By Barb Pert Templeton
At a special June 25 meeting of the Marine City Commission, with an agenda that had just two items, officials approved a motion to re-establish a City Manager Search Committee.
The search is necessary due to Marine City Manager Michael Reaves resignation in May which became effective on June 4.
At that time, former City Manager Scott Adkins, who was serving as a part-time project administrator was then appointed the interim city manager under a 90-day contract.
Adkins just announced he will be leaving the position on July 31 so it prompted the city commission to restart the special search committee.
Although the recent June 25 meeting wasn’t recorded for viewing, City Clerk Jason Bell shared the minutes he will be filling as a record of the event.
He wrote:
Marine City Clerk Jason Bell.
Interim City Manager Scott Adkins spoke on the vacant city manager position and requested the reestablishment of the City Manager Search Committee to assist the process.
Mayor (Jennifer) Vandenbossche indicated she would like to be on the committee and stated she was contacted by Commissioners (Jacob) Bryson and (Trish) May with their interest in being on it.
Commissioner (Sean) O’Brien indicated as much as he would like to be on the committee, he agreed with Mayor Vandenbossche with those who wanted to be on the committee.
Motion by Commissioner O’Brien, seconded by Commissioner (Rita) Roehrig, to establish a city manager search committee comprised of Mayor Vandenbossche and Commissioners Bryson and May. All Ayes. Motion Carried. (Commissioner May was the only one absent from the recent meeting.)
Blue Water Healthy Living caught up with Marine City Clerk Jason Bell via email to ask how the new city manager search is going.
Marine City Mayor Jennifer Vandenbossche and Commissioner Trish May, pictured here at a recent commission meeting, will serve on the City Manager Search Committee along with Commissioner Jacob Bryson.
Blue Water Healthy Living: When was a city manager search committee put together for Marine City?
City Clerk Jason Bell: At the June 25th Special Commission meeting (not televised).
BWHL: What’s the makeup of the current committee – administrators, commissioners, residents?
Bell: Mayor Vandenbossche, Commissioners Jacob Bryson and Trish May/
BWHL: How will this committee conduct the search for a new city manager?
Bell: Same as previous years: review resumes, pare down to candidates to potentially interview or hire and make that recommendation to the commission.
BWHL: Are there things in place already – online at employment sites or with head hunters to find candidates?
Bell: We have posted the position on the Michigan Municipal League (MML) Classifieds and our website.
BWHL: What’s the time frame for the search, conducting interviews and hiring a new city manager?
Bell: That is still to be determined, but our city charter does say the vacancy can only be for 90 days. That does not include an interim who can be in that place.
The search committee will hold their second meeting on Wednesday, July 15, at 7:15 p.m.
