Dear Editor,

This is an open letter to the Independence Township Board of Trustees.
In light of repeated meetings to elect a replacement for Supervisor Pat Kittle where no decision has been reached, I have the following questions for the trustees:
Are you saying you are willing to leave the township without a leader for several months until a special election is scheduled?
Are you saying you are willing to relinquish your responsibility as township trustees to two partisan organizations who will each name a candidate, the winner of which will serve two and a half years in office?
Are you saying you are comfortable limiting our residents to the sole role of voting for one of these partisans – someone who may not know the township and/or someone the voters may not know?
Are you saying you are willing to subject the township to the partisan wrangling that may occur with such a process – something we’ve mostly been able to avoid?
I don’t know what internal divisions are preventing you from reaching a consensus and as far as I know, no explanations have been offered. But I implore you to buckle down and do your job. This is not about the trustees, this is about the employees – police, fire, DPW, assessing, planning, building and zoning, human resources, Independence Television, parks, recs and seniors, etc. – and the residents who have become accustomed to excellent service.
At a time when experienced employees are very valuable, we don’t want to lose any of our valued employees.
This inaction on the part of the trustees is even more puzzling when we have an excellent candidate in Paul Brown, who is available and ready to work.
Mr. Brown has extensive township experience, including being actively involved in past contract negotiations, and providing input that provided benefits to both sides.
In addition, he has significant experience in the private sector as the chief operating officer of a company with many employees where he reported directly to the owner.
Finally, given the uncertainty in the economy and potentially serious disruptions, I believe we need a seasoned Supervisor to guide us through potentially uncertain times. Someone who has always put the township and its employees and residents first.
Please elect Paul Brown as interim supervisor and continue to move the township forward.

Sincerely,
Judy Tully
Clarkston