Did you ever wonder who Dave Payne really is?

By David McClelland

Did you ever wonder who Dave Payne really is?

We know him as the Bloomfield Township Supervisor and as a strong proponent of the millage proposal which just passed. But who is Dave Payne?

While growing up, Dave lived in Annapolis, MD, Milwaukee, WI and finally, the Detroit area, where he decided to remain.

He and his wife, Debbie, have been married for 38 years and have two children. Their daughter, Michelle, is married and lives in Farmington Hills. She teaches in an elementary school in Detroit. She and her husband have two young children and a third due this month. Their son, Jeff, is single and lives on St. Simons Island in Georgia. His job is to broker space for freighters.

What does Dave do to relax? Both Dave and Debbie love to play golf and do so when the weather is right and time permits. He also enjoys woodworking and gardening.

Dave began his career with Bloomfield Township as a part-timer working his way through college. He hired in as a summer employee doing road maintenance and cutting grass. When the Township created its Road Department in the early 1970's Dave got a full time position as an equipment operator, plowing snow in the winter and patching and sealing asphalt roads in the summer. Dave worked his way up, becoming foreman and then head of the department in 1975. This made him the youngest department head in the history of Bloomfield Township. In 1990, Dave became the assistant to Township Supervisor, Fred Korzon. In 1996 he was elected to the position of Township Treasurer. In 2000 he was elected as Township Supervisor and re-elected in 2004 and 2008. Dave said, "I have done everything from sweeping floors to chairing Board meetings."

Dave received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 1989 and a Master of Arts degree in Public Administration in 1992 from Oakland University.

Dave's career with Bloomfield Township has included many satisfying experiences as well as significant challenges. One highlight was the Ryder Cup Tournament at Oakland Hills Country Club in 2004 (a real hardship for an avid golfer). Dave said, "This international event put the spotlight on the Township."

Most notable, however, has been the opportunity to work with high caliber people. "The people in this community are top-notch," Dave said. "Residents are intelligent, loyal to their community, and supportive of Township actions. Board members have always been dedicated, well-prepared and trustworthy. And, the Township staff is the best group of employees any organization – private or public – could wish for. Working with all these people has been truly rewarding."

He recently weathered his greatest professional challenge. "In my 39 years with Bloomfield Township, I've never seen a financial climate like this. We've never had revenues drop like they're dropping now. We have always been extremely careful with our spending and staffing levels, so there are no easy places to look to for further savings. The only way to maintain the level of services we've been proud to deliver was to ask voters to restore some of the revenue we're losing. The voters have decided that Bloomfield Township will continue to be a premier community and a safe place to live."

Dave's vision is, at the appropriate time, to create some community parks and recreational opportunities for the Township residents. He hopes that the Township is able to support this opportunity in the not too distant future.