KALKASKA — An outsider never before elected to office wants to shake up village politics in a run against an incumbent who has been with the village for more than three decades.
Challenger Althea M. Illig-Ball, a retired sergeant first class with the Michigan Army National Guard and bookkeeper for her husband's oil and gas services company, says the village pays too much for police and should not have purchased a new office building earlier this year.
Virginia A. Thomas, who's served one term as village president, four years as a trustee and 29 years as clerk, defended the police department's size and said Illig-Ball doesn't understand how village government works.
The two will square off for the position of village president Tuesday in a nonpartisan race.
Illig-Ball said too much of the village's budget is used for a police department she sees as too large.
"We've got to figure out a way to make cuts to try to get our budget back where it's reasonable," she said.
Thomas said police department is important to the village.
"I don't think we're over policed at all. I think we have a great police department (and) we have enough money to handle it," Thomas said.
Illig-Ball also questioned the purchase of an office building for the village earlier this year for around $500,000. She said the village should have advertised a special meeting about the purchase.
Thomas said the proposed purchase was on agendas for meetings, discussed at several sessions leading up to the sale, and Illig-Ball could have attended if she wanted.
Five candidates are also vying for three spots on the village council. Candidates for trustee are Lyle Blanksvard, Harold Eickholt, Marlin F. Groleau, David L. Heymes and Doug Knoertzer.
