William De Groot, manager, Chocolay Township

CHOCOLAY– Chocolay Township Manager William DeGroot is no stranger to Marquette County.

The former financial analyst and transit planner for the Ann Arbor Transit Authority said he is glad to be back in the area.

“It’s the area — the appeal to return home. My father was a fighter pilot in K.I. (Sawyer Air Firce Base) for the 87th so he flew fighter escort for the long-range B-52s back in the late 70s, early 80s,” DeGroot said. “I wasn’t born here but I spent my pre-elementary and my first and second grade here. And then I moved into town, I moved into (Marquette and attended) Whitman Elementary School.”

His family moved to the Selfridge Air National Guard Base in the Lower Peninsula while DeGroot was still in elementary school, he said, but he returned to attend Northern Michigan University where he obtained a degree in land use management in planning.

“I was fortunate enough to come back for college,” DeGroot said. “So this is my third coming back if you will … I have always wanted to come back home. I am thankful to be home, and thankful to be in Chocolay.”

Living in the area twice before, DeGroot said, gives him a unique perspective about the economic transformation and the pattern growth of the region.

“After leaving the area and then after these 10- to 15-year chunks coming back, I have seen the growth from afar as well as some of the changes,” DeGroot said. “I remember the Jack’s IGA and the A&W on the corner as the main draw for the 28/41 corridor. Now seeing the transition of having the small commercial center, the furniture store, McDonald’s and now having a connection to the south side of the road. I’ve kind of seen these chunks and these changes. So, I wouldn’t say that this is just a opportunity or a challenge for Chocolay, but it is for the region.”

It is important, in a time of transformation, for a community to identify its values, DeGroot said.

“When we think about, what are the community’s needs and values, that’s really what I am trying to work in the early 2020,” DeGroot said. “I am going to work to understand and ultimately try and help our community reach those values. And then ultimately put those into policy so they can be attainable.”

He said township staff has been very helpful in the transition of his leadership.

“We have very competent people given the roles and expectations that have been set,” DeGroot said. “I am thankful that the responsiveness and their willingness to put the residents first in thinking through the problems actually is a very significant asset for the community.”

The snow is something that he and his wife are looking forward to.

“We have tried just about every winter sport that there is, and we are winter sport people,” DeGroot said. “We are looking forward to it. In fact, we joke that since moving up here, the other day when it snowed, we said, ‘Yes, it’s coming, it’s coming, we’re ready.’ So we’re kind of excited, but ask me again in February.”

Lisa Bowers can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 242. Her email address is lbowers@miningjournal.net.