Perhaps the most watched general election contest for township supervisor in these parts is in Watson Township Nov. 8.

It is a rarity in that the incumbent is a Democrat and the challenger is a Republican. Pam Brown is seeking her second four-year term and faces opposition from Kevin Travis.

Brown, who won the primary and general election contests in August and November 2012, has been a resident of Watson Township for more than 40 years. She is married to Michael Brown, past Watson Township Board member, and they have one son. The family owns and operates a local farm.

She has past experience on the Watson Township Fire Board, Township Road Committee as hearing officer and Planning Commission Secretary and served on the Board of Review.

Brown also was past chair of the Allegan and Kent County Property Owners Association has served as secretary of the Allegan County Pleasure Riders, who annually raise money for Wings of Hope Hospice and other local organizations.

“Working with these different boards and community organizations has taught me that everyone’s opinions are valuable and there is more than one way to accomplish goals,” she said. “I feel that keeping communications open and the Township Board working as a team is what Watson Township needs.”

She has indicated that her greatest accomplishment as supervisor in her four years has been working with other board members to bring the township back to normal after the embezzlement scandals of former Treasurer Stephanie Bogdan, which occurred before she came on board.

Travis is no stranger to politics, having run in the GOP primary for state representative, a contest eventually won by Mary Whiteford. He is a quality, compliance, continuous-improvement, and legal professional working in an FDA regulated industry and in local government.

“I was twice formally recognized for my leadership and continuous improvement skills with the Perrigo Global Quality Award, and was selected for training to earn my Lean Six-Sigma Green Belt. Even in my current role working in local government I still utilize my Lean tools to ensure that taxpayers’ money is used efficiently and effectively.”

An attorney who was a law clerk in the office of Allegan County Circuit Judge Kevin Cronin, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University and his law degree from Cooley Law School.

He also was a management analyst for Kent County and a continuous improvement engineer and customer account manager at Perrigo in Allegan.

Travis has maintained that he takes a Libertarian-style approach to government, more socially liberal and fiscally conservative that customary Republicans.

PHOTO: Pam Brown   Kevin Travis