Party: Democrat
Age: 59
Residence: Hartland Township
Family: Married, three children
Education: Bachelor's degree in education and psychology from Eastern Michigan University.
Professional/political experience: Taught fifth grade at Grand Blanc schools for 34 years, retiring in 2006; led dozens of fifth-grade camp trips; served as the Grand Blanc Education Association grievance chairman, negotiator, vice president and president; currently retired delegate to the Michigan Education Association political action committee.
Community involvement: Coach in the Hartland Youth Soccer Association (10 years) and serves on the Livingston County Democratic Party executive committee.
Campaign website: danemorris.wordpress.com
Campaign finance reports: See PDF in the image box for the pre-general election report.
In other local media: The Livingston County Press & Argus examined all the county commissioner races in this story, county finances in this story and home foreclosures in this story.

Hartland Patch's 3 Questions

1. If elected what would be your top priority and why? Establishment of a parks and recreation department and a long-term plan for the gifted properties will be my top priority. The county has been generously given over 500 acres of property that goes unused. The recreational needs of our youth have been ignored and to have all of this free park property go unused is a waste and an embarrassment.
2. If elected what issues specific to the Hartland area would you focus on and why? Clearly the issue for Hartland is the extent of the SAD debt problem. Mr. (Dave) Domas and the Republican commissioners have refused our call for a Town Hall meeting to provide information and allow the public to ask questions as to possible special assessments to pay off these bonds. Hartland has a debt problem and no one seems to know how big it is. What we need is information, not debt committee meetings whose minutes go over 14 months before being approved, and only then after a Freedom of Information Act request.
3. What about your background makes you qualified for this office? As president and negotiator of my local teacher's association I had extensive experience in problem solving and long term planning. My experience is to be a moderate and build consensus. As a fifth-grade teacher and soccer coach here in Hartland I know from experience the need for recreational facilities in our community. I led hundreds of kids to fifth-grade camp and coached hundreds more in youth soccer. I can bring a skill set and experience that is sorely missing on our current county commission.