By David Fleet
dfleet@mihomepaper.com
Grovland Twp. — After more than three decades of leadership, Groveland Township Supervisor Bob DePalma retired from public service. He did not seek an unprecedented eighth term of office.
“I don’t want to live somewhere else,” said DePalma, who moved to the township in 1979 from Romulas. “I love it here. I don’t want it all to fall apart and will want the next supervisor to prosper.”
A Detroit native and 1966 Osborn High School graduate, DePalma was employed at Michigan Bell for many years until his retirement in 1997. He married Noreen in 1967 and recently celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary.
DePalma recalled his first appointment to township government in about 1980.
“Don Titsworth was township supervisor at the time and he lived down the road from me,” he said. “I was washing a motorcycle in front of my house and he asked me to be on the Planning Commission. I said, ‘OK.’”
He served as Chairman of the Planning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals for about 16 years.
In July 1996, the township board asked DePalma to step in as supervisor following the death of Titsworth. That fall DePalma was elected supervisor and would be reelected for seven consecutive terms. He is the longest serving township supervisor.
“I have a phenomenal staff that does a great job,” he said. “They will do it just fine after I leave. As long as the township stays on track I think there is nothing but sunshine and roses for the community.”
DePalma set strong business goals for the smallest township in Oakland County with 42% State owned property and a population of less than 7,000 residents. While still preserving the rural character DePalma sought to provide a strong and dynamic business tax base with limited resources.
“The leadership now will be able to run the township and fire department without a tax increase for years to come,” he said. I still want to live here too. Every township needs a business tax base, houses use more resources than collected.”
DePalma reflected on a few of the township projects during his terms of office including being a member of NoHaz consortium which in 2024 kept 10 million pounds of hazardous material out of the landfills, providing the community more paving in township history, keeping lowest tax rate in the county and the most money in township coffers ever.
“And zero unfunded obligations,” he added.
Sen. Ruth Johnson (R-24th-Groveland Township) reflected on DePalma’s career.
“Bob has always been a great advocate for our community in Lansing representing the interests of Groveland Township and fighting against bad legislation that strips away local control,” said Johnson.
“He is also an excellent financial steward who has kept Groveland Township’s millage rate low so that its residents and businesses enjoy the lowest tax rate in Oakland County.”
Other notable accomplishments while in office include a massive township-wide natural gas pipeline project.
In 1998, DePalma, along with others, researched the issue and determined the cost of natural gas hook-ups would be 40% lower if the residents of the township signed up in a group.
The natural gas project required that at least 525 of the township’s 850 households would have to express interest in hooking on to the pipeline.
“It took a lot of meetings and providing the public information before it really got off the ground,” he said.
During a township-wide vote in May of 1999, about 95% of the residents supported making Groveland a gas utility company that paved the way for the bond.
DePalma said an obscure 1930 law requires a public vote to create a utility company which allowed the township to get the bond. When the project started in August of 1999, Consumers received from the township the check for $1.8 million.
The project was paid off in 2014.
Participating residents paid the bill for service of $3,100 over 15 years, about $200 per year for each hook-up. It was adjusted to $3,300.
Other events over his career were a little different.
In April 2015 DePalma received a phone call he was not expecting.
A township resident reported seeing a white tiger near their home.
“At first I thought maybe the resident was seeing a really big white dog,” said DePalma. “So I sent out the township ordinance enforcer and the Michigan State Police too. The ordnance enforcer stopped at the gated residence and yes there were tigers.”
The exotic animals which in addition to tigers included baboons, kangaroos and anteaters were part owned by a company that provided the animals for educational exhibits. Following a lengthy battle the animals were relocated.
In June 2023, DePalma was recognized with the inaugural Michigan Townships Association Spirit of 1953 award.
The MTA, which was founded in 1953, awards an individual who defends and advances the best interests of their township community.
The MTA Board recognized DePalma for his vision and strong determination to protect the township first from a proposed toxic waste disposal plant and later from other unattractive plans.
The MTA represents 1,240 townships statewide providing advocacy before state and federal lawmakers.
In the late 1970s, Stablex Corporation, a United Kingdom-based group, drew the ire of township residents when they proposed a waste disposal plant in the township. The target area for the chemical plant dedicated to neutralizing toxic industrial waste into inert matter was the junction of Grange Hall Road and I-75. A court battle ensued and lasted for seven years, but in the end the township persevered.
The fight cost the township nearly $400,000 in legal fees, however, ultimately the township obtained the 200 acres after the departing company failed to pay property taxes on the property.
In 2022 the same township property is now a technology and industrial park providing opportunity for economic development for the area.
Similarly, over the past three decades there were three different attempts to establish a landfill within the borders of the township. The areas targeted were the township gravel pits that leave a deep void after the product is extracted. Following several battles in 2020, the Holly Oaks ORV Park opened as Michigan’s latest state park in an operational collaboration with Oakland County Parks on the same ground once eyed for a landfill.