By Jim Bloch
Is the city of St. Clair in good administrative hands? The answer appears to be yes – and the main reason may be City Clerk Annette Sturdy.
Sturdy is the 2026 City Clerk of the Year.
Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks presented Sturdy with the honor June 18 at its annual conference held at the Radisson Plaza Hotel & Suites in Kalamazoo. Michigan Deputy Secretary of State Aghogho Edevbie addressed the crowd of clerks and presented the award to Sturdy.
Sturdy became St. Clair’s city clerk in May 2014 following the retirement of Janice Winn, who held the post for 34 years. Sturdy had served as Winn’s deputy clerk for a year prior to becoming her successor.
“Her tenure is marked by exceptional ownership and an ‘above-and beyond’ approach to her responsibilities,” said Kyle Whitney, chairperson of the MAMC, in a June 22 press release. “Notably, she has twice stepped into the role of interim city superintendent during administrative transitions, successfully managing the city’s operations while simultaneously fulfilling her duties as clerk. During these periods, she demonstrated high-level leadership by negotiating union contracts, creating a Local Development Finance Authority, and submitting multi-million-dollar grant applications.”
St. Clair City Superintendent Steve Duchane nominated Sturdy for the award, calling her a “steadfast and welcoming presence” within the city administration.
“It’s hard to summarize the amount of passion, creativity and integrity she’s brought to this profession,” said Duchane in a statement. “So often Annette puts the needs and interests of others before herself.”
Sturdy recently facilitated the redesign of three municipal websites, including the city’s main site and a tourism-focused site. Earlier this year, she implemented a new text alert system to communicate with residents.
Whitney said that Sturdy fostered “a culture of collaboration and education” among clerks in St. Clair County. She served as president of the St. Clair County Municipal Clerk Association for seven years, 2019–2026, during which time she built the membership to include all 33 clerks in the county, including township and village clerks.
Sturdy is active in the state association and the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. In 2024, she earned a Master Municipal Clerk designation, one of only 60 clerks in Michigan with that title. She also holds the Michigan Professional Municipal Clerk certification.
Sturdy serves as the city’s liaison to the St. Clair Chamber of Commerce. She has been president of local Parent Teacher Organizations. In 2020, she spearheaded Community Cares, a program that connected local volunteers to residents in need during the pandemic. She is a driving force behind the city’s annual July 4th fireworks display and serves as the local coordinator for Wreaths Across America, which ensures that the graves of U.S. veterans are honored each Christmas. She participates in St. Clair’s Citizen Police Academy.
“Annette models a deep devotion to civic duty that has earned her an excellent reputation for integrity and problem-solving,” said Whitney.
Running local elections rank among Sturdy’s most sacrosanct duties. “Of the eight states that administer elections on the local level, Michigan is one of the largest with approximately 280 city clerks and 1,240 township clerks,” according to MAMC. “Michigan’s elections system is administered by more than 1,603 county and local election officials, making it one of the most decentralized in the nation. Additionally, there are more than 250 village clerks in Michigan, who are also represented by the MAMC.”
“Her peers and supervisors recognize her as an accomplished trainer and mentor who is always eager to share her knowledge to support the next generation of clerks,” said Whitney.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.
