By Lori Carlson, Correspondent

Credit River Township voters will get a new town board supervisor -- plus two more to be chosen in a special election later this spring -- as a result of Tuesday's township election.

Brent Lawrence defeated incumbent Dan Casey for the open town board supervisor seat. Casey had served on the board since 2002.

At the township's annual meeting Tuesday night, residents heard that Lawrence got 575 votes while Casey got 387. Another 25 ballots were considered "spoiled," resulting in a total of 987 ballots, a record turnout and a far cry from the 69 voters in the 2007 election.

Unopposed Clerk Jerry Maas got 801 votes; another 107 were left blank in the clerk category, and 79 more ballots included write-in candidates for clerk.

Of the two options on the ballot, Option A -- which would have given the town board the authority to appoint the clerk and treasurer -- failed. Those two positions will continue to be elected.

Option B, expanding the three-person board to five members, passed, meaning the township will have to have a special election 30 to 60 days from now. Town board members will discuss when to begin the two-week filing period at their March 17 meeting, Maas said Tuesday night.

Lawrence won't join the board until he officially takes the oath of office -- which won't likely happen at the March 17 meeting, Maas said, because the town board needs to issue a certificate of election and swear in Lawrence.

During the two-hour annual meeting, township residents tersely debated the specifics of Maas' job, with some saying the board should have the authority to dictate his job duties and work arrangements, while others defended the clerk, saying he's efficient and readily available to residents.

The meeting was at times tense, particularly when residents voiced their opinions about the dynamics between Maas, township Treasurer Holly Batton and Town Board Supervisors Bruce Nilsen, Leroy Schommer and Casey.