By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


There is a mix of familiar and new names seeking seats on the Howell City Council as well as the Mayor’s seat.

The deadline to file for the August primary was last Tuesday, with a total of eight candidates filing for three open seats. The six top vote-getters in the August primary will move on to the November general election. Among those seeking election are two incumbents; Jeannette Ambrose, who was appointed in 2018 and is seeking election to a second term; and Jan Lobur who was first appointed to Council in 2015 and was recently appointed Mayor Pro-Tem.

Newcomers seeking election to the board include Realtor Kriston Detmer, the wife of Mike Detmer, who unsuccessfully sought the GOP nomination last year for 8th District Congressional seat and is running for the nomination against next year. Also running is Kevin Shopshire, the Legislative Director for Democratic State Representative Stephanie Young; Lee Ann Blazejewski, who ran for the Livingston County Board of Commissioners 5th District seat but lost in the GOP primary to Jay Drick. She also previously applied for an open seat on the Howell City Council; Alexander Clos, who serves on the Howell Board of Zoning Appeals and also previously applied for an appointment to council; Luke Wilson and Chiropractor Jacob Schlittler.

Howell voters will also elect a new mayor in November. Current Mayor Nick Proctor is not seeking another term and two candidates have filed to run for the seat. The first is Bob Ellis, who currently sits on council. Ellis tells WHMI that if he wins in November, he will need to resign his council seat and the council would then appoint someone to fill the remainder of his term. If he loses the election, Ellis says he would remain on council. He will be facing off against a name known well in the community; former Howell Mayor Bob Parker. The longtime attorney was also a member of the Howell Public Schools Board of Education until he was forced to step down in 2011 amid sexual harassment allegations and that he paid money for sexual favors from a young Howell woman. No criminal charges were brought following a three month investigation. Information provided by some of the Howell City Council candidates is attached.

Meanwhile, nine candidates have filed to run for Brighton City Council. They include incumbents Jon Emaus, Renee Pettengill and Kristoffer Tobbe. Also filing are Realtor Jordan Genso, former head of the Livingston County Democrats; Susan Bakhaus, a perennial council candidate; Bill Albert; Paul Gipson, Daniel Huth and Jennifer Winningham. The top 8 vote-getters in the August primary will move on to the November general election to compete for the four open seats in Brighton.