Michael Dotson, chairman of the Van Buren Township Local Development Finance Authority, read a proclamation honoring Doug Peters who retired after 21 years of service to the LDFA.
At its regular meeting on Oct. 10, Dotson noted that Peters has been on the LDFA for the entire time it has been in existence.
Dotson said the words cannot capture everything Peters has done to help the community.
“I am honored and privileged to be able to have served on the board with you,” Dotson said. “We are going to miss you very much.”
Peters said the elected officials of Van Buren Township took a great gamble when they sued a large corporation and spent $1 million in legal fees with no guarantee.
He said the Visteon case hinged on the meaning of one word, “assist,” the vague promise Visteon made to assist Van Buren Township with the bond payments, if needed.
He said the case changed when Visteon said “assist” meant they didn’t have to do anything.
“They went too far,” he said.
He said it was tough writing checks month after month to pay the township lawyers.
“You scared people,” said Van Buren Township Supervisor Kevin McNamara, describing Peters’ activity to help settle the case. “You scared our lawyers… You were our knight in shining armor.”
Visteon settled the case for $12 million.
Peters said he and Leonard Armstrong were the last of the original LDFA members.
He said he will continue to be in the community and they could call on him. “If I can help, I will.”
Joint Van Buren Township & Local Development Finance Authority Proclamation Honoring the Service of John Douglas Peters
Whereas, John Douglas Peters, better known by his friends and colleagues as “Doug” was born in Dover, New Hampshire on January 23, 1948; and
Whereas, Doug Peters graduated from the University of New Hampshire in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Psychology with minors in English, Political Science and Art; and graduated from the University of Toledo – College of
Law in 1975 earning a Juris Doctor degree; and
Whereas, Doug Peters had an illustrious career practicing law and teaching spanning 40 years; and Doug Peters joined the legal profession given his passion for the study of the structure of institutions and the interface between law and medicine; and
Whereas, Doug Peters was the Executive Director for the federal regulatory agency for Professional Standards, an Assistant Professor at the University of Toledo School of Law, an Associate Professor of Medicine & Law at Wayne State University and an Associate and shareholder at Charfoos, Christensen & Archer; and
Whereas, Doug Peters practiced law with a concentration in obstetrical malpractice, complex litigation, class actions and multi-district litigation; and in his career he reached successful resolutions to a myriad of prominent cases
regarding group malpractice litigation, Fen Phen, several class action airline crashes; and Pubic Interest 1st Amendment cases; and
Whereas, Doug Peters has been a resident of Van Buren Township since 1976; and was an original member of the Local Development Finance Authority (LDFA) established in 2002 for the purpose of creating a taxing authority for the issuance of bonds to make public improvements for the development of the Visteon Village Corporate Headquarters, now known as Grace Lake Corporate Center; and
Whereas, Doug Peters has enjoyed serving the LDFA alongside its collegial and civic-minded members over its 21 year period; and his legal expertise was an invaluable resource to the Township and LDFA, providing guidance and counsel involving Visteon litigation throughout a 12-year legal battle; and Doug Peters was an integral part of the settlement team that negotiated a resolution to the Visteon case in the summer of 2023; and
Therefore be it resolved, On this the 10th day of October 2023, the Van Buren Township Board of Trustees and LDFA recognize the incredible public service Doug Peters has contributed as an LDFA member; and wish him and his family the best in enjoying his retirement, exploring his interests as a collector of art and a non-fiction writer of law, medicine and art.
Michael Dotson, LDFA Chairman
Kevin McNamara, Supervisor