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HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM C & G NEWSPAPERS
DECEMBER 18, 2024 • Vol. 21, No. 27
Change in leadership BY MARK VEST mvest@candgnews.com
WEST BLOOMFIELD — Quite the shake-up has taken place in West Bloomfield in recent weeks. In a letter to the West Bloomfield Township Board dated Dec. 4, Steven Kaplan announced that he was stepping down from his position as the township’s supervisor, effective 12:01 a.m. Dec. 5, after having served in that role since 2016. Kaplan made the decision after accepting a position as an assistant West Bloomfield Police Department Deputy Chief Dale Young has been appointed to be the township’s next police chief. Young’s new role is set to begin after the township’s current chief of police, Michael Patton, retires next month. Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
prosecuting attorney with the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. He was in the midst of serving his third term as the township’s supervisor prior to making the decision to step down. A special meeting was called at the West Bloomfield Township Boardroom Dec. 9, where the Township Board unanimously accepted Kaplan’s resignation from the office of township supervisor. The next item on the agenda was to appoint someone to fill the vacancy. Township Treasurer Teri Weingarden made a motion to appoint Trustee Jonathan Warshay to fill the position. Following that, Trustee Jim Manna attempted to make a motion See SUPERVISOR on page 9A
Photo by Patricia O’Blenes
West Bloomfield Township Treasurer Teri Weingarden, right, makes a motion to nominate Trustee Jonathan Warshay, left, to be the township’s new supervisor at a Township Board special meeting Dec. 9. The special meeting was held after the township’s former supervisor, Steven Kaplan, announced that he was stepping down from the position.
‘It’s been a whirlwind’ BY MARK VEST
mvest@candgnews.com
WEST BLOOMFIELD — This past year has included two life-changing events for West Bloomfield Police Department Deputy Chief Dale Young. In January, Young, who began as a police cadet at the West Bloomfield Police Department in 2004, was appointed to the position of deputy chief after Curt Lawson, who previously served in that role, accepted a position with the Franklin-Bingham Farms Police Department.
Dale Young discusses his promotion to West Bloomfield chief of police
Less than a year later, Young was the recipient of another big promotion. At a Township Board meeting this past October, the Township Board unanimously accepted the retirement notice of Michael Patton, who has served as the township’s chief of police since 2010. At that same meeting, it was announced that Young had been appointed to the position of chief. He is set to begin his new role Jan. 11. “It’s been a whirlwind,” Young said. “It has been an exciting
See POLICE on page 12A
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Kaplan steps down, new supervisor appointed in West Bloomfield