'We’re going to keep moving forward': Marine City tying up loose ends on staffing

The turnover in staffing at Marine City’s local government offices may soon be at an end.

At their meeting on Thursday, the City Commission signed off on an at-will employment agreement for a new city treasurer and finance director, marking the fourth hire and fifth person in the role in two years.

City Manager Scott Adkins wrote in a memo to commissioners that they had several applications and resumes from other recently advertised positions that could be potential candidates, interviewing Katy Posey late last week.

Adkins said Posey’s interest in the Marine City job was “wonderful timing for us” following the sudden departure of former treasurer, Nichole Lasecki, who was hired nine months prior.

“I’m confident she has a lot of municipal experience,” Adkins later said. “She’s experienced in the school district here. She knows the community, (has) local family members, and worked a number of years in the city of Port Huron. We’re going to keep moving forward.”

Posey was formerly Port Huron’s community development program administrator and fiscal services manager for East China Schools.

On Thursday, commissioners briefly welcomed her to the team.

“You’ve got a hard road ahead for the mess you walked into,” Mayor Pro Tem Lisa Hendrick said, broadly referencing a difficult budget period, financial audit snafus that preceded commissioners' firing of a former city manager in January, and months of turnover to the treasurer position last year. “But I appreciate you stepping up and wanting to come here and help us out. ... We’ll do whatever we can to support you.”

Posey’s contract includes an annual salary of $68,000.

Adkins said Lasecki didn’t indicate a reason for leaving in a single-line email sent on May 18. Her resignation formally takes effect on June 16.

Despite hiring a replacement just last month, commissioners also OK’d a second at-will employment agreement on Thursday with Mike Itrich, who was the city’s long-time public works superintendent until this spring.

In another memo, Adkins cited several projects that require extra support as a big reason for the move.

“Additionally, although the new director has many years of experience in public works and several credentials and certifications,” he said of Jeff Schmidt, “he will need to obtain an S-2 Drinking Water Certification from the state of Michigan. This process requires testing that only occurs two times annually. We have given him until July 1, 2024.”

In the interim, Adkins said Itrich agreed to an hourly rate of $50 to work part-time with a monthly flat rate fee of $400 for state report and certification duties.

The contract with Schmidt, who held a number of positions with the city of Roseville, was OK’d by Marine City officials at a meeting on May 18 with a salary of $77,000.

Former city clerk Shannon Adams also resigned suddenly earlier year, and Jason Bell has served as interim clerk since.

At the time, officials had searching for a new city manager. Then a retired administrator looking to consult, Adkins later expressed interest in the role full-time to help guide the city forward. He was hired in April.

After Thursday’s meeting, Adkins said he expected a new clerk hire to be on tap for commissioners on June 15.

“Right now, we’re waiting. I have kind of a conditional verbal offer out. Just waiting on confirmation for a few items to come in,” he said. “…Then, the team is full. And we’re going to try to keep it that way.”

Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: 'We’re going to keep moving forward': Marine City tying up loose ends on staffing