He’s ready to say goodbye to the Road Commission for Oakland County, but district 3 manager Loren Yaros has no plans to leave his home in Orion Township anytime soon.
Yaros started his career with the RCOC 31 years ago as a permit inspector, which took him all over Oakland County. He then worked as a supervisor in Southfield before coming to Orion Township to manage the RCOC’s garage there.
‘I’ve lived in Orion since 1973,? he said. ‘It was just the sticks when we got here. We bought property in the Hi Hill Subdivision and we still live in our house there.?
Yaros and his wife Barbara, a City of Rochester employee, have two children: Michelle, a former assistant to the players of the Detroit Pistons, who now lives in Virginia; and David, who recently relocated from Chicago to Birmingham with his wife Valerie.
Yaros said he will stay put in Orion after his last day with the RCOC, which was Oct. 31. He has been on the township’s zoning board of appeals for 18 years, and currently serves as chairman.
‘I’ll stay on there,? he said. ‘I’ll be dabbling in local politics.?
Yaros has worked in construction all his life and went from working as a state inspector to running a water proofing company in the private sector, before joining the Michigan Department of Transportation for eight years.
‘I was in the army for three years in between working for MDOT and the road commission,? Yaros said.
He earned the Bronze Star and Army Commendation medals for his service with the Army’s 101st Airborne Division after a three-year tour in Vietnam.
While working for MDOT and the RCOC, Yaros also found time to complete his associate’s and bachelor’s degrees at Lawrence Tech.
He’s decided now is the time to retire, as he’s still in good health and has a lot of hobbies to enjoy.
‘Things are getting too technical for me,? Yaros said. ‘I’m more of a direct-type of supervisor. Maybe it’s time for someone more versed in electronics to come in.?
Yaros said much has changed about the way the RCOC does business since he came on board in 1974. He’s worked at the Orion garage; which also covers parts of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills, as well as Oakland Township, Oxford, Addison and Brandon; since 1984.
‘The roads have changed, the traffic has changed,? he said. ‘But the number of people at the road commission hasn’t changed much.?
Trucks now have more sophisticated equipment than they used to, which Yaros said ‘doesn’t bode well with salt water.?
‘But with computers, residents can get in touch with us easier and we can respond faster,? he said. ‘We’ve also had better tracking of areas.?
When Yaros moved to Orion, there were only three subdivisions. Many of the roads were still gravel, and M-24 was just a single lane in each direction. The GM plant at Silverbell and Giddings had not been built yet.
‘It’s been a challenge for the road commission to keep up with all the subdivisions,? he said.
Another challenge has been providing needed services on a stretched budget.
‘But the rewards are greater,? he said. ‘It’s nice to see a plan work and help someone out.?
Working for the RCOC, Yaros? day typically began at 5:30 a.m., and he said he will still be an early-riser in retirement.
Yaros said he’ll miss the people he works with everyday, including numerous township officials who he now considers friends.
‘I’m miss it all,? he said. ‘I’ll even miss the late hours when there’s a major storm.?
However, one thing Yaros won’t miss is ‘sloshing around on gravel roads.?
Yaros said he has a big ‘honey do? list waiting for him at home and after that he will probably help his son and also focus on improving his skills with the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS).
Yaros has been a member of SASS, doing Cowboy Action Shooting, for five years. Each member of the group has an alias, and his is ‘Kid Orion.?
‘You dress up in pre-1900s clothing, or like a B Movie star,? he said. ‘You dress the part.?
Members fire authentic pre-1900s guns or modern replicas. Yaros said the Michigan group, the Wolverine Rangers, is friendly and fun.
‘We also do competitions,? he said.
‘When I started there were three groups in Michigan, and there are now 14. There are 700 groups nationwide, and they also have them in other countries.?
Yaros plans to use some of his new-found free time to improve his shooting.
‘Hopefully I’ll get better and be able to compete in the regional,? he said.