Former Mayor Patricia Paruch Sworn in, Fills Royal Oak City Commission Vacancy
(Judy Davids, City of Royal Oak, Nov. 14, 2014)
The Royal Oak City Commission voted unanimously at its Monday meeting  to appoint Patricia Paruch to fill a vacancy left when Commissioner Peggy Goodwin resigned in October. Goodwin, who served almost three years of her four-year term, relinquished her chair at the table for personal and professional reasons.
Following the vote, Paruch was immediately sworn into office by Mayor Jim Ellison.
A 14-year veteran of the city commission, Paruch was previously the Mayor of the City of Royal Oak (1989-1993), a city commissioner (1979-1989) and mayor pro-tem for two years. During her terms of office, she was described by her colleagues as “fair” and someone who “emphasized strong neighborhoods.”
Paruch also served as a member of the Royal Oak Planning Commission from 1979 to 1993.
“Pat has a long history of service to Royal Oak,” said Ellison. “As a former elected official, she brings a lot of valuable experience to the commission. We know she will work hard for our citizens.”
Paruch graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Detroit (1972) and a Juris Doctor from Wayne State University (1992). A shareholder at the Kemp Klein Law Firm in Troy, her practice areas include municipal and environmental law.
“The timing is right to make this one-year commitment,” said Paruch, who is edging toward retirement in her law career. “I understand how comfortable it can be for the other commissioners to have someone who has been at the table before. If I can be helpful, I am glad to do it.”
Paruch does not plan on running for city commission in 2015, she said.
Under Royal Oak’s charter, the process used for filling a commission vacancy is entirely at the discretion of the city commission. The last time a vacancy was filled was in 2013 when then-Mayor Pro-Tem Patricia Capello submitted her resignation. Former Commissioner Carlo Ginotti was subsequently appointed to serve out the five-month balance of Capello’s term.
For more on the City of Royal Oak see their website at http://romi.gov.
For more Royal Oak News see the oc115’s Royal Oak section at http://oaklandcounty115.com/category/royal-oak/.