Another new face joined the Plymouth Township Board of Trustees following months of turnover, contentious appointment battles and, now, concerns over how many of the board’s new members were chosen by sitting members – rather than by voters.
Joe Reilly, 31, was unanimously appointed Aug. 25 to fill the seat vacated by Trustee Mark Clinton, with board members pointing in part to the 'generational representation' Reilly could bring to the board.
Reilly, who said he is a Republican, has served on the township’s Zoning Board of Appeals for about a year and a half and is currently its vice chairman.
“I want to thank the members of the board,” Reilly said after his appointment. “I look forward to serving the township.”
Reilly will serve the remainder
of Clinton’s term, which expires in 2028.
Clinton resigned in July, citing what he called the "deceitful nature”of board members.
Supervisor Chuck Curmi said seven people reached out to express interest in Clinton’s seat, and each was asked to contact members of the board to make their interest known. Of those, he said, trustees had individual meetings with four candidates before ultimately choosing Reilly.
Curmi also acknowledged the changes the township board has recently seen.
Earlier this year, the board went through a contentious search for the replacement of Clerk Jerry Vorva, repeatedly deadlocking before eventually selecting Kim Gaedeke as clerk. One candidate withdrew during that process after describing the board as “dysfunctional.” Then, Trustee Jen Buckley resigned in June and Treasurer Bob Doroshewitz announced plans to step down later this year or early next year, as well.
All were elected to four-year terms ending in 2028.
“This is, I know, difficult for people,” Curmi said at the Aug. 25 meeting. “We’ve had a lot of changes, but interestingly enough, a lot of people want to be on this board.”
Bt, while the turnover has been defined by disagreements over how vacancies should be filled, dialogue at the Aug. 25 meeting was noticeably lighter.
Trustee Bob Doroshewitz first nominated former state Rep. Richard LeBlanc, who also served as Westland city clerk, saying LeBlanc’s experience would be valuable as more board seats are filled by appointees rather than elected members.
The nomination failed 4-2, with only Doroshewitz and Trustee Sandy Groth voting yes.
Gaedeke nominated Reilly, saying he “rose to the top” among the candidates she interviewed.
Gaedeke said Reilly would add to the board’s mix of ages and perspectives, while also noting he lives on the east side of the township while most trustees live on the west side.
“I’m a firm believer in having generational representation of a board as well as community representation,” Gaedeke said. “We also have a lot of young families continuing to move in this community, so it's important that we…have someone that is interested in preserving the things that we all love, but also looking to the future.”
Gaedeke also pointed to Reilly’s work on the Zoning Board of Appeals, where she said she had seen him search for solutions that balanced the interests of property owners, neighborhoods and the township.
“I just appreciate his ability to lead as well as to think thoughtfully before taking action,” she said.
The board voted 6-0 to appoint Reilly.
Reilly said he has lived in the Green Meadows neighborhood for seven years and is an Eastern Michigan University graduate. He told the board he has spent more than a decade working in operations, financial accountability and high-stakes negotiations.
As an operations director in the automotive industry, Reilly said he oversees teams and operations across the country, has financial responsibility for those operations and leads major contract negotiations with the UAW.
He said that experience has taught him “how to navigate high-pressure situations, listen carefully and protect the long-term interest of the organization.”
Reilly told trustees three questions would guide him in making decisions: whether something is fiscally responsible, fair to residents and protective of Plymouth Township’s character.
“My goal is to help bridge the generational gap that calls this township home,” Reilly said, “not by changing what makes Plymouth Township special, but by protecting it while preparing responsibly for its future.”
Reilly said he hopes residents will reach out to him with questions and concerns about township issues.
Curmi said the township used a process recommended by the Michigan Townships Association in which board members nominate candidates.
Michigan law gives township boards authority to appoint someone to a vacant trustee seat but does not prescribe a particular application or selection process.
Contact reporter Laura Colvin: lcolvin@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Plymouth Township names trustee amid board upheaval
