Former Shelby Police Chief to Officially Enter Supervisor's Race

Just months after the Shelby Township Board of Trustees voted against renewing former police chief Robert Leman’s contract, the career officer will make an official bid for the supervisor’s office.

Leman will be handing over the required 100 signatures to the clerk’s office Friday at 12:45 p.m. in order to be added to the August primary ballot.

“I have that amount and I’m going to turn it into the clerk’s office and formally announce my candidacy,” Leman said. All election information for Leman will be posted on www.bobleman.com, which is currently under construction.

After serving as the police chief for 10 years in Shelby, the board did not renew Leman’s contract on Sept. 20, 2011. He was then immediately placed on administrative leave Sept. 21.

Leman filed a in December 2011 alleging his contract was not renewed in retaliation for forwarding investigations against Supervisor Rick Stathakis and Treasurer Paul Viar to county officials.

As a Republican candidate, Leman said the main focus of his campaign is to bring honesty, integrity and transparency back to local government.

“I’ve watched what’s going on in the past four years and I think there needs to be a change. I’ve been encouraged by several people and sat down with my wife and we made the decision together,” he said.

Stathakis told Patch he has not announced whether or not he’ll run for office. However, he said if he were to run, he would focus on the township’s accomplishments under his term such as a balanced budget and no employee layoffs.

“I think the township voters are going to have a clear choice between progress and returning to the past,” said Stathakis.

The term for all board seats ends in November. Packets, including petitions and filing dates, to run on the August primary for any board position, are available at the clerk’s office. The deadline to file a petition to run is 4 p.m. May 15.