Bloomfield Township Supervisor Candidates at a Glance

Two members of the Board of Trustees have declared an interest in replacing Dave Payne as supervisor upon his resignation Aug. 1 with more than a year left in his elected term. The floor remains open for other board members to declare at Monday's meeting, but none are expected to do so. Bloomfield Patch provides a quick look at each candidate.

Dan Devine

History/background: Devine was appointed township treasurer in 1999 and has been elected or re-elected three times. He is a certified public finance administrator and an attorney. He was an Oakland County commissioner and also served on the township Zoning Board of Appeals.

Family: Lifelong township resident; married to wife, Katey, with whom he has four children.

Why he wants the job: Devine has been a top township administrator for more than a decade and has been heavily involved in Republican Party politics for longer than that. He was appointed acting supervisor when Payne underwent open-heart surgery in 2002 and believes he has the experience and skill set to be Payne’s successor.

The biggest issue on the horizon: “Passage of the public safety millage renewal in August 2012 is absolutely essential,” Devine said. “Failure to do that millage will result in permanent layoff of up to 80 positions in our police and fire departments, which would be devastating to our community.”

Leo Savoie

History/background: Savoie was elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2008 following three-year stints on the township’s Board of Review and the Zoning Board of Appeals. He is owner and president of the Birmingham Bloomfield Land Title Co. and specializes in property appraisal.

Family: Grew up in Bloomfield Township and returned after his family moved to Pennsylvania. Married for more than 30 years to Sally, with whom he has two sons.

Why he wants the job: Savoie said he believes the township is in a good fiscal position to weather Michigan’s sluggish economy, but not by accident. He wants to be a decisive voice that leads quality department heads to keep township government running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

The biggest issue on the horizon: The township’s aging infrastructure. Township facilities got an overhaul and overall enhancement during Payne’s tenure, but it's the hidden municipal infrastructure that worries Savoie.

“We have water and sewer lines that, in some cases, are more than 50 or 60 years old,” he explained. “We fund and collect for that with a sinking fund, but we’ll need to address that down the road.”