End of an Era Today and This Week… Warren Public Service Director Richard Sabaugh Retires!
End of an era today and this week…
Public Service Director Richard Sabaugh retires this week after over a half century of public service. In my opinion Richard is by far the most outstanding Public Service Director in recent history and maybe since Warren became a city. He was also a Macomb County Commissioner for many years. He served as Public Works Deputy Commissioner for several years. He was an excellent English and Journalism teacher in the Detroit Public Schools.
He also worked for Channel 2 as an adviser/writer on public affairs. His writing and journalism skills allowed him to be very successful in producing campaign literature for various candidates at the local, county, and state levels. He has been very successful at not only getting himself elected but also getting candidates in various positions elected. In 2008 he took a few weeks off work to travel to Ohio and work for the Obama campaign. Dick supported Democrats, Independents, and Republicans. He had some key wins and some losses. He got his former wife elected to the Warren City Council, Warren City Clerk and then Macomb County Clerk. In 1969 he ran for Mayor after being elected to the city council and lost in a very close election to incumbent Mayor Ted Bates. He also got his older brother Fred elected to the Warren City Council and got his younger brother elected to the Macomb County Board of Commissioners. His son Matt also serves as Warren District Court Judge. Matt was appointed judge by Governor Granholm. He also helped Paul Wojno get elected to the State Legislature.
As Warren Public Service Director he was instrumental in saving the taxpayers over $10 million dollars in overtime. He helped reorganize various departments in Public Service (with the help of Gus Ghanam) including water, building, property maintenance, and engineering. He also has helped author the monthly water bills and the Newsbeat Magazine.
He has helped put together the Budget and State of the City presentation.
He is above all else good at crisis management when various crisis come before the city including the “Great Flood” of 2014.
He is cool, calm, and collected under fire. He has helped weather the storms for over 12 years.
Above all else he is good with people! I met him roughly over 40 years ago when I ran for State Representative. He was impressed with my showing even though I didn’t win and convinced me to run for city council. I had lost two close elections in a row for State Representative and finally had success with being elected to the city council with a 6th place showing out of 9 places.
I was very humbled about my election and I devoted the next 26 years to being the neighborhood councilman and doing my homework and appreciation for getting elected after several losses in a row.
His motto was always follow what is best for the people and I never forgot that! That includes being honest, hardworking and respectful!
The rest is history! Thank you Richard Sabaugh for being a great and honest public servant. Serving the citizens of Warren was always his main objective and concern.
Office 586-574-4520, Mobile 586-481-0545, Home 586-573-8058.
Mayor James R. Fouts
City of Warren
One City Square- Suite 215
Warren, MI 48093-6726
586-574-4520
mayor@cityofwarren.org
www.cityofwarren.org
