By By JAN GRIFFEY / Niles Daily Star
NILES -- Niles Township voters will choose between trustees and supervisor candidates in Tuesday's primary election.
David Spurlock is challenging incumbent supervisor Bill Myers.
Myers has served as supervisor for the last six years.
Myers and his wife, Katie, are lifelong Niles are residents. They are the parents of three children -- Randy Myers, daughter Roxanne Holmes and Ronnie Myers, who makes his home in Australia. The Myers have six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Myers worked for many years in purchasing for Clark Equipment Co. and served as purchasing manager at its former Benton Harbor site. Later, he was transferred to the Buchanan corporate headquarters of Clark, where he worked in purchase before becoming that company's steel commodities manager.
Myers also said the ongoing construction of a new fire station was "a step in the right direction. This township really needed that fire station and we're accomplishing that."
Spurlock, 54, and his wife, Tina, live in Niles with their six children.
Spurlock is an adjunct instructor at Southwestern Michigan College and an announcer and engineer at WNIL radio station.
He said he has received encouragement from a number of citizens, including some current township board members, in his quest for the supervisor's job, "including the current supervisor."
Myers said he spoke with Spurlock some time ago and did applaud his interest in township government and encouraged him to become more involved.
Spurlock said of particular interest to him is are the issues of public safety.
He also said he thinks Niles Township government can be "more responsive to the needs of the residents of Niles Township."
In the treasurer's race, Richard Conrad is challenging incumbent James Ringler, both Republicans. The winner of Tuesday will face Linda Norman, a Democrat, in November's general election.
Marge Durm-Hiatt, a Republican, is running unopposed for another term as township clerk. She will have no challenger in November's general election.
Eight candidates are vying for four seats on the township's board of trustees, including four incumbents -- Richard Cooper, Robert Jones, Richard Noble and Kevin Tonkin.
They are being challenged by William Barthel, who is a former township clerk, Ronald R. Goodwin, Bruce Ruff and Daniel Smotherman, a building contractor.