News of Schertzing’s planned exit surprises Lansing leaders

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 3 — News that longtime Ingham County Treasurer Eric Schertzing will retire in March 2022 — almost two years before the end of his term — surprised many of Lansing’s leading voices last night before it appeared in the pages of this week’s City Pulse.

At the election night foray for Lansing Mayor Andy Schor at Lansing Brewing Co.  last night, many elected officials were hesitant to comment on the news before it broke today. But they praised Schertzing, particularly  his work with the Ingham County Land Bank. Schertzing helped create the Land Bank and as treasurer serves as ex officio chairman.

Schor said that he had no inkling of Schertzing’s impending exit next year and expressed genuine surprise when informed. He said that under Schertzing’s leadership, the Treasurer’s Office and the Land Bank had done “amazing” things across Greater Lansing. 

Lansing City Councilwoman Patricia Spitzley said Schertzing’s work with the Land Bank helped Lansing during trying times, but she was also excited about what a new voice and new energy might bring to the position. She was optimistic that a new treasurer could help bring the Land Bank together with other housing entities in the city, including the Housing Commission, Habitat for Humanity and other resources to build new housing at vacant properties throughout the city.

The early exit for Schertzing — who has served 21-years in the Treasurer’s Office — opens a political process to appoint a person to fill the remainder of his term, decided by a panel composed of the chief judge of the probate courts, the prosecutor and the county clerk.

The last time a countywide seat was vacated was when former Register of Deeds Curtis Hertel Jr. was selected by voters to serve as state senator, leaving his post empty at the county. Clerk Barb Byrum, Probate Court Chief Judge Richard Garcia and former Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III appointed Derrick Quinney over contenders Carol Koenig and Carol Wood.

With this week’s news taking many politicians by surprise, there were no clear frontrunners for the position. However, one name surfaced just about as quickly as it was quashed: Hertel, who because of term limits will leave the Senate after next year.

As register of deeds during the mortgage and subsequent financial crisis of 2008, Hertel rose to prominence by working to prevent foreclosures and challenging the bundling of property debts being sold as securities because the original title was severed from the debt. Those legal actions failed, but his work helped to save many Greater Lansing homes from foreclosure.

Hertel, when asked if he was thinking of jumping to the post and resigning his Senate seat, responded last night with: “Hell and hell no.” He said he had far too much to accomplish for local residents in his final year in the Senate.

Read more about Schertizing’s tenure as treasurer in this week’s print edition. 

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