By Frances McMullan
The MME’s Professional Development Committee met twice in recent weeks and discussed topics of interest for our 2023 Winter Conference happening Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 2023, in Grand Rapids.
The focus for the 2023 Winter Institute will be on Essential Building Blocks for the Future. The committee identified several potential sessions for the conference, including diverse topics such as hiring police chiefs, land banks, brownfield redevelopment authorities, collective bargaining, and bringing back the senior advisory panel, among other ideas.
Please note that there is a need for sponsors for the conference. Please reach out to me or a member of the professional development committee if there is a vendor in your community interested in sponsoring the conference. We look forward to seeing you at the end of January for an amazing conference.
Here are the professional development committee members:
- Matthew Butts, Grandville, Board Rep
- Darin Dood, Lakeview
- Precia Garland, Ionia
- Michael Norman, Branch County
- Amanda Opalewski, Sterling Heights
- Neil Rankin, Montrose
- Bill Roche, Northland Securities, Inc.
- Warren Rothe, St. Clair
- Thomas Wieczorek, Retired – CPSM
Thank you! – Frances
Frances McMullan
Chair, Professional Development Committee
City Manager, Ypsilanti
Frances McMullan has over 25 years of experience in municipal government, serving in multiple capacities at the cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti; including 12 years as city clerk. She is the first African-American female city manager for the City of Ypsilanti. McMullan has served as chaplain for the Michigan Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials (MBC-LEO) and is a board member of Destination Ann Arbor, a not-for-profit convention and visitors organization whose mission is to enhance the economy of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas, and Washtenaw County. She is passionate about rebuilding and stabilizing cities through long-term financial planning, infrastructure, sustainability, and community and staff collaboration. McMullan has a master’s degree in business management, a bachelor’s degree in public law & government/public administration, and she is a proud graduate of the first class of the Michigan Municipal League’s 16/50 Women’s Leadership Program. She loves mentoring and empowering others.