5 seeking Ludington 3rd ward councilor seat

5 seeking Ludington 3rd ward councilor seat

LUDINGTON — Ludington City Council will hold a special meeting today to interview candidates for the third ward councilor seat. The seat was left vacant when Les Johnson was appointed to the Mason County Board of Commissioner District 2 seat, replacing Gary Castonia, who resigned.

Interviews will begin at 6 p.m. at Ludington Municipal Building, 400 S. Harrison St.

Candidates include Melissa Reed, Tom Rotta, Jason Gerber, Jeanne Oakes, and Mark Rogers.

Public comment will be allowed prior to interviews.

The candidates:

• Melissa Reed has lived in the Third Ward since 2018. She owns several businesses including Patterson Homes, Moda/My Sister’s Closet, and Hungry Howie’s and currently serves on the Planning Commission.
• Tom Rotta is a firewood vendor who boasts, in his letter of interest to the council, about the many lawsuits he has filed against the city and other local municipalities, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars.
• Jason Gerber has lived in Ludington since 2018. He is an attorney with offices in Las Vegas and Ludington and a U.S. Army veteran who served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps.
• Jeanne Oakes is former dual superintendent of the Mason-Lake Intermediate School District and Oceana Intermediate School District (now West Shore Educational Service District) and also served locally as the executive director of the Community Foundation for Mason County.
• Mark Rogers is president of MRDR Investments LLC. He has additionally worked at Great Lakes Castings and Merdel Game Manufacturing Co.

The third ward councilor term ends Dec. 31, 2024. Whoever is appointed to fill the seat will then have the option to run for election in November 2024.