The Ypsilanti Courier
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
City manager celebrates 10 years
Koryzno has faced many challenges over his tenure
By Dan DuChene, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: July 27, 2006
This month marks the tenth year Ed Koryzno has been Ypsilanti's city manager, the national average for a city manager is four-to-six years.
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"I'm on my second lifetime," said Koryzno, "in city manager years."
Koryzno, 54, was hired on July 5, 1996. Current city council members Mayor Cheryl Farmer and Mayor Pro-Tem Trudy Swanson, D-1st Ward, were serving on city council when Koryzno was hired.
Farmer said Koryzno was hired during a transitional city council. There were 10 members on council, shrinking from the original 11. There are now seven seats on city council. She said Koryzno helped the council work together as a team.
"One of the things that pulled him to the top was when he asked if we'd done any visioning together," Farmer said. "We had not done that."
Farmer said Koryzno would only be willing to take the job if the city council agreed to work on visioning.
"He really understood the importance of that vision," Farmer said.
"Ed pushed me," Farmer said, "on establishing the Blue-Ribbon Committee."
Even though it took her a while to set the committee up, Farmer said she was happy it happened.
"It really did have an impact," Farmer said, "That enabled us to pass the bond to pave the roads."
Swanson said Koryzno's foresight has helped the city curtail financial ruin.
"He saw that long range," Swanson said. "He told us there was going to be a money crisis back then.
"He had a plan. We took his advice, and we're doing pretty darn good now."
Another aspect Farmer and Swanson respect is Koryzno's attachment and involvement in the community.
"Ypsilanti has a family community," Swanson said. "Luckily his wife would like it and make him stay."
Koryzno said his family is definitely one of the reasons he has stayed with Ypsilanti for so long.
"Certainly the decision to stay is many-faceted," Koryzno said. "It's a great place to live."
Farmer said Koryzno has participated in every Pride Day, has helped neighborhoods with their garage sales and has even been involved with the Ypsilanti High School wrestling team.
"Ed was committed to this community as soon as he started," Farmer said.
"We're doubly blessed, his wife's a great teacher," Farmer said. "It's a great family that really embraced the community."
Bob Bruner, the assistant to the city manager, said, "Ed is a great city manager, a real outstanding guy."
Working in the same field as Koryzno, Bruner has some insight about the amount of time Koryzno has been working for Ypsilanti.
Bruner said, "The profession is known to have a high turn-over rate. People have the tendency to move up to bigger and better things.
"Surviving 10 years in a city like Ypsilanti is a real testament to his skills and abilities," Bruner said.
Koryzno agrees that working for Ypsilanti has not been easy. But, he said that's part of the reason he's been here so long.
"There are challenges," Koryzno said. "Professionally and personally, it's been very rewarding."
Farmer said Koryzno has "been a real Boone."
"It's been a good decade. We've accomplished so much with his help," Farmer said.
Swanson said there was another reason she liked Koryzno more than the other candidates 10 years ago.
"He could pronounce Ypsilanti correctly," Swanson said.
Please stay 10 more Ed," Swanson said. "And then it will be time for him to retire."
When asked how long he plans to stay in Ypsilanti, Koryzno said, "One never knows, as long as the city will have me."
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