BY SCOTT SULLIVAN EDITOR
Resident and planning commission member Daniel DeFranco has been hired by the Saugatuck Township Board as operations coordinator on a month-to-month basis to fill the staffing gap left when members parted ways suddenly with ex-manager Joe Frey.
The board announced at its regular Jan. 12 meeting they and Frey, manager for less than a year, had reached a mutual agreement for him to exit with no comment as to why.
Members two days later at a special meeting hired DeFranco — also chair of the planning commission’s Rural Character and Development Special Committee, township representative on the Tri-Community Recycling Committee and an elections volunteer — on a monthly basis for a maximum $49,000 annually.
“I have experienced firsthand Daniel’s professionalism, work ethic, intelligence and fantastic interpersonal skills,” said clerk Abby Bigford at that meeting.
“I have only ever heard comments and feedback consistent with this. We are lucky to have someone of this caliber to step in to help,” Bigford said.
DeFranco, who holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Tulane University in New Orleans, has been a lecturer on the subject there, at Lake Forest College in Illinois and at Grand Valley State University. He was also a visiting student of philosophy at Oxford University in England.
“Having volunteered in various community efforts,” he said in his résumé submitted to the township, “I am looking to transition into a more involved role in local government, a role in which I can employ my diverse skill set, learn from experienced public officials, and grow professionally.”
Frey, hired on an interim basis Jan. 13, 2021 and made fulltime manager March 30 for a $70,000 salary, was the township’s fourth manager since a November 2018 recall election brought in four new board members, prompting the resignation of then manager Aaron Sheridan.
Natalie Dean replaced him as manager and was also zoning administrator for three months from January through April 2019 before resigning due to disagreements between the board on agendas for the township.
Griffin Graham served as township manager from July 2019 until resigning January last year to become assistant city manager in South Haven.