Plymouth Township Board in turmoil – again!

July 29, 2026  PLYMOUTH VOICE.

Plymouth Michigan News

By:  Don Howard

Forth Member Announces Resignation

Another elected official is leaving Plymouth Township government, adding a new and potentially significant chapter to an extraordinary period of turnover, political division and increasingly contentious relations at Township Hall.

Trustee Mark Clinton has announced his resignation, becoming the latest member of the township’s governing leadership to step aside during a period that has already seen the departure of longtime Clerk Jerry Vorva, Trustee Jennifer Buckley and the announced departure of Treasurer Bob Doroshewitz.

Four departures in a matter of months would be remarkable under any circumstances. In Plymouth Township, they come against the backdrop of years of political disagreements, the bitter controversy over the proposed relocation of Northville Downs and increasingly public disputes among members of the Township Board.

The question now confronting residents is whether the departures are largely unrelated personnel decisions or evidence of a deeper problem within township government.

The answer is not entirely clear.

What is clear is that the township’s political landscape has changed dramatically.

For years, Plymouth Township government was dominated by a relatively stable group of Republican officials. By 2022, however, disagreements among board members were becoming more apparent. In one revealing 3-3 vote that year, trustees were divided over the appointment of Jennifer Buckley.

The political environment became even more complicated with the proposed relocation of Northville Downs to Plymouth Township. The development generated strong opposition over concerns involving traffic, noise, gambling and neighborhood impact. It also became a defining political issue within township government and contributed to a change in leadership.

Chuck Curmi succeeded Kurt Heise as supervisor, while the Northville Downs proposal became the subject of prolonged political and legal conflict. The township ultimately rejected the project after negotiations broke down, and the developer filed suit.

The controversy did more than divide residents. It exposed competing views among township officials about development, negotiations and the direction of township government.

Those divisions became much more visible this year.

A major turning point came with the March resignation of longtime Clerk Jerry Vorva. Vorva, who had served as clerk since 2016, cited his battle with Stage 4 cancer and what he described as a “hostile environment” at Township Hall.

The circumstances surrounding Vorva’s departure became controversial themselves, with criticism over how the board handled his resignation and the transition that followed.

Then came the search for a replacement.

What normally would have been a routine appointment became a highly publicized confrontation. Trustees Sandy Groth and Jennifer Buckley emerged as leading candidates, but an April 21 vote ended in a 3-3 deadlock.

The meeting featured heated exchanges among trustees and public commentary from attendees. The contentious proceedings underscored how deeply divided the board had become.

The situation became even more unusual when potential candidates for the clerk’s position reportedly observed the board’s conduct. At least one prospective candidate subsequently withdrew from consideration.

The township eventually broadened its search and appointed Gaedeke as clerk, resolving the immediate vacancy.

But the underlying conflict did not disappear.

Vorva subsequently filed a lawsuit against Trustee John Stewart, alleging a hostile work environment and other misconduct. Those allegations remain unproven unless established through legal proceedings, but the lawsuit illustrated how far disagreements at Township Hall had moved beyond ordinary policy disputes.

Then came additional departures.

In June, Trustee Jennifer Buckley announced that she would resign. Treasurer Bob Doroshewitz subsequently announced that he would also leave after more than two decades in township government.

And now Mark Clinton has announced his resignation stating that he could no longer effectively serve residents under the current leadership.

The growing list of departures has naturally led to speculation that officials are abandoning a dysfunctional government. But that conclusion requires caution.

Not every departing official has blamed the board’s internal fighting.

Doroshewitz, for example, did not attribute his decision to the contentious atmosphere at Township Hall. He cited personal considerations and his lengthy tenure in public service. Similarly, the reasons given by other departing officials need to be considered individually rather than lumped together.

Nevertheless, the cumulative effect is difficult to dismiss.

A township government that once appeared relatively stable has experienced an extraordinary amount of turnover in a short period. The departures have occurred alongside a series of highly public disagreements, a 3-3 board deadlock, allegations of workplace hostility, litigation involving a sitting trustee and contentious public meetings.

That combination raises a legitimate question: What is happening inside Plymouth Township government?

The available evidence does not point to one individual or one event as the sole cause.

Instead, the current turmoil appears to have developed gradually. Political divisions were becoming evident several years ago. The Northville Downs controversy intensified those divisions. Changes in township leadership followed, and disagreements over policy and administration increasingly became intertwined with personal relationships.

By 2026, those tensions had become impossible to ignore.

The departure of Mark Clinton now adds another layer of uncertainty. With several experienced officials leaving or preparing to leave, the township faces not only the challenge of filling vacancies but also the task of rebuilding institutional continuity and trust. Clinton expressed hope that the township board elected in 2028 would be made up of individuals who have the community’s best interest in mind and put Plymouth Township “back on the same track” he believes it was following under the previous administration.

Political disagreement is a normal part of local government. Close votes and competing philosophies are not, by themselves, evidence of dysfunction.

But when disagreements produce repeated deadlocks, public confrontations, lawsuits and an extraordinary succession of departures, residents are entitled to ask whether something more fundamental has gone wrong.

The immediate challenge for Supervisor Chuck Curmi and the remaining members of the Township Board is therefore larger than simply replacing departing officials.

They must determine whether the board can restore a workable relationship among its members — and restore public confidence that township government can put political and personal divisions aside long enough to conduct the community’s business.

The latest resignation makes that challenge more urgent.

For Plymouth Township residents, the most important question may no longer be which faction is winning the political battle.

It may be whether the battle can end.

Plymouth Voice.

Voice photo (c) Don Howard