Tag Archives: Ron Draayer

Ron Draayer takes seat on Kentwood City Commission

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By City of Kentwood

Ron Draayer. (Supplied/City of Kentwood)

Ron Draayer, who was elected to Kentwood City Commission as a second ward commissioner during the Nov. 5 election, took the oath of office on Nov. 13 for the four-year term, filling the seat of former commissioner Michael Brown, who served four consecutive terms.

“We are pleased to welcome Ron Draayer to the Commission and look forward to working with him,” said Mayor Stephen Kepley. “We anticipate that his professional insight – especially with respect to technology and cybersecurity – will be a benefit to the City Commission and our community.

“We also want to thank Commissioner Michael Brown for his service to the City of Kentwood and its residents for these past 16 years on City Commission. We deeply appreciate his dedication to our mission and his professionalism in which he represented himself and our City. We will miss our time with him and his expertise that he consistently brought to the Commission.”

A resident of Kentwood since 2016, Draayer brings 40 years of knowledge in education, technology and cybersecurity to the role. He recently retired as a classroom professor at Davenport University.

Draayer previously served as a board member of Michigan InfraGard, an FBI organization that works with law enforcement, business leaders and academic professionals to help protect electrical, water, transportation and other infrastructure assets.

He has also been a local and state advisor for Business Professionals of America, or BPA, a national organization that promotes student growth and achievement through academic competitions. Draayer served on the National Board of BPA and has established a middle-level BPA program in Michigan designed for middle-level and junior-high students.

“I am truly honored to be able to serve the City of Kentwood and the residents of Ward 2,” Draayer said. “Kentwood is a very special City with people whose origins are from all over the world.

“I pledge to work hard and ensure Kentwood continues to be a community where people can raise their families in good neighborhoods.”

Draayer holds a bachelor’s degree from Calvin College, a master’s in management from Aquinas College and a Master of Science from Ferris State University.

WKTV coverage of Kentwood commission candidates includes We The People, forum videos

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By WKTV Staff
ken@wktv.org

The two candidates for the City of Kentwood’s Ward 2 Commissioner seat currently held by Michael Brown, which will be decided on the Nov. 5 ballot, participated in WKTV Journal’s “We the People” public service videos, which allow the candidates to communicate their qualifications and goals directly to the public.

The two candidates for the Ward 2 seat are Bill Benoit and Ron Draayer. Also on the ballot in November but running unopposed for other Kentwood Commission seats are incumbent Commissioner at Large Maurice H. Groce and incumbent Ward 1 Commissioner Robert D. Coughlin.

Benoit, Draayer and Commissioner Coughlin each produced “We The People” videos, which are available on WKTV’s YouTube Channel at WKTVvideos. Commissioner Grace was invited to produce a video.

WKTV’s “We The People” candidate introduction videos series are produced prior to each election voted on by Wyoming and Kentwood residents. Each video is five minutes or less, with content decided upon by the candidates, and produced without content edit by WKTV staff.

Bill Benoit’s video is here. Ron Draayer’s video is here. Commissioner Coughlin’s video is here.

The two Ward 2 candidates also recently answers questions from a moderator at the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce’s Government Matters Candidate Forum, which took place Sept. 11, at the Kentwood Branch of the Kent District Library, with WKTV Community Media cameras recording the event.

Benoit, according to the candidate, is a Kentwood resident who works for the Charter Township of Cascade as a building inspector and plan reviewer, and is currently on the City of Kentwood Planning Commission.

Draayer, according to the candidate, is a Kentwood resident who was a classroom teacher at Davenport University for 40 years and taught classes in the field of technology and cyber security.

WKTV Community Media was at the forum and will both broadcast it on WKTV Government Channel 26 as well as making it available on WKTV’s YouTube Channel at WKTVvideos. The forum will be broadcast Wednesday, Sept. 25, at 9 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 26, at noon; as well as several but as-yet unscheduled times in October. See the WKTV on-air schedule for dates and times.

We the People 2018 General Election: State House of Representatives Candidates

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State of Michigan 72nd District House of Representatives

 

The 72nd District House of Representative seat covers the cities of Kentwood and Wayland, along with a portion of Cutlerville and the community of Dorr. For a district map, click here.

 

There are three candidates, one a one-term incumbent, seeking the 72th District House of Representatives. They are, in alphabetical order, Republican incumbent Steve Johnson, Libertarian candidate Jamie Lewis and Democratic candidate Ron Draayer.

 

Steve Johnson – Incumbent (R) MI State Representative 72nd District

 

Name: Steve Johnson

 

Party: Republican

 

Occupation: State Representative, 72nd District

 

Why did you decide to run for the 72th District House of Representatives seat?

 

During the last two years I’ve been working on several key issues, one of them being auto insurance rates. I think that is one of the biggest issues facing our state right now, so I want to continue to be a voice for lower auto insurance rates. We came close this time and I want to continue to fight for those lower auto insurance rates.

 

If elected, what (other that auto insurance) issues do you want to focus on?

 

I think we need to get rid of some of the special interest deals we have created for certain industries, certain companies. And I think: ‘How can these special interest deals be good for the people of the 72nd District?’ I am looking out for the people of the 72nd District instead.

 

Ron Draayer – Candidate (D) MI State Representative 72nd District

 

Name: Ron Draayer

 

Party: Democrat

 

Occupation: Retired classroom teacher

 

Why did you decide to run for the 72th District House of Representatives seat?

 

I feel that Michigan needs experienced leadership to solve the many problems that we face in this state.

 

If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?

 

There are three top issues that are most important to me: education, repairing our infrastructure, and protecting and preserving our great natural resources.

 

Note: Libertarian candidate Jamie Lewis was invited but did not participate in the We the People candidate profiles.

 

State of Michigan 77th District House of Representatives

 

The 77th District House of Representative seat covers the City of Wyoming, Byron Township and a portion of Cutlerville. For a district map, click here.

 

There are three candidates, one a one-term incumbent, seeking the 77th District House of Representatives. They are, in alphabetical order, Republican incumbent Tommy Brann, Democratic candidate Dana Knight, and Libertarian candidate Patty Malowney.

 

Tommy Brann – Incumbent (R) MI State Representative 77th District

 

Name: Tommy Brann

 

Party: Incumbent, Republican

 

Occupation: Owner of Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille on Division Avenue

 

Why did you decide to run for the 77th District House of Representatives seat?

 

Because I am good at the job. I own a small business and every night, I comeback and work at that business and through that I bring the issues that I learned about and discuss at that business back to Lansing, which is not something many of my colleagues are able to do.

 

If elected, what issues do you want to focus on?

 

I have an animal cruelty bill that I have been working on. Also, I want to continue the work on homelessness by getting that $2 additional per bed for the shelters. Michigan is one of the lowest in the country, $16 per bed when the average is $26, in contributing to shelters. This additional money would help with new bedding and operations. We have more than 60,000 homeless people, so it is a big problem. I also want to bring the concept of free enterprise into the schools to give students more career choices.

 

Note: Democratic candidate Dana Knight and Libertarian candidate Patty Malowney were invited but did not participate in the We the People candidate profiles.