A familiar name and face will replace the late Bill Patterson in the race for the District #1 seat on the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.
Patterson’s son-in-law Bradford C. Jacobsen, a lifelong Oxford Township resident and vice president of Jacobsen’s Flowers in Lake Orion, was selected Monday by the Oakland County Republican Party to appear on the Nov. 7 ballot.
‘It’s exciting,? said the 49-year-old Jacobsen, who served on the Oxford Township Board of Trustees from 1984-2000. ‘But, it’s a little strange . . . I only hope I can do half the job (Patterson) did for the community.?
Patterson, who served on the county commission since 1998 and was seeking his fifth consecutive two-year term, passed away Monday, Oct. 16 at the age of 75.
‘We’re going to work really hard to continue Bill Patterson’s legacy and keep that seat in the Republican column,? said Dennis Cowan, chairman of the county Republicans. ‘We’re really excited about Brad’s candidacy. He comes with the right mix of experience. We’re going to be supporting him 110 percent.?
Jacobsen, a 1975 Oxford High School graduate, was the county GOP’s ‘unanimous choice? to succeed Patterson, according to Diane Reis-Harnisch, the county party’s executive director. He will face 19-year-old Democrat Madalyn Miller, of Brandon Township.
No other names were presented at an emergency meeting of the county GOP’s Executive Committee held Monday morning in the Oakland County Commissioners Auditorium.
The 100-member Executive Committee is made up of 50 people elected at the county Republican convention. The remaining 50 are elected Republican officeholders and nominees. The committee needs a quorum of one-third to conduct business, according to its bylaws.
‘We had over a majority (of the Executive Committee) there today,? noted Reis-Harnisch.
Reis-Harnisch said the party received phone calls from ‘a number of people in the community? requesting Jacobsen be considered for the ballot.
‘His name kept popping up continuously,? she said. ‘It was also the desire of the family that he follow Bill Patterson.?
Jacobsen’s been married to Patterson’s daughter, Teri, for 26 years. The couple has three children ? Lauren, 23, Emily 20, and Bradford, 16.
With the election less than two weeks away, Jacobsen certainly has his work cut out for him.
‘I have to hit the ground running,? he said. ‘I first want to send out post cards to all the absentee voters to introduce myself and let them know what is going on ? why their absentee ballots were recalled.?
About 25,700 new ballots bearing Jacobsen’s name will have to be reprinted in District #1, which includes Oxford, Addison, Brandon, Groveland townships along with two precincts in the northeast corner of Independence Township.
New ballots will be sent to all absentee voters in District #1 along with a letter explaining the situation (see below).
Jacobsen won’t have to worry about keeping his campaign financial records in order because longtime Oxford resident Helen Smith agreed to be his treasurer.
Smith, who served as treasurer on all five of Patterson’s campaigns, believes the Republicans made a ‘good choice? putting Jacobsen on the ballot.
‘I think Bill (Patterson) would be pleased with this,? Smith said. ?(Jacobsen’s) been in the area all his life. He is very community-minded. I think he would be an asset to our district.?
Jacobsen is no stranger to local politics. He served as an Oxford Township trustee for 16 years and currently serves on the Lake Orion Downtown Development Authority, of which he’s a past chairman.
Previous governmental experience includes serving as chairman of the Oxford Fire Board, member of the Oxford Emergency Safety Authority and chairman of the Oxford Township Water/Sewer Committee.
In the community, Jacobsen is an active member and past president of the Rotary Club of Oxford and member of the Oxford United Methodist Church, where he once taught Sunday school.
Jacobsen was preparing to be Patterson’s successor prior to his untimely death.
‘I’d been looking at running for the seat when Bill decided not to ? when he got tired of it, but I was never sure he was going to get tired of it. He loved it,? he said. ‘I had planned on shadowing him this year to learn the ropes. And if he decided not to run, I would have.?
Looking at the current state of affairs in the county, one of Jacobsen’s major concerns is roads.
‘I have (delivery) trucks on the roads everyday, I know their condition,? he said. ‘Oakland County does a good job maintaining (the roads) with what they have to work with, but some of those back gravel roads are nasty. Somehow we’ll have to find some more money from the state.?
Jacobsen’s also concerned about the early release of criminals from county jail.
‘Over the last few years the county has had to release prisoners earlier than their sentences mandated,? he said. ‘I don’t know how yet, but somehow we gotta? figure out how to keep those found guilty of crimes in jail. If they are convicted, they need to pay the piper — serve their full sentence.?

Letter to District #1 absentee voters
Dear Absent Voter:
You recently applied for and were issued an absent voter ballot for the November 7, 2006 General Election. Due to the death of a candidate seeking the office of County Commissioner, District 1, the candidate has been replaced and a new ballot is being issued to all absentee voters in County Commissioner District 1. Please vote the enclosed replacement ballot and return it to your city or township clerk’s office at your earliest convenience. (If you have not yet returned the first absentee voter ballot which was issued to you, please destroy it). The deadline for returning absentee ballots for the election is 8 p.m. on November 7.
Please note that if you have already returned the first absent voter ballot which was issued to you and do not return the replacement ballot, your first ballot will be processed and counted. In such a case, a vote cast for the deceased candidate will not be counted; any other valid votes cast on the ballot will be counted . . . Thank you.