Kentwood Commission - WKTV Journal

By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

The two candidates for the City of Kentwood’s Ward 2 Commissioner seat currently held by Michael Brown, which will be decided on the Nov. 5 ballot, recently answers questions from a moderator at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Candidate Forum.

The Chamber’s Candidate Forum took place Sept. 11, at the Kentwood Branch of the Kent District Library, with WKTV Community Media cameras recording the event. The event was hosted by Chamber President Bob O’Callaghan and moderated by Kathey Batey.

The two candidates for the Ward 2 seat are Bill Benoit and Ron Draayer. Also on the ballot in November but not at the forum as they are running unopposed for other Kentwood Commission seats are incumbent Commissioner at Large Maurice H. Groce and incumbent Ward 1 Commissioner Robert D. Coughlin.

Draayer, according to the candidate, is a Kentwood resident who was a classroom teacher at Davenport University for 40 years and taught classes in the field of technology and cyber security.

Benoit, according to the candidate, is a Kentwood resident who works for the Charter Township of Cascade as a building inspector and plan reviewer, and is currently on the City of Kentwood Planning Commission.

WKTV Community Media was at the forum and will both broadcast it on WKTV Government Channel 26 as well as making it available on WKTV’s YouTube Channel. The forum will be broadcast today, Friday, Sept. 20, at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 26, at noon; as well as several but as-yet unscheduled times in October. See the WKTV on-air schedule for dates and times.

WKTV also recorded candidates Benoit, Draayer and Coughlin as part of “We The People” candidate introduction videos series which are produced prior to each election voted on by Wyoming and Kentwood residents. Those videos will be made public the week of Sept. 23.

by Rich Houtteman and Deb Havens

After 18 years service as a Kentwood City Commissioner, Sharon R. Brinks has a new job. The day after the January 20th City Commission meeting, Commissioner Brinks becomes Attorney Magistrate to the 62-B District Court.

Brinks, an attorney for over 30 years and founder of Brinks & Associates in 1993, has served the City since being appointed in 1997. Brinks served Kentwood as Finance Committee Chair for eleven years, Ordinance Committee Chair during Kentwood’s first codification process, and as Mayor Pro-tem from 2005-2006.

Brinks says she was “blessed to serve with four Mayors and many excellent elected officials and staff,” adding that she’s excited to take on a new challenge. As Attorney Magistrate, she will hear and decide cases largely from small claims and traffic court dockets. The new position will free up the 62nd District Court schedule.

Brinks claims that she is not phased by her move from the position of elected Commissioner and public servant to one of passing judgement on her previous electors. “I love the citizens of Kentwood,” says Brinks, “and I will always offer them the respect and judicial demeanor they are entitled to.”