Clay Township Supervisor Paul Cassidy resigns

Trustee Roy Martin appointed to fill the top spot

By Barb Pert Templeton

In an eight-word letter to the Clay Township Board of Trustees on March 2 Supervisor Paul Cassidy announced his immediate resignation. He simply stated: “I resign my position as Clay Township Supervisor” followed by his signature in a note presented to the clerk.

Officials quickly announced a “special meeting” of the township board for Tuesday, March 3 at 2 p.m. to address the issue.

At that meeting, which lasted less than 30-minutes, Trustee Roy Martin offered to take on the supervisor post and the board unanimously approved his appointment as supervisor. Cassidy and Trustee Jon DeBoyer were absent from the special meeting and Martin abstained from the vote.

Several audience members spoke out during public comments to point out that three of the current officials were appointees not elected officials. They said the best course of action was to leave the supervisor’s spot open for 45-days for a special election and have the voters decide who should be supervisor.

Former Clay Township Supervisor Artie Bryson, who left office in the township in Nov. 2024, and is the current city manager in Algonac, spoke during public comments at the special meeting. He stated that claims that the law states the township must hold an election were incorrect. Bryson said the gentleman quoted laws for charter townships and Clay is a general law township, a completely different animal, so those laws don’t apply to general law townships.

As Clerk Tanya Hogan chaired the special meeting, the board’s discussion about the supervisor’s resignation began with Treasurer Beverly Rose asking to read a statement into the record.

“When a vacancy exists, it is not optional for this board to act, it’s our duty,” Rose said, noting that the township’s supervisor role is critical to the operation of the township. “Refusing to appoint someone does not solve the problem it prolongs it and leaves the township without the leadership that it needs.”

She further stated that “every member of the board has stepped up and taken on additional responsibilities to ensure the township continues to operate effectively.”

“Fiduciary duty is not selective, it belongs to all of us, we are responsible for protecting the financial health and stability of this township and we take that obligation seriously,” Rose said.

“Deliberately waiting 45-days to force a special election would not move us forward it would set us back even further. Our township cannot function properly without an active engaged working supervisor, leadership cannot be paused, essential services cannot be delayed, stability cannot be compromised.”

Rose went on to point out that the person appointed now as supervisor will be required to run in a 2026 election and ultimately the voters will decide who they want to serve. Whether appointed or elected the board answers to the residents of Clay Township.

“Doing nothing is not leadership, taking actions is,” Rose said. “We remain committed to serving this community with integrity, transparency and fiscal responsibility.”

Trustee Roy Martin said he would be willing to step up and take the supervisor’s post if the board backed him. He said he knows it’s full-time and he would commit to working during those township business hours.

Martin said if the thought is nobody knows him come see him and talk to him.

“I’m not out to hide, I’m here for the community, I’ve lived here my whole life, I’ve had a business here my whole life, I’m here for you guys, I’m not here for a better game, I have a successful business here,” Martin said, referring to his ownership of the Colony Bowl in Algonac.

Martin added that there’s a lot that has to be done in the township. There are grants the township needs to take care of, some by this Friday and there’s a trash contract to take care of and even just signing for payroll for township employees. (Martin was previously appointed to fill seat vacated by resignation of Trustee Maureen Boyd in Sept. 2025.)

Rose agreed with Martin and said in fact there’s a grant being offered thru Congresswoman Lisa McClain’s office that’s deadlines on March 6 and thus far Clay Township has done nothing towards that end.

She further stated that Martin has been working to get the costs down for the trash contract and he should be able to do much more as supervisor. Rose then made the motion to appoint Martin to the supervisor’s office and it was unanimously approved amid loud applause.

Members of the board took a few moments during their comments to welcome Martin to the supervisor’s office and pledged their strong support for him.

“Congrats to Roy, I appreciate you stepping up, you have a lot of things to do and a lot of things to fix. We are all here to support you every step of the way,” Trustee Sarah Clements said.

“Congratulations Roy and welcome to the club, we have jackets,” Rose said, amid laughs from the audience.

“I appreciate everybody having confidence in me in this role as supervisor,” Martin replied.

Recall of Cassidy now a moot point

A petition drive to remove Cassidy from the supervisor’s office in Clay Township had enough verified signatures to have the St. Clair County Election Commission approve them and the

language earlier this year. If Cassidy hadn’t resigned a special election was to be held in May to ask voters to recall him.

The website recallpaul.com was launched to support the Cassiday recall effort and includes links like Paul’s Record, Evidence and Why It Matters.

Clay Township’s every changing board members:

· Jerry Galka (Treasurer): Resigned Oct. 5, 2025. Beverly Rose appointed new treasurer.

· Anita Rzeppa (Deputy Treasurer): Resigned from her position in the treasury department effective Sept. 19, 2025.

· Maureen Boury (Trustee): Resigned effective August 2025. Roy Martin appointed to fill the seat.

· Mark Campbell (Trustee): Resigned earlier in 2025, with his seat filled in June. Beverly Rose appointed to fill this seat.