The Breitung Township Board on Monday last week officially changed the name to the Guy D. Forstrom Building.

“I always am looking at the back of the building and to see my name on there puts a grin on my face,” Forstrom said afterwards. “It will not get old.”

Forstrom first began working for Breitung Township in 1978 as part of a crew of four with the Comprehensive Employment Training Act. He was made crew chief after a short time and hired by the township full-time within a year.

Forstrom became public works foreman only a few years later when Les LaPointe retired.

BREITUNG TOWNSHIP'S Department of Public Works building honors Guy D. Forstrom, who pushed the township to make infrastructure improvements during his 43 years as a foreman. (Jim Paul/Daily News photo)

He would spend the next 43 years pushing the township to make what he saw as a number of needed infrastructure improvements.

Forstrom said of all the things he accomplished in his time at Breitung Township, getting the new public works building in 2001 is at the top of his list.

Before the building was constructed, the public works department worked out of a small shop in what is now the board room in the township’s office building. Forstrom visited other area public works buildings, taking note of what did and did not work and sketching out a floor plan. Forstrom said that he had convince some on the board at the time that such a large building was necessary.

“Being involved with that and actually laying it out the way I thought would work best for us and give us the most space,” Forstrom said. “That’s what I am most proud of.”

Other accomplishments he cites include designing and installing water mains in East Kingsford, installing corner posts in the cemetery for easy and accurate layout of graves and convincing the board to turn the old public works space into the township board room, even building the board room tables.

Public Works is responsible for maintaining the East Kingsford and Quinnesec water systems, the East Kingsford and Quinnesec recreation areas, all buildings and grounds of Breitung Township’s facilities, the three fire stations and the Breitung Township Cemetery, according to the township’s website. The department also handles compost collection May through November.

Forstrom had some fun projects he enjoyed immensely as well, such as restoring the fire department’s Model A fire truck, designing housing after acquiring the St. Mary’s church bell and building the township’s gazebo. There is also the flag on the public works building that so many see lit up every night.

He said getting to work with his hands, outdoors and in a variety of jobs was hard to beat, although he admits he won’t miss some of the heavy work in the cold.

“When you are out there and it is below zero and you are trying to fix a broken water main or digging a grave,” Forstrom said. “We dug graves all winter and in the early days we dug them all by hand.”

Forstrom does miss those who were part of the job.

“The people that I worked with were all good people, I worked under 10 superintendents and they were all good. Also, the staff in the office, we were a pretty close-knit group,” he said.

Breitung Township Supervisor Denny Olson said it is special when they can honor not just a 40-plus years employee but a partner and team player for the township.

“Guy Forstrom has touched the life of everyone that has ever been around the township since 1978,” Olson said.

Forstrom still lives in Quinnesec and says he is as busy as ever in retirement. He is active with the Menominee Range Historical Foundation, helped the foundation move into its new museum and takes an interest in the preservation of history.

The township did not let him step too far away, either — Forstrom has served on the water and sewer board since 2023.