Bio Information:

Jim was born and raised in Niles.  He is a 1969 graduate of Niles High School.  After graduation he married Sandy Wolf and they have two daughters, Amy and Tammy. 

Jim has been involved in Police work for over 25 years.  He attended Lake Michigan College where he received an associate degree in Law Enforcement after which he attended the Michigan Police Academy.  Jim has been a patrolman with the City of Niles for over 20 years. 

He and his wife also own and operate Galaxy Roller Rink which they built in December of 1980.  Jim’s life has revolved around the Niles community.  Besides his family’s efforts to maintain a place for the youth of the township to have a safe place to enjoy healthy recreation, he has also coach softball teams at fireman’s park and hosted numerous charity events at his business. 

Serving as the Niles Township Supervisor has been a great honor to Jim.  He enjoys helping the residents of the township as well as serving on the finance and administration committee, roads and drains committee, and public works committee.  Outside of the township committees Jim also serves on the Landfill Authority board and NATS committee.

Contact the Niles Charter Township
Supervisor
Office: 269-684-0870
email: jkidwell@nilestwpmi.gov

Bio Information:

Marge is in her third term as Niles Charter Township Clerk, prior, she was a trustee for one term.  She represented Niles Township as a County Commissioner for two years. She also served on the Township Board of Review for several years. She was a township liaison to the Niles Community Library. 

As a township board member, Marge has served on many committees; Administration, Landfill, Safety, Roads, Township Planning Commission, and Southwest Michigan Planning Commission.

Marge is a lifetime resident of the township. She graduated from Niles High School, attended Southwest Michigan Junior College, and then went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Western Michigan in 1974. She received a Level 1 Assessing certificate in 1989.

Marge has been very involved with the Greater Niles Senior Center, serving on its board for over 30 years. She is a member of St. Mary’s Church in Niles.  She is a sustaining member of Niles Service League.  While raising her family, she was involved in school and 4-H activities.

Marge has been married to Don Hiatt for 29 years; they have two grown children Maggie and Tony. Marge is very involved with her extended family as well.

Contact the Niles Charter Township Clerk
Office: 269-684-0870
email: Marge Durm-Hiatt

Bio Information:

Jim Ringler, Township Treasurer, is serving his third term.  Jim was appointed to the Township Park Board in 1990 and served as Chairman until he was elected Treasurer in 1996.  Jim also serves as Chairman for the Berrien County Treasurer’s Association, an organization that promotes best practices in treasury administration and management.  During his terms as Treasurer, Jim has served on the Finance & Administration Committee, Chairman of the Public Safety Committee and Chairman of the Department of Public Works Committee.  He was instrumental in the building of the new South fire station and the upgrading of fire trucks and equipment for the department. 

Jim is also a commercial real estate broker with the Mishawaka real estate firm of Grubb & Ellis|Cressy & Everett. He is licensed in both Michigan and Indiana.

 
Jim is a graduate of Southwestern Michigan College and Western Michigan University.  He currently serves as a board member for SMEGA (Southwestern Michigan Economic Growth Alliance) and is a member of the Niles Chamber of Commerce and Cornerstone Alliance. 

Jim resides in the Township with his wife, Jane, an elementary school teacher.  They have two sons, Ryan and Adam.

Contact the Niles Charter Township
Treasurer
Office: 269-684-0870
email: jringler@nilestwpmi.gov

Bio Information:

Dick is serving in his 5th term as Trustee for the Township.  Prior to his election to the Board, he served on the Township’s Civil Service Commission for 5 years.  As a Trustee he is Chairman of the roads, drains & street lights committee and also serves on the building & planning committee.  He is also served as Chairman for the Southeast Berrien County Landfill committee, the Parks & Recreation committee, the Safety committee and the SMCAS ambulance committee. 

He graduated from Niles High School in 1946.  After high school he attended General Motors Institute in Flint, Michigan for one year.  Dick served in the U.S. Army and was stationed one year in Korea.

Dick coached both, girls softball and boys baseball at Fireman’s Youth Park for 12 years and was inducted into the “Hall of Fame” by the Niles-Brandywine Girls Softball Association in 2001. He is a member of the American Legion, VFW, Moose Lodge, St. Joseph Valley Lodge Four, Eagles Lodge, Papason-Momason Association Korean War Veteran.

Dick is married to Kay and they have three children, one daughter and two sons.  They also have three granddaughters and two grandsons. Dick hobbies include golf and working in his yard.

Contact the Niles Charter Township
Trustee
Office: 269-684-0870
email: rnoble@nilestwpmi.gov

Bio Information:

Residing in Niles Charter Township since 1959, Richard, born in 1941, has made it his mission to serve his community and family with diligence, dedication, and reliability. 

Since November of 2000 he has served as one of your Township Trustees.  As a Trustee he serves as Building Safety committee chairperson and committee member, Roads and Drains committee member, Public Facilities committee member, Township representative on the Niles-Buchanan-Cass Area Transportation Study (NATS) and as a planning commissioner with the Niles Charter Township Planning Commission. 

He has been blessed to have six children with his wife, Nancy, of 46 years.  Since 1970 he has owned and operated ISCO, Independent Service Company, and now is semi-retired.  Nancy retired from National Institute for Trial Advocacy at the University of Notre Dame in 2006.  Retirement has provided more time for Richard to enjoy his pastimes of fishing, especially with his grandchildren and relaxing in the company of his family. 

For 44 years he served as a Niles Charter Township Volunteer Firefighter.  During that time he served on the Advisory Board, chaired numerous committees, as well as holding the position of President and Secretary.  Also, he was Secretary/Treasurer of the Berrien County Firefighters Association. While keeping true to his mission, Richard states, “A strategic plan for the future is essential so that Niles Charter Township will continue to be a great place to live and raise a family.  I have been honored to be a part of that future.”

Contact the Niles Charter Township
Trustee
Office: 269-684-0870
email: rcooper@nilestwpmi.gov

Bio Information:

Ron is serving in his second term as Trustee for the Township.  He has experience in serving on the roads and drains, building safety, planning and the public works committee’s along with representing the Township on the SMCAS Board.

Prior to elected office Ron worked as an assessor for the City of Battle Creek and for the Social Security Administration.  He also owned his own printing business for 28 years.

Ron has been a resident of the Township for 35 years. He is married and has two children along with three grandchildren.  He graduated from the University of Michigan with a political science major.  He is a member of the Berrien County Republican Party and also a Board member of the First Missionary Church of Niles.  He is also an active player in the Four Flags Players.  He states that “We need to exercise greater scrutiny in our expenditures in these economic times when revenues are down”.

Contact the Niles Charter Township
Trustee
Office: 269-684-0870
email: rgoodwin@nilestwpmi.gov

Bio Information:

Michael R Bailey is a 1991 graduate of Brandywine High School with auto honors.  He has worked in the auto industry for the past 20 years and is currently employed for a Niles based auto service company.  Living in Niles for the past 31 years he has two children who attend the Brandywine Middle Senior High School.

Contact the Niles Charter Township
Trustee
Office: 269-684-0870
email: mbailey@nilestwpmi.gov