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The 75-year-old Sandusky city manager has tendered his resignation effective May 16.

He'll be leaving the post after seven years, with a long list of achievements.

Since LaPonsie was hired in 2001 to replace Jack Messer, the city has undertaken, among other things:

*A multi-million dollar expansion of the wastewater treatment plant

*Constructed an arsenic treatment plant

*Added more than 50 acres to the industrial park and upgraded Orval and Industrial drives.

*Replaced old water pipes in the downtown area

*Reconstructed, widened, upgraded to Class A standards and installed curb and gutter on Argyle Street

*Established a new recreation park on Maple Valley Street and installed curb and gutter on Maple Valley.

*Annexed the Wal-Mart property and 24 acres across the highway from Wal-Mart

"I like the guy, I'm going to miss him a ton," said Mayor Tom Lukshaitis, who received LaPonsie's letter of resignation last Thursday. "His knowledge of municipal and state rules and regulations. I kind of do the PR, but I don't know about sewers, drains, highways and curbs and variances. I could always go to him and he'd have the answer, there and then."

The mayor said it was too early to discuss the future of the manager position.

"We've got some lead time. We'll have to discus this with the personnel committee," he said.

LaPonsie retired the first time in 1998, after serving as village manager of Cass City for 25 and a half years. He worked for the city of Sandusky for about four months in 2000, as interim manager after Roswell Timmerman resigned, and then came out of retirement full-time in 2001when he replaced Messer.

Why retire now?

"I think it's time - again," LaPonsie chuckled.

"My wife is pleased. We hope to make a few little trips," he said. LaPonsie and wife Carol have been married for 50 years, and reside in Cass City.

"I can see why, at 75, he wants to retire," said the mayor. "I don't want to work that long. I hope I'm on a boat fishing long before that."