Christian Wuerth
As I write this column, it is about a month after the Summer Workshop in Marquette, and the conference, the outstanding sessions, and the incredible setting in one of the state’s great cities are all still on my mind. I would like to once again thank everyone involved with the event: the Professional Development Committee, the City of Marquette, our presenters, our sponsors, and our staff support with the Michigan Municipal League and the Nonprofit Spot. All of you, please take another bow for a job well done. Thank you for your efforts! For those who are interested, the presentations from the conference are now live on the MME website. Having heard from some of the committee chairs, there are some great sessions already in the works for our Winter Institute in Bay City in late January.
September is shaping up to be another busy month for conferences, with the League, MAC, and ICMA all holding annual events. I will be on Mackinac Island for the MML Convention and in Pittsburgh for the ICMA Conference, and I am looking forward to seeing many of you at one or both events. To those headed to the MAC Conference, I hope you have a great time and hopefully a few chances to connect with one another.
Looking ahead at MME business, our nominations process formally begins on September 15 and runs through October 15. Our Nominations Committee, led by Past President Michael Cain, will begin their process of evaluating nominations and developing a list of candidates, with the goal of having two candidates for each available opening listed on the ballot in December. If you have served on one or more committees over the years and are looking for a way to support the profession and our members, I would encourage you to reach out to one of the committee members listed below.
2024 MME Nominating Committee
Chair: Michael Cain, Boyne City, Immediate Past President
Pres-Elect: Bridgette Gransden, Midland County
Region 1: Rachel Smolinski, Alpena
Region 1: Brian Chapman, Sault Ste. Marie
Region 2: Keith Van Beek, Holland
Region 2: Shea Charles, East Grand Rapids
Region 3: Jeremy Howard, Clare
Region 3: Dana Muscott, Bay City
Region 4: Debra Kubitskey, Jackson County
Region 4: Rebecca Fleury, Battle Creek
Region 5: Joseph Gacioch, Ferndale
Region 5: Mariah Walton, Eastpointe
Another communication to watch for in the coming weeks is the call for nominations for MME’s annual awards program. This is an opportunity to recognize our peers for the great work they have done to improve their community or the profession. With nine different awards available, there is bound to be a name or two that come to your mind, and I would encourage you all to consider submitting a nomination or two. In addition to allowing us to recognize our peers, these awards serve as a great opportunity to highlight the work done by those within the profession across the state.
Christian Wuerth
President, Michigan Municipal Executives
Village Manager, Milford
Christian Wuerth currently serves as President of MME. He began his career in local government as an intern with the City of Birmingham in 2004 before moving to the Village of Milford, where he has served as Village Manager since 2014. Prior to his career in local government, Christian worked in the nonprofit sector and spent two years serving in AmeriCorps NCCC, a national service program. He has previously served on several MME committees, including serving as the Chair of the Professional Development Committee, and previously served on the Board of Directors for MME.