that attracts new people and supports existing residents in a sustainable manner. This means a safe, well educated, and active community. Top priorities include supporting Police, Fire and Education programs, as well as fostering new job creation at the local level.

Genesee County has experienced a wide array of new issues in the last few years. We need to continue to focus on the shortcomings of the annual operating budget and expense issues, while also not slowing progress on our path forward towards safer and more attractive local communities. Additionally, the recent hardships caused by the virus are incredibly burdensome to so many existing small businesses and our local community members. We need to make sure we do what we can to help keep these businesses afloat, along with assisting our community members who are in need.

The Genesee County View will run more candidate profiles over the coming weeks for the various races through the county.