Byron Center Residents - Let Your Voice Be Heard!!! 

In case you haven’t noticed, this year is an election year! In fact, the future of our Township will be determined on August 2, 2016. 

This is the only opportunity we will have for the next 4 years to ensure that our voices will be heard in and around our community. 

"All politics are local" unknown 

It is true, all politics start and end in the local community.
We can either chose the status quo and remain with the current Township leaders who turned a deaf ear to the multitude of residents who wrote letters, voiced concerns and attended numerous Township meetings regarding issues that clearly effected our community or we can vote for a change in Leadership. 

Remember, these current leaders consistently ignored the opinions of residents in favor of outside business interests, and then changed the board meeting procedures to further silence opposing views shutting out our voices and continuing to turn a deaf ear to the residents of Byron Center. 

It’s Time For A Change!

Byron Center Speaks is proud to support the following candidates for the Byron Center Township Board.

Tom Hooker - Supervisor
Louise Evans - Trustee
Drew Jones - Trustee
Carol Antal - Trustee 

1 - Tom Hooker - During the fight to stop the rezoning, our own resident and State Representative Tom Hooker attended one of the public meetings and stated. 

“Of, For and By the People, That is not what I saw here tonight”

We believe Tom is the one to replace Audrey Nevins.

Tom has been our 77th District State Representative, which includes Byron Township and the City of Wyoming for the past 6 years. He chairs the committee on Families, Children and Seniors. He is also a member of the committees on Education, Health Policy and Military and Veterans Affairs. He received his bachelor’s degree from Grand Valley State University and a master’s degree from Western Michigan University. He was a teacher in the Byron Center Public School system for 37 years, including courses in government, economics, health and physical education. He is a Red Cross instructor, taught swimming through the YMCA and trained teachers and staff members in CPR and first aid. Coaching was also a big part of Hooker’s life, including over 20 years as a high school football coach and 37 years as wrestling coach. He has been married to Pam for over 40 years, they have two children. 

2 -  Louise Evans - Louise is a current trustee and has worked on the Planning Commission, Zoning Board of Appeals, Personnel Committee and Downtown Member of Byron Community Ministries. She has worked more than 10 years as a Byron Center Public school employee and has directed the Byron Center Chamber of Commerce for 11 years. Of note, Louise has spoken up for the residents of this community time and time again. She has never backed down, even when the other board members have ignored our voices. Her attention has been focused on the vision and the betterment of the Byron Center Community. Even when Louise’s opinion was outnumbered by other board members, she stood her ground and voiced our opinions. She sided with the residents of Byron Center and never forgot her role as a public servant. 

3 -  Drew Jones - Drew has been the Chief of Staff for a State Representative in Lansing since 2011. He will bring the knowledge, experience and understanding our community needs. Drew is on the Finance Committee at this church, where he is also a Sunday School teacher for grades 4th-6th as well as a Small Group Leader. He will focus his attention on the pulse of our community and will be dedicated to a township environment where our families can thrive.

4 - Carol Antal - Carol was Township Trustee in Courtland Township 2008-2012. She sat on the Cortland Township Parks Committee in 2011. She sat on the First Zoning Board in Danby Township to assist in writing the townships first zoning ordinance. She was also Chairperson of Zoning Board of Appeals in Courtland Township for 2007-2008. She volunteered and was very active in Byron Center Speaks 2015. Carol has a Bachelor of Science in Horticulture MSU and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ferris State University. 

Vote Aug 2nd 2016 for: 

Tom Hooker - Supervisor
Louise Evans - Trustee
Drew Jones - Trustee
Carol Antal - Trustee