Krieger, Kreinbrink apply for vacant county commission seat; appointment tonight.

Krieger, Kreinbrink apply for vacant county commission seat; appointment tonight. 

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief.

LUDINGTON — The Mason County Board of Commissioners will appoint a new commissioner to the District 1 seat when it meets today in special session at 7 p.m. Two candidates have applied for the position, left vacant following the death of Commissioner Wally Taranko in April. Nick Krieger, a Democrat, and John Kreinbrink, a Republican, are the two applicants. The appointee will fill the position through the end of the term, which is Dec. 31, 2010. District 1 represents a portion of the City of Ludington.

Nick Krieger, who lives on North Rath Avenue, is an attorney who owns his own practice in Ludington. Krieger’s previous work experience includes working as a law clerk on the Michigan Court of Appeals. 

“I own property in the District 1 where I have resided on a full-time basis since returning to Mason County to practice law in 2016,” Krieger wrote in a letter of inquiry. “I have long been interested in matters of local and county government, and it has been my privilege to be considered for appointment to the Mason County Promise Zone Authority Board, the Mason County District Library Board, and the City of Ludington Planning Commission.

“I have enjoyed serving in these positions very much. I believe that my involvement with these entities gives me the background and experience necessary to serve as a competent and effective county commissioner.” 

Krieger has run for other local elected positions in the past, running as a Democratic candidate for the 101st House of Representatives and also for Mason County Probate Court judge. He has also served on the State Bar of Michigan Publications and Website Advisory Committee and the State Bar of Michigan Representative Assembly. 

Kreinbrink, who lives on North Ferry Street, is a process engineer and project management contractor for Sable Points Engineering and Midland Engineering, Ltd. Prior to beginning that job in 2015, he worked for Occidental Chemical from 2009 to 2014 and Dow Chemical from 2003 to 2009 (Occidental purchased the Dow Chemical Ludington plant). Kreinbrink served on the Board of Commissioners for one four-year term after getting elected in 1986, representing the 10th District in Hamlin Township. 

“The wide range of issues that I have worked with during my career has given me a skill set that I can apply to many parts of county operations from drains to the airport,” he wrote in a letter of inquiry. “My recent experience with revising and approving the City of Ludington master plan can be applied directly to the county plan revision that is underway.” Kreinbrink is currently chairman of the City of Ludington Planning Commission. He is also active on the Mason County Republican Executive Committee.