LAPEER COUNTY — Imlay City’s Dale Duckert is looking to earn his fourth term on the Lapeer County Road Commission. His challenger is fellow Republican Terry Jostock of Lapeer. Whoever gets the most votes on August 4 will earn a four-year seat on the three-member board.
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Dale Duckert said the current board works well together and he’d like to be a part of continued progress. Considering that the amount of funds the county receives from the state is always in flux, it can be difficult to plan but the board has been committed to utilizing the money and allocating projects around the county as equally as possible.
“We get projects done and do it right,” he said.
In a new term on the board, Duckert said his priorities would include ensuring crews have very good equipment to use, particularly for emergencies and snow events and maintaining a good work force.
“We are happy with their work and we do our best as a board to keep our employees happy,” he said.
Additionally, Duckert would like to see more tree and brush clearing from the roads’ right-of-way and hopes townships will continue to take advantage of programs that incentivize that work. Currently the road commission offers to match township investments in brush removal and ditching.
“We’ve offered that now for the last four to five years and it’s working. It helps make our money go as far as it can,” he said.
As for experience he brings to the job, Duckert worked in road construction as a member of the Operating Engineers 324 before opening his own sawmill business.
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Terry Jostock is a retired contractor and farmer who opted to seek a road commission seat because a “fresh set of eyes and perspective is needed for getting better roads and ditches to keep everyone safe,” he said.
“I’m a life-long resident of Lapeer County and I’ve seen our roads deteriorating.”
If elected, Jostock said he would investigate the issues brought to his attention since he filed to put his name on the ballot. They include fostering a safe and friendly work environment for employees, the need to compare management’s past pay raises to those given to hourly employees and having better roads. Jostock believes that more preventative maintenance, more crack sealing and efforts to keep the shoulder from undermining the asphalt are key in that regard.
“I was the Mayfield Township supervisor for six years so I have worked on balancing budgets, deciding on bid contracts and respectfully negotiating with board members who didn’t always share my point of view,” he said.
Jostock said he wants to field ideas from township officials and residents but won’t pretend to have all the answers.
“With only one vote on the board, change may be an uphill battle but I’m still hopeful that the board will respond with what is in the best interest of the county and it’s residents,” he said.
