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David Kady and James Carabelli will be succeeded by Michael Flynn and Douglas Wozniak, who were elected to the board Nov. 8. Kady decided not to run again following 12 years on the board and Carabelli was elected to the Macomb County Board of Commissioners in the August primaries.

“I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to serve the residents of Shelby Township as a trustee,” said Carabelli. “I feel that the lessons I’ve learned as a part of the board will be very beneficial to my service as a commissioner and will allow me to take more information to the county.”

Kady said he knew it was time for him to step away from politics, but admits to having mixed feelings on the day of his final meeting.

“It’s definitely bittersweet,” he said. “I was ready for it, but when it came time for it, you start having a lot of good memories. It’s been a great 12 years.”

The township has changed and grown significantly since Kady first decided to run for political office. A member of the Parks and Recreation Committee, he said it was the township’s need for increased support in that area that prompted him to get involved.

“The real draw for me to politics was in 1996,” he said. “It was the lack of developed areas for recreation and sports. At that time we basically had only Ford Field. There was no place for football or basketball or anything like that.”

Kady has been one of the Parks and Recreation’s Department’s biggest cheerleaders during his tenure as a trustee. He said his proudest moments have been in working with improvements to the township’s parks, sports leagues, trails and other recreation-related areas.

“When I look at Lombardo Park, the new Ford Field or the football field behind the library, that’s what I’m most proud of,” he said. “Those are the things that really got me involved.”

Carabelli said recreation has also been a major part of his pride in the township as well, specifically the paving of the township’s hike and bike trails, which will ultimately be connected to a larger trail linking Metro Beach and Stony Creek metroparks.

“One of the most exciting things to watch happen in the township was the development and paving of those trails,” he said. “To see the families from Shelby Township utilizing the parks and the path system was really great.”

Carabelli also said he is very pleased to have been able to interact personally with several township residents over the years.

“It’s been really important to me to resolve issues with residents. They were always able to contact me directly,” he said. “There’s a lot of red tape in government and I’m very glad that, for our residents, we were able to cut through a lot of that.”

Both Kady and Carabelli will continue to be Shelby Township residents and, as such, will have a vested interest in the actions of the future Board of Trustees. Among the items they’ll keep in mind will be proposals that either failed to pass or where never brought to light during their terms in office.

“One of the biggest things I would have liked to have seen is the construction of a water tower, which would really have brought down our dependence on the Detroit water system and cut costs,” said Carabelli.

Carabelli, who said he has brought the idea to the incoming trustees, said the water tower would have been filled during off-peak areas and used during peak hours, cutting down on the amount of water purchased from the Detroit. He said he hopes to see the idea resurrected in the future.

Kady was instrumental in an attempt to fund a new recreation center in the township. The ballot proposal was voted down, but Kady said the township still needs an indoor facility to host the many activities held throughout the year.

“I really believe that the township is in need of an indoor recreation facility,” he said. “The people spoke loud and clear, but I still believe there’s a great need for it, for a place to host basketball and concerts and other activities.”

Both Kady and Carabelli said they plan to still be involved in the township. Kady plans on continuing his strong relationship with Parks and Recreation Director Dave Moore to be involved in some aspect with sports and other activities in the community. Carabelli, meanwhile, said he looks forward to being the township’s voice to the county on the Board of Commissioners.

“I think it’s going to be really exciting,” he said. “I’m really excited about the opportunity to bring the needs of the residents before the board and also be able to communicate things at the county level back to the township.”