Allen Park City Clerk Michael Mizzi (left) swears in new City Councilmember Edward Wurtzbacher during the April 8 City Council meeting.
By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
ALLEN PARK – Edward Wurtzbacher, a recent city council election runner-up, was sworn in as a new council member at the April 8 meeting, replacing Dennis Marcos, who resigned for health reasons.
Wurtzbacher, a lifelong Livonia resident, moved to Allen Park four years ago to be closer to his son and family, which includes a grandchild, who live in Trenton.
“We wanted to be close but not too close,” he said. “Realtors suggested Allen Park.”
Edward Wurtzbacher
Wurtzbacher, who has never held a political office before, was involved in his community by coaching Little League baseball and youth basketball, and helping out at school events.
He said he’s been active with non-profit organizations and commissions since he moved to Allen Park, and ran for city council as a write-in candidate.
“I ran as a write-in candidate with a three-syllable last name knowing I was not going to win, but it was about name recognition, and one of the true benefits was people in this community research, and they researched who I was,” Wurtzbacher said. “But the benefit, the real winner was, even though I only garnered 774 votes, was that the organization, Allen Park Citizens Civic Fund, our Facebook and our website spiked for two months after that, finding out about the organization, finding out who I am, so that was the true winner.”
The APCCF is an independent non-profit organization created to support a wide range of civic, educational, athletic and cultural activities within the community. The website is allenparkccf.org.
He said he hopes to help keep Allen Park on its steady forward pace.
“There’s always a few that think that things don’t happen fast enough, but we all know that things don’t happen overnight,” Wurtzbacher said. “It takes thought, consideration, patience and diligence.”
Before he retired, Wurtzbacher worked in retail management for Lowe’s, Murray’s, and Ace Hardware/jewelry/discount auto.
He said he likes to be known as someone who will be in the background.
“When it comes time for the photo shoots, I’m the guy hiding back in the last row,” Wurtzbacher said. “I like to initiate projects and follow through with projects, I’m community-minded, and I prefer that anything I do will benefit many not the select.”
Before the swearing-in during the April 8 council meeting, City Clerk Michael Mizzi explained that Wurtzbacher was the next highest vote-getter, and that the city charter states that the person who got the most votes but who did not get elected may fill a council vacancy.