EDITOR’S NOTE: Ken Pardee since has indicated his resignation had nothing to do with the Ambulance Board, for which he and Cathy still have profound respect.
The coup d’etat in Watson Township now is nearly complete.
The latest casualties were Ken and Cathy Pardee, longtime township representatives on the Wayland Area Emergency Service Board. Ken announced in a letter to Township Board Thursday night his resignation is immediate, but Cathy will attend one last Ambulance Board meeting next week before stepping down.
The Pardees are lifelong Democrats and Cathy is former township clerk.
“My resignation had nothing to do with ambulance service,” Ken Pardee said. “I found serving on board very satisfying.”
The Watson Township Board only four years ago was one of the few municipalities with a Democratic Party majority. Four of the five board members were Democrats. But now the Republicans have flipped to a 4-1 advantage with Clerk Kelli Morris the lone holdout.
Supervisor Kevin Travis defeated incumbent Pam Brown in 2016, Democratic Trustee Chuck Andrysiak was killed in a traffic crash and was replaced by the appointment of Republican Jack Carl Wood, who was elected to a full term in the Nov. 3 vote.
Now comes the defeat last Tuesday of Democratic Treasurer Sue Jones, daughter of the Pardees, at the hands of Republican newcomer Stephanie Caulder, who was heavily supported by Travis.
“I resigned Thursday night, effective immediately,” Ken Pardee said. “Cathy will make next week’s meeting then send a official letter to the board. That way the board doesn’t have to scramble to get someone to the (Ambulance Board) meeting.
“I almost resigned when they didn’t appoint a Democrat to fill Chuck’s vacant seat. That really hurt me. The law doesn’t require that they appoint a Democrat, but it is the right thing to do.
“I decided to see how election went hoping it would come back to being Democratic, as it has been for years. Well, after the election my mind was made up.”
Ken Pardee said he and his wife have been involved in many elections and are proud they never badmouthed or personally attacked anyone.
“Bitching about something is the easy part,” he said. “Finding a solution gets hard and the person bitching rarely has a solution.”
On the only item on the Township Board meeting’s agenda Thursday night, a snowplow bid for $2,600 from AIS, the same vendor as last year.
Coup d’etat? Were there guns involved? I thought there was an election????. Was it about WAEMS fiscal concerns? More info?
Had nothing to do with WAEMS served on board several years and found it to be rewarding, felt like you were doing good for the community. Just time to leave.
Thanks for your service Ken. I meant no disrespect to you or your wife.