Lake Powell Chronicles | Five write-in candidates vie for Page justice of the peace

With the passing of Justice of the Peace Candidate Donald G. Roberts, the Coconino County Elections Department announced last month that it was accepting nomination applications to become write-in candidates for City of Page justice of the peace.

Five official write-in candidates completed the applications: Michael Barnes, Chris Motko, Michele Makuch Muskat, Maia Rodriguez and Rick Yanke.

The candidates’ names will be posted at each polling location on Election Day on Nov. 8. Voters casting a ballot for a write-in candidate must write the official candidate name in the space provided for the race and put a mark on the oval next to the name.

The five official write-in candidates and their bios are as follows:

Michael Barnes

As the dean of students at Page Middle School, my platform is to save our youth. Our youth is where our future lies, and if we want to lower our crime levels and addiction levels, it starts with saving our youth, and middle school is the battleground where this begins. I want to personally invest in our youth by finding ways to provide education through members within our community who can reach out to the youth at this level and help and mentor them into becoming responsible members of our society.

Throughout my life, I have worked in a service capacity in my jobs and careers. I have seen a lot of trials and struggles for our community members while serving for the Sheriff’s Office in our Page Jail for 20 years. I also worked within the community at Encompass as a crisis counselor and have seen the toll that addiction has taken on our families and our community. I have learned valuable lessons from those I worked with there that I will use as a judge. Unfortunately, the price that addictions have cost us here in our community have been far too great. I want to do what I can to bring programs to help assist those who continue to struggle with addiction both in the City of Page and for our neighbors in the Navajo Nation.

I don’t know how or where the money needs to or can come from, but I promise to work tirelessly to do what I can to help those who need assistance by reaching out to those within our families, churches, and community to help those who need assistance. Additionally, I will work with integrity within the laws of the State of Arizona to provide the services necessary for our community while maintaining a firm grip on the criminal element and upholding the laws equally for all those within our beautiful community.

Chris Motko

My name is Chris Motko, and I am a Republican write-in candidate for Page justice of the peace. I am 54 years old, married with three adult children. My wife and I have lived in Page since 1994 and raised our children here. I have a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.

I have a law enforcement background with an emphasis in civil and criminal law, traffic enforcement, DUI detection and apprehension, and collision investigation and reconstruction.

As justice of the peace, I will remain committed to the position and the citizens of Page, Greenehaven and the Navajo Nation. I will strive to maintain a good working relationship with the various law enforcement agencies that protect and serve our communities, presiding judges and community shareholders to operate a consistent, compassionate and impartial Justice Court. I shall remain empathetic and respectful of the dignity of all individuals that come before the court and base my decisions by effectively and impartially applying the law.

If you are voting early at City Hall, voting by mail or going to the polls on Election Day, I would be honored if you write-in Chris Motko for Page justice of the peace.

Michele Makuch Nutmeg

Hello! My name is Michele Makuch Muskat. I am running as a write-in candidate for the Page justice of the peace.

I genuinely believe in the significance and importance of the justice system. As a long-time, active citizen of the Page area, I am committed to providing fairness, integrity, honesty, compassion, competence and transparency to our community.

I have been an assistant magistrate with the City of Page since 2014. I am entrusted to carry out the duties of the presiding magistrate judge in his absence and on weekends. I have held initial appearances, conducted arrangements and issued sentences. I have signed bench warrants, search warrants and orders of protection. I also attended the New Judge Orientation, a three-week mandatory training for all incoming judges in Arizona.

In August 2022, I was appointed by Coconino County as a justice of the peace pro-tem and have been working at the Page Justice Court. I have been learning the processes and procedures, and have been training under the guidance of various judges from Coconino and Maricopa counties. I am scheduled to be on the bench regularly through December 2022.

I have been a resident of Page for 47 years, off and on. I graduated from Page High School, as did my daughter Antonia. I also have a Bachelor of Science from the University of Arizona in business/finance. Please vote for me as a write-in candidate on Nov. 8 or on your early mail-in ballot. They require all three names: Michele Makuch Muskat. Thank you!

Maia Rodriguez

I relocated to Page from Flagstaff, Arizona. I’m a graduate of NAU with a criminal justice degree and a minor in psychology. I started working at the Flagstaff Justice Court in December of 1998 as a front-counter person. I’ve worked there for the last 23 years. I did various positions and moved up to the manager back in 2012. I’ve attended the Institute for Court Management and graduated an ICM Fellow. I’ve made my career in the justice court. I, with my husband, relocated to Page just recently. In April I moved into the court supervisor manager position here in Page Justice Court.

One of the responsibilities of all justices of the peace is not just sitting on the bench but the administration of the court and oversight of the court. All my background is in administration. I am also an employee for Coconino Country and have been for 23 years. So, I have established relationships within the Coconino Country community. I’ve worked with the human resources department, and I’ve worked with the different departments. I’ve built some relationships over the last 23 years.

I think that I truly embrace the access to justice. The courts have a strategic plan in Arizona and within Coconino County, and their number one priority is access to justice. That is something that has been instilled in me since I began my career, is providing access for those that need the justice, whether it be defendants, victims, someone filing in small claims, eviction actions. Being able to help them navigate, sometimes the worst part of their life, with compassion and with grace and being able to provide that information. As a court staff, I have the ability to do that. I have learned it, I’ve lived it, and I pass it on to those that I hire. Helping people navigate through the court system is sometimes challenging because they see a lot of difficult things, and some of them take it to heart and others don’t. You have to have that neutrality to be able to be fair and promote confidence in the judiciary.

Rick Yanke

MISSION: To ensure that the Page Justice Court and Drug Court are correctly, properly and effectively utilized to divert rehabilitative offenders from jail and prison. To provide fair and equal justice for all. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty.

As a former deputy sheriff and police officer, I’m well versed in law and order centered in fair justice while working for Maricopa County, Coconino County and Page PD. I’ve always treated people with compassion, empathy and respect. I believe in courtesy and patience. I have a reputation for honesty, integrity and fairness.

I believe in the Drug Court the Page Justice Court instituted to divert offenders from jail and prison.

I reside in Page with my wife Aprille, four dogs and one cat. I moved to Arizona in 1972 when my dad retired from the US Marine Corp. I moved to Page as a deputy sheriff in 1982 with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. I took a job as a police officer with the City of Page in 1983. I retired in 2002 as a sergeant. I served in patrol, investigations, as an accident investigator, field training officer, field training supervisor and the firearms instructor. I developed and instituted the patrol rifle program. I selected and headed the training for transition to Glock firearms.

I worked as the MIS manager for Encompass Health Services for 17 years.

I served the Citizens Page as a member of the Page Electric Utility Board for 14 years, seven as chairman.

I have served on the Page City Council for the last four years.

Please write-in Rick Yanke for Page justice of the peace!