Smile, Plymouth Township Board Members post new picture

Nov. 26, 2012  PLYMOUTH VOICE.

Plymouth Township Board of Trustees board has posted a new portrait to the township web site along with the 2013 meeting dates. The group assembled in Township Hall to pose for the photo with newly elected members, Trustee Chuck Curmi and Clerk Nancy Conzelman. The new officials took office last week.

Three executives considered employees of the Township who hold full time positions are Supervisor Richard Reaume, Treasurer Ron Edwards, and Clerk Nancy Conzelman. The other Trustees are part time elected officials, paid to attend the monthly meetings.

This is Curmi’s second go-around with the Board. Curmi 57 was re-elected after a four-year hiatus having previously served for 16 consecutive years from 1992 to 2008. During his campaign, Curmi was critical of the Board and was frequently quoted that he was running to return leadership, integrity and rational-open decision making. “I will ensure that Township elected officials conduct their statutory duties and are held accountable…”  Curmi said according to one media source.

At the time of his election Curmi said he thought fire and police service would be his top priority and found fault with of the loss of the contract between the City of Plymouth, and Plymouth Township for joint fire services, calling it a “strategic error.”

Curmi was also vocal about the Township’s spending on the golf course and the recent acquisition of 323 acres of vacant farmland that was once the home to the Detroit House of Corrections, saying, “Townships are not supposed to be in the land business” according to another news source.

Conzelman 52 is a newcomer to the Board who stayed in the background during her campaign and surprised many with her win of the Clerks’ seat, beating incumbent Joe Bridgman by some 14 votes after a controversial re-count.

Prior to running for office Conzelman was an attorney for an automotive supplier with no known experience for the full time Township Clerk position, holding only her legal background.

Conzelman was supported in her campaign by trustee Doroshewitz along with the strong endorsement of Supervisor Reaume at a time when both were critical of the incumbent Clerk Bridgman.  In a broad base letter to residents, Reaume said Conzelman had the “integrity to join the management team” and attacked Bridgman saying, “This behavior by an elected official can not be tolerated, which is why I am supporting Conzelman.”

In her campaign rhetoric Conzelman said she was in favor of providing top rate services while keeping taxes low, and keeping our neighborhoods safe by ensuring the police have all the latest equipment; perhaps a hint of  the move to equip officers with fire department gear, a proposal being pushed by certain Township officials to train the policemen to be firefighters.

Conzelman did not voice an opinion on the recent severe fire department layoffs within the Plymouth Township Fire Department which has been reduced to only 13 firefighters for the protection of 28,000 residents.