Rick Adlen speaks before the Clinton Township Board of Trustees in support of his application to the township’s Planning Commission on Aug. 11.
By: Dean Vaglia | Fraser-Clinton Chronicle | Published August 22, 2025
CLINTON TOWNSHIP — The Clinton Township Board of Trustees made five commission and committee appointments at its meeting on Aug. 11.
Trustees approved William Rucker and Rick Adlen to fill two open spots on the Planning Commission. Rucker comes to the board with experience in utilities and as a Little League umpire.
“Even though I am not a state licensed engineer, I have worked my butt off to get the position I am in today,” Rucker said. “I have held various jobs in infrastructure-based (roles) that have allowed me to work on a professional level with engineers. I believe that this expertise gives me a good handle on how utilities and planning should come along in township projects.”
He added, “I think my skills would, for this committee, bring real-world input to (projects) to cut costs, avoid delays and just to make sure our decision making as a whole is community based.”
Alden comes to the board as a resident since the 1960s with experience in the Clinton Township Police Department and the township’s Planning Department.
“I find myself with a lot of time on my hands now and I would like to join the Planning Commission,” Alden said. “I think I have a well-rounded understanding of things and would like to keep this community — which is one of the best in the state — moving forward.”
LaVette York, Melissa Rintz and Cye Bittner were approved unanimously to fill three of the eight vacant spots on the Prince Drewry Park Advisory Committee. Bittner was the only applicant who chose to speak at the meeting.
“I’ve lived in the community for 20 years, right pretty much behind Prince Drewry Park, and I thought it would be something I could do to help maintain or improve the neighborhood and the community,” Bittner said. “The park itself, my kids play there all the time. I just thought it would be something I could offer to do.”
The Planning Commission terms are for three years and expire on Nov. 30, 2027. The Prince Drewry Park Committee terms are for two years and expire on June 30, 2027.
Ordinance votes
Trustees also voted on two ordinances, the first of which was the approval of an ordinance to waive fees when the township is its own contractor on township projects. It was previously brought before the board with support from the Building Department.
The second vote was for the annual codification of ordinances and resolutions. Given unanimous support on its first vote and set for second vote at the board’s next meeting, the ordinance codifies two resolutions and nine ordinances passed between July 8, 2024, and May 5, 2025.
Budget ways and means broadcasts
Trustees voted 4-3 along party lines to move the Budget Ways and Means Committee’s meetings to the board chambers, located in the Robert J. Cannon Civic Center, in order to make the meetings easier to broadcast. Meetings for the advisory committee are held at 9:30 a.m. on the first (and third, as needed) Tuesday of a given month. Members include Township Supervisor Paul Gieleghem, Clerk Kim Meltzer, Treasurer Mike Aiello and Trustee Julie Matuzak.