Former Van Buren Township Supervisor David Jacokes died April 30 in Arizona at the age of 75 after a battle with brain cancer-glioblastoma. Jacokes was township supervisor for two terms, serving from 1988 to 1996.
He is known for his negotiations of the first host-community agreement with Waste Management, which provided a revenue stream for the township that continues to this day. He was instrumental in renovating and expanding the township hall on Tyler Road by organizing the Downtown Development Authority in 1989 to pay for it.
“Mr. Jacokes hired me as his confidential secretary 31 years ago,” said VBT Assessment Coordinator Linda Stevenson. “I look back now and am so thankful I got to work with him. He made coming to work interesting and always made people smile. He gave me an opportunity and because of that, I have had a wonderful career with Van Buren Township. He truly enjoyed having a connection with the residents of the township.”
Jacokes also expanded the Public Safety Department, and created a Neighborhood Watch Program. He negotiated the Tri-Community Museum Agreement, which allowed the Belleville Area Museum to open, and he started the Senior Center Christmas Party and gave all the women flowers.
“David was a very kind and compassionate person,” said DDA Executive Director Susan Ireland. “His sense of humor was great. Even during stressful times, you could count on him to share joy and laughter. You could always count on him to joke and bring a smile to everyone. He walked in every parade and attended just about every activity. He was truly on duty 24/7. He cared enormously for the residents of Van Buren and was an honest and hard-working person. His directors were very loyal and worked just as hard as he did.”
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Weather
My favorite memory of Mr. Jacokes happened during the first year of him being elected. He had concerns about our township hall resident cat named TC (township cat). This particular cat had been living at township hall a few years, he was a stray brought in by the township clerk, the employees fed him during the week and I took him home on weekends. TC would sometimes attend night meetings by walking across the table and rest himself on the pile of papers. Rosemary reported his presence in some of her newspaper articles. During the work day he usually could be found in the Treasurer’s office resting atop the big tax rolls on the counter. The VBT maintenance employee built TC a little house that was located near the front entrance of township hall, now referred to as the old building. I still have a picture of this little house which we called the cat house.
One day Mr. Jacokes had a discussion with the Treasurer about what could be done about TC. The treasurer then held an informal meeting with the employees that were responsible for cleaning the litter box and feeding TC and we all decided that TC should remain our little mascot. It was the general feeling of all the employees that TC was here first and therefore should be allowed to stay. It was then up to the treasurer to inform Mr. Jacokes. I will never forget the look of total defeat on his face when the treasurer firmly said to him “The cat stays”. Here was this hard working supervisor, strongly devoted to the residents and township and he’s surrounded by 4 women advocating for this one little cat; he was out-numbered so I witnessed this tiny moment of weakness in him and he caved and the cat stayed.
With regards to the story of TC; the treasurer always kept an extra pair of nylons in her desk drawer because TC would pounce out of the thick hedges at the employee side entrance and she was never able to react in time to save her nylons.
Every Friday at the time clock at 5:00 I’d yell “here kitty, kitty.” TC would come running and I’d scoop him up and take him home for the weekend. When I’d bring him back on Monday morning he’d position himself in the bushes waiting for his next victim.
The sad ending to the TC story is that someone took him from township hall a few years later. If he was outdoors someone might have thought he was a stray, we printed flyers and Rosemary put a notice in her paper but to no avail. We never did find out what happened to TC so the employees decided to just hope that someone gave him a good home.
During his administration, Supervisor Jacokes made some excellent appointments to the environmental commission: Marilyn Montgomery, George Deverich, etc… this commission was dedicated and devoted and they worked tirelessly to assist with the Host Community Agreement. During those time I was recording secretary to the environmental commission.