By Daniel Lai
A mainstay in the Dexter Township community said she’s had enough of leadership and politics and is stepping aside to let others take over.
Township Supervisor Pat Kelly resigned from her position during a special meeting of the township board on March 5. The resignation was approved by a 4-3 vote, and went into effect on March 9.
“The decision to step down was totally my choice,” Kelly explained. “It was on the table as a consideration from the minute I took the oath of office in 2012.
“After the last election, it was apparent to me that the board felt it was more important for Pat Kelly to be wrong and the township to be right about important decisions affecting our residents,” she said. “Our meetings were a joke, and I became a distraction.
“The best thing I can do is get out of the way,” Kelly said.
Kelly has served as township supervisor since being appointed in 2002. Since that time, she ran two successful re-election campaigns unopposed in 2002 and 2004, and won by majority vote in 2008 and 2012.
The Dexter Township resident said making a difference in the lives of others has been a hallmark of her tenure. Under her watch, the township cleaned up its assessment procedures, passed a new zoning ordinance and dramatically expanded police and fire protection for residents.
“People complain about the zoning ordinance that was passed in 2003. It is not perfect by any stretch, and since that time there has been 14 major amendments, but we are chipping away at it,” Kelly said.
Kelly explained that the township’s previous ordinance was written in 1973, had much stricter standards, and did not accommodate for growth.
“We had to pass a new ordinance to begin fixing it; it was a Catch 22,” she said.
The overhaul of public safety services was another accomplishment under Kelly’s leadership — a milestone she’s personally proud of.
“When I started as supervisor, the township was serviced by three fire departments and response time was upward of 30 minutes in some areas,” she said. “On my watch, we reduced costs by 22 percent and put everyone within 5 miles of station. Soon we will have a permanent station, which has been a long time coming.”
Kelly said updating the township’s public safety services has been a crusade since moving to the area with her husband.
“What I saw prior to my tenure was unequal treatment of citizens in assessing and fire protection,” she said. “My goal has always been to provide high-quality, cost-effective services across the township. I guess that’s why I ran for office so many years; that job was never quite done.”
In that vein, Kelly said there was some sadness in her decision to step down. She said that she does not plan to simply disappear from township government, however.
“I think I made a very positive impact until the election of 2012, and I’m proud as hell for everything that I did,” she said.
Kelly said she plans to stay involved as a member of the public and work on the township’s zoning ordinance, as well as continue serving as the at-large member on the Dexter Area Fire Board and MultiLakes Sewer Authority Board.
“I also plan on getting involved and reacquainted with Ballet Chelsea and just being a grandma. Maybe I’ll relax and read a book or make my husband dinner,” Kelly said. “I’ll probably keep going to township board meetings so I can bear witness and inform people from an experienced eye, what the township is up to.”
(The township board voted on March 15 to appoint Jim Drolett as interim supervisor and will hold an election in November to fill the vacancy.)
