HARRISON – As The Clare Sentinel reported July 13, a large chunk of the Clare County Sheriff’s budget may disappear next year if a private security transport firm bypasses this county jail for another that charges a lower rate.
     Sheriff John Wilson estimated a loss of between $600,000 and $800,000.
     “We will survive during [...]

     HARRISON – A former administrative assistant at a Florida nonprofit organization began learning the ropes of county government a week ago.
     Harrison native Dawn Stafford is the new administrative assistant to Tracy Byard who moved from that post recently and into county administrator/controller.
     Stafford recently moved back to the area after living 15 years [...]

     HARRISON – County commissioners revised a budget schedule by postponing until Aug. 30 another session to tackle estimated revenues and expenditures beginning Oct. 1.
     At the first budget workshop Thursday, Aug. 12, Commissioner Jack Kleinhardt noted several departments still have budgets to submit and so far revenue is short about a million dollars.
     “Let’s [...]

The board is setting itself up for future battles by allowing a new hire. Commissioner Jack Kleinhardt said he was nervous about adding to the staff, predicting tougher economic times ahead for the already struggling government operations.
     HARRISON – In January Bill Newkirk went from full-time Clare County administrator/controller to part-time controller, turning over the administrative reins to [...]

CLARE – Candidates filing nominating petitions on the May 11 deadline turned up a few interesting challengers.
Ben Walters, long term member of the City of Clare Planning Commission, is challenging Incumbent Tom Koch for a City Commission term in the nonpartisan November election.
On the county level, Republican Eddy Garver is challenging incumbent Democrat Tim Haskin [...]

John Wolf declines to run again; commission seat up for grabs
     CLARE – John Wolfe’s venture into the dynamics of elected office will last a fraction of the 35 years he spent teaching civics and other social studies subjects at Clare High School.
     Wolf is not seeking a second two-year term on the Clare County [...]

NEWS BULLETIN: Lt. Rick Miller hired as new undersheriff of Clare County, Sheriff John Wilson announced to the Clare Sentinel Friday, May 7. Read more details in Tuesday’s edition of The Clare Sentinel.
HARRISON – The next Clare County undersheriff will have a salary $6,000 higher than his predecessor and will receive medical insurance and full salary [...]

     HARRISON – Developing and enforcing a policy for spreading emergency calls to qualified towing services has fallen in the lap of the Clare County Sheriff’s Office.
     County Controller Bill Newkirk informed county commissioners at the meeting Wednesday, April 7 that he is waiting to hear what the sheriff plans to do.
     Keith Yats, director [...]

     HARRISON – By April 12, Clare County Controller Bill Newkirk will have dismantled Community Development, a department less than two years old that has been under attack for most of that time.
     Personnel changes are to take effect and an agreement put in place to have Isabella County Community Development take over building and [...]

     HARRISON – Chad Stevens is no longer undersheriff as of today, Wednesday, Feb. 17, but the reason for his departure was not disclosed by the Clare County sheriff.
     Rumors that Stevens had been fired this week began circulating Tuesday, but when contacted by The Clare Sentinel today Clare County   Sheriff John Wilson would only [...]