Councilman Kyle Tertzag speaks at a recent City Council meeting.
Councilman James Flynn (left), City Attorney Anthony Guerriero, Councilman Kyle Tertzag and Councilman Felice Lalli gather for a recent City Council meeting.
‘I’d have to be a man of no integrity to take things from one city to another.’ — Kyle Tertzag, Allen Park councilman and Woodhaven city administrator
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
ALLEN PARK – City Councilman Kyle Tertzag plans to continue serving his term of elected office while working in his new job as Woodhaven’s city administrator.
Tertzag, an Allen Park resident, was appointed to the Woodhaven post Dec. 1 by newly elected Woodhaven Mayor Patricia Odette.
“Our city is in good shape financially,” Tertzag said. “We’ve adopted business-friendly policies. Mayor Odette wants me to make Woodhaven more business-friendly.”
Odette said she is pleased that Tertzag will not experience as much of a learning curve adjusting to his new role, since he already knows how to work with council members and residents.
Tertzag holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a management concentration from Northwood University, where he graduated first in his class with a 4.0 grade point average. He said he has been popular with students as a substitute teacher at Allen Park High School the last three years.
Prior to that Tertzag owned a Subway restaurant, which he sold in 1995. He has 12 years’ experience in real estate, and worked with Downriver Discount, a local business that helped nonprofit organizations raise funds.
He foresees no conflict of interest in serving two cities.
“I’d have to be a man of no integrity to take things from one city to another,” Tertzag said. “I will abstain if I can’t vote fairly.”
Tertzag said a councilman is a legislator, while his job as administrator would be to manage, network and oversee.
“As a city administrator, I would encourage them to pursue grants,” he said.
Allen Park City Clerk Michael Mizzi said he checked both city charters and found no conflict with Tertzag being a councilman for one city and an administrator for another. Mizzi pointed out that Allen Park Mayor Gary Burtka was the Freedom of Information Act coordinator in the administration of Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano, and there was no question there about a conflict.
Tertzag assured fellow Allen Park council members Tuesday that the Woodhaven council meetings generally will take place on different nights, and that the two bodies’ meetings usually won’t conflict.
He said Woodhaven and Allen Park also have completely different demographics – for example, the number of homes.
“I don’t know that we’ll ever be in a competitive situation,” Tertzag said. “I just don’t see it.”