Troy Charter Commission from left to right: (front row) Fred Hildebrandt, Norman Barnard, Frank Costello, and Clifton Truesdell; (back row) Roy Duncan, George Ford, Ernest Gray, Elmer Lowe, and Wesley Smith.
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Nine men were elected on June 7, 1955 to serve on the Charter Commission. Township Supervisor Norman Barnard received the most votes and was selected as Chairman of the Commission. Five other Township Board members were elected, along with Frank Costello, President of the School Board, and Ernest Gray, Chairman of the Citizens for Incorporation Committee. Roy Duncan, a lone Democrat, was the ninth member. He stressed the non-partisan emphasis of the Commission.
Norman Barnard contacted Vickers, Inc. following the election and suggested the two parties negotiate a settlement and that the company remain a part of Troy. On July 5, 1955, Vickers, Inc. discontinued its suit in Oakland County Circuit Court.
The Charter Commission met during the summer to draft the charter that provided for a seven-member commission elected for three-year terms on a non-partisan basis. The commission appointed a mayor and necessary administrative officials. A Justice of the Peace and associate justice were elected to office. The Charter Commission scheduled a public hearing on August 15, 1955. Chairman Barnard stated to the press, “It is the purpose of the Charter Commission to have every citizen who must live and be governed under this charter to have an opportunity to approve or disapprove the matters contained therein.”
To commemorate the City of Troy’s 60th Anniversary in 2015, we will publish a different story each day that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 and that helped shape our lives and our community. We will try to post stories on important anniversary dates, but we also realize that dates are less critical than content and context. We will include the facts related to controversial stories, allowing our readers to form their own opinions. We invite you to read and comment on the stories. Your suggestions for topics are also welcome and can be posted on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TroyHistoricVillage. You can also email stories or ideas to the 365 Story Editor at ed@thvmail.org.
