On Wednesday, June 21, 2017, we bid farewell to our Team member, Lieutenant Cas Miarka.  Lt. Miarka served the community of Auburn Hills in our police department for nearly 26 years.  Starting out as a Patrol Officer and moving up the rank to Lieutenant, Cas has supervised every function of the department at one time or another during his career.  His education and experience made him an asset to the community and he was truly dedicated to the citizens and businesses of Auburn Hills.  Although I’ve known Cas for the more than sixteen years I have been with the City, it was in the last couple of years that I got to know him better as we worked together to deliver education to our business community about Workplace Violence Prevention and Active Shooter training.  It’s a difficult subject to discuss with people, but he presented it in a way that gave our business community the skills they needed to deal with a bad situation should it arise.   Continue reading “Retirement Wishes to a Great Public Servant” →

From left to right: Officer Dillon Morgan, Officer Cynthia Wagner, Officer Kelsey Brown, City Manager Tom Tanghe

From left to right: Lt. Cas Miarka, Officer Dillon Morgan, Officer Cynthia Wagner, Officer Kelsey Brown, Lt. Jill McDonnell, City Manager Tom Tanghe

I had the honor of attending the Oakland Police Academy graduation ceremony on Friday, June 16, 2017, at the Oakland Community College Royal Oak Campus.  Auburn Hills was proud to have sponsored three candidates through the academy.  This morning, I was also on hand in our City Council Chamber as City Clerk Terri Kowal administered each Officer’s Oath of Office and to officially welcome them to the ranks of the Auburn Hills Police Department.  We are very pleased to have these three individuals join our Team and we are proud to call them Auburn Hills Police Officers.

Tom Tanghe, City Manager

Auburn Hills is remembering its founding Mayor, Robert Grusnick, who passed away last Wednesday, May 31, 2017.  Bob had deep roots in the community.  He graduated from Avondale HS in 1958 and he was elected as the  Pontiac Township Supervisor and served in that capacity from 1972 until 1983.  It was during the end of his tenure with Pontiac Township that he assisted in the incorporation of the Township into what is today known as the City of Auburn Hills.  As a result of that incorporation, he became the city’s first Mayor, a role he held from 1983 until 1994.  Our sincere condolences go out to the Grusnick family on the loss of Bob.  He will of course forever remain a part of Auburn Hills’ history.

Tom Tanghe, City Manager

The cities of Auburn Hills and Rochester Hills celebrated Friday evening, May 19, 2017, the graduation of five recruits from the combined AH/RH Fire Academy.  The event took place in Rochester Hills at the historic Rochester Hills Museum/Van Hoosen Farm.  This is an excellent example of two neighboring communities joining their time and talents to train personnel.  The key element of training together is that each of these Fire Departments relies upon the other for assistance from time to time.  By training together, each department is familiar with the protocols of the other.  Auburn Hills Fire Chief Jim Manning and Rochester Hills Fire Chief Sean Canto can be credited for leadership in this area of cooperation and efficiency.  Auburn Hills welcomes its newest recruit from this joint effort.  Alan Lee, shown in the photo, is about to be presented with his badge from Chief Manning.  Also shown in the photo are (from right to left) Chief Canto, Chief Manning, Rochester Hills City Council President Mark Tisdel, Auburn Hills City Manager Tom Tanghe, Auburn Hills Assistant Fire Chief Tony Macias, and additional members of the Rochester Hills command staff.  Congratulations to our very own Alan Lee, but also to the graduates from Rochester Hills.  They are:  Michael Littlefield, Christopher Ogg, Brendt Stanich, and Paul Terbrack.  Continue reading “Neighbors Celebrate Academy Grads” →

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week.  I am pleased to recognize the work of the men and women of the Auburn Hills Police Department for the work they do each and every day to keep our community safe.  AHPD works diligently to earn the respect and trust of the people it serves.  As one of our highest rated services in the City, the AHPD is proud to serve our citizens, businesses and visitors alike.  If you appreciate them as much as I do, perhaps you will take the opportunity this week to say “thanks” to a police officer if you see one or send a note/email to the AHPD to simply acknowledge a job well done. 

To all of our men and women in blue, THANK YOU and be safe!

Tom Tanghe, City Manager

If there is one thing I never get tired of, it’s attending the ribbon cutting ceremony of a new company that is calling Auburn Hills home.  Mayor McDaniel and I had the honor of attending the Grand Opening of C.H. Robinson’s new office on Pond Run, near the I-75 and University Drive interchange.  C.H. Robinson was founded in 1905 and is one of the world’s largest third party logistics providers with gross revenues exceeding $13 billion annually.  They have more than 13,000 employees worldwide serving a customer base through a network of offices in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.  Auburn Hills is very proud to have one of their offices here in our community. Continue reading “C.H. Robinson Celebrates It’s Grand Opening” →

Last Friday evening, May 5th, my wife and I were honored to be guests of our friends PJ and Kim Reynolds at an Oakland Christian School (OCS) event to raise funds and awareness of the great education students receive at this Auburn Hills school.  Although the school got its start in 1968, it would be October 15, 1977, when 383 students and faculty began classes in their new home in Auburn Hills.  It was truly and outstanding event and three of their alums were honored for special achievements.  An even greater treat was watching and listening to the many performances of their students.  There are a lot of talented students at that school.   Continue reading “An Evening with Oakland Christian School” →