It was the Night of the Politicians at the Wayland City Council meeting Monday evening.
Five people seeking office later this year paid visits to the council, two of them candidates for state representative, another seeking the Allegan County Sheriff’s post, one seeking re-election as Circuit Judge and a likely candidate for prosecutor.
The two candidates, both Republicans, for 72nd District State Representative to succeed the term limited Ken Yonker were restaurateur Tony Noto and Kentwood City Commissioner Robert Coughlin.
Noto, 59, is a retired teacher whose family operates Noto’s Old World Italian Dining on 28th Street in Cascade Township. He is running for office on a platform of lower taxes and more local government control.
“We are all in a position to help make better communities,” he told the council.
Coughlin has served the City of Kentwood since 1996, but was first elected commissioner in 2003. He has lived in Kentwood since for more than 25 years.
He said he has had a passion for economic development and parks and recreation, which are two committees on which he currently serves.
“I’m looking forward to the process,” he said of the election campaign.
The 72nd District, which includes the City of Wayland and Wayland, Leighton and Dorr townships, has been represented in Lansing by Yonker since January 2011. Because Yonker is serving his sixth year, he must step down at the end of 2016 because of term limits.
The other politicians introducing themselves were Allegan County Circuit Judge Marge Bakker, County Undersheriff Frank Baker and Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Roberts A. Kengis.
Bakker acknowledged she is seeking another judicial term this year, but said he mostly wanted to talk about the Allegan County Legal Assistance Center.
Baker, who lives in Wayland, last Friday announced he will run for the post being vacated at the end of this year by Sheriff Blaine Koops.
Kengis said he plans to run for prosecutor because he believes longtime Prosecutor Fred Anderson will not seek another four-year term.
PHOTO: Tony Noto Robert Coughlin