Although she’s been the planning-zoning coordinator for the Village of Lake Orion for less than a year, Sue Ariss isn’t a stranger to the area.
Ariss, who was hired by the village last April, lives in Oxford, and previously worked for Oxford Township for four years as an administrative assistant/recording secretary for the planning commission and zoning board of appeals.
In that job, Ariss said she also got experience working with citizens and developers on applications and permits, and served as a back-up for the building department.
That experience serves her well in her current position, as she is the sole employee in the village’s zoning department, processing building permits and working with the planning commission, under the supervision of village manager JoAnn Van Tassel.
‘I used to work for the city manager of Troy,? said Ariss. ‘I left due to a change in management, but I also really didn’t want to drive anymore. I wanted something closer to home.?
Ariss and her husband Tom own a large piece of property in Oxford. They have a daughter, Jennifer, who recently earned her PhD and lives in Washington state.
Although she was born in Columbus, Ohio, Ariss considers Manchester, Michigan her hometown.
‘We moved there when I was five,? she said.
Ariss likes working in municipal government, and she has completed the Michigan State University Extension Citizen Planner Program, conducted at Oakland University.
She called her colleagues at the village ‘wonderful,? and said she enjoys working in an environment where people really care about their jobs.
Ariss said the village is working to assist development while still maintaining character.
‘We try to help people to the greatest extent possible,? she said. ‘The village is pretty much built out, so we’re looking at redevelopment. In Oxford, they were dealing with a lot of new growth.?
When she’s not busy at the village, Ariss enjoys gardening in her free time.
‘We’re also pet people,? she said. ‘Right now we have cats, but we’ve had dogs and horses in the past.?