Meet George

Hi, I’m George Wells. I am running to retain my position as Fort Gratiot Township Treasurer. Serving my community has always been a passion of mine, from a young altar boy at St. Joesph’s Catholic church to the Board of Directors at the Blue Water Area Rescue Mission to my most recent role as Fort Gratiot Township Treasurer and many other opportunities in between. I’ve always enjoyed getting to know members of my community and learning about your needs and what I can do to help you achieve those goals.

Family is important to me. I have been happily married for 47 years to an extremely supportive spouse; I wouldn’t have had the opportunities to serve in my life without her beside me. Together we have three adult children, their spouses, and six grandchildren that we are very proud of and thankful for. I have been a resident of Fort Gratiot Township for 48 years. When time permits, I love to travel and explore new places, as well as revisiting past favorites. I enjoy staying active through walking, swimming, exercising, and playing disc golf. I also spent many years playing softball and was named the 2012 American Softball Association 2nd Team All American Pitcher. I enjoy working in our yard and love to decorate for Halloween and Christmas to help spread the holiday spirit.

Community Involvement

Currently serve as Secretary on the Board of the Blue Water Church Softball League
Usher at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Port Huron for 40 years
Vice President and Trustee on the Board of the Blue Water Church Softball League for over 20 years
Player/Manager of St. Mary’s Men’s Modified Fast Pitch Softball for 20 years
Frequent Blood Donor with American Red Cross
Served on the Board of Directors of the Blue Water Area Rescue Mission
Served on the Port Huron Area School District Co-Op Advisory Committee

The Role of treasurer

Overview

The Township Treasurer, as well as the Supervisor and the Clerk, maintain scheduled office hours of 8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday, to conduct Township business. They are present to serve the residents and the businesses of Fort Gratiot Township. Each has department specific responsibilities to complete on a regular and recurring basis to keep the Township running smoothly. Day-to-day decisions are made by these officials both individually and collectively. Major policy and fiscal decisions are made by the Township Board which consists of seven individuals including the Supervisor, Clerk, and Treasurer.

Tasks

Accept payments for taxes, utility bills, permits, rentals, and other miscellaneous transactions.
Record and make daily bank deposits.
Support Counter Operations and Reception.
Maintain ACH files and initiate collections.
Manage Senior Discount program.
Prepare and submit reports to County, State, and Federal government entities.
Review, fund, and sign expense and payroll checks prepared by the Clerk’s office.
Prepare for and attend scheduled Township Board Meetings.
Meet with other governmental units and business associations throughout the year.
Facilitate Park, Trail, and Ball Field rentals.

Accomplishments

Served on the hiring committee for the new Fort Gratiot Fire Chief.
Served on the committee to negotiate the union contract for the Fort Gratiot Fire Department.
Worked with another trustee to create an equitable pay scale for Fort Gratiot Administrative support staff.

qualifications

Experience

I am the current Fort Gratiot Township Treasurer. I was appointed to this role in August 2023 to fill the remainder of a vacated term.

I have worked 32 years in retail management at Mortimer Lumber having spent the last 15 years as Operations Manager. My duties included preparing annual budgets and creating monthly P&L reports. I oversaw personnel management and benefits. In addition, I worked with lawyers on collections and lawsuits. I was responsible for testifying in courts as keeper of records. I also led a team to modernize and upgrade the business’s computer systems.

I have additional experience in Retail Management with a 24-store apparel chain as Distribution Manager, Store Construction Manager, and IT Manager.

I feel my career success is a direct result of a supportive family, a strong work ethic, determination, and genuine desire to know and care about the people you work with and for.

Education

Attended Catholic Parochial Schools, Elementary through High School.
Honor Roll student
Associates Degree in Business Marketing from St. Clair County Community College
Studied Management Accounting at Walsh College

Campaign

Goals

Continue to serve Fort Gratiot Township as Treasurer for four more years.
Develop an on boarding process for new Township employees.
of my ability.
Grow Fort Gratiot Township by promoting it as a great place to live and operate a business.
Support our existing residents and business owners by listening to your needs and actively pursuing your interests to the best of my ability.

Campaign Funding

I will not be accepting or seeking donations for my campaign. 100% of campaign expenses will be from my personal funds. My family and I feel that it is important to support our community in other ways and hope that you will consider donating to local charities and/or making memories with your friends and family in lieu of campaign donations. Additionally, I will owe no personal favors to anyone. My integrity is something I cherish and will preserve; once integrity is lost, you can never get it back.

How To Help

I appreciate you taking the time from your busy days to read about my campaign. If you feel that I am the best candidate for this position and would like to show your support, please consider the following:

Display a yard sign. If you are willing to display a yard sign on your property, and are a resident of Fort Gratiot please contact me here (via the form found at the bottom of the page).
Share my website and/or Facebook page.
Invite your friends to follow my Facebook page.
Encourage your neighbors and friends to share in your support.
Share a story about my integrity or how you know I’ll be a good fit to retain the Treasurer position in support of my candidacy. Stories will be shared on my Facebook page and this campaign website.
Vote for me on Election Day!