LET THE GAMES BEGIN

Former Michigan House member Tim Greimel (D-Auburn Hills) moved to the city of Pontiac last July and has now thrown his hat into the ring for mayor of the city, running in the non-partisan election this year against incumbent mayor Deidre Waterman. Greimel, a lawyer who holds a masters in public policy from U of M, had spent time as a school board member and county commissioner before entering the Michigan House of Representatives after a special election in 2012, was term limited in 2018 and then ran and lost to Haley Stevens in the 2018 Democratic primary for the 11th congressional district. Since then, Greimel has been the legislative director and lobbyist for AFSCME Local 25. Waterman, first elected in 2013 and again in 2017 (with 57 percent of the vote), has already sharpened her knives, labeling Greimel a “carpet bagger” for taking up residency in Pontiac, which had been part of his state 29th legislative district. Greimel, with a platform addressing Pontiac’s problems, is racking up endorsements since entering the race in late January, including from a number of local ministers and two county commissioners representing Pontiac.