Mayoral resignation ends government, community service for Wishart

GAYLORD — Gaylord Mayor Bill Wishart submitted his resignation to city council as declining health prevents him from being able to move around easily.

Wishart was first elected to the council in 2011 and began serving as mayor in 2020.

His wife, Dona, read her husband's resignation letter to council Monday night. Wishart thanked council members, city staff and residents for their cooperation and contributions.

"I encourage council members to continue to be fully engaged with our citizens and businesses and to truly love this great place we call home," he wrote. "I personally also caution you to stand firm against those with ill intent who could potentially harm our can-do community spirit.

"May your future be one of success through the joy you find in the work you do," he told city residents. "And may our community continue to be a great place for all generations to call home (and) a community for a lifetime."

City manager Kim Awrey noted that Wishart enjoyed representing the city at community functions and wondered if he should resign when his health problems first appeared in September.

"He truly enjoyed being the face of Gaylord and took that responsibility very seriously," Awrey said.

Former city manager Joe Duff said Wishart was "a wonderful man who was very supportive of our city and a great mayor."

"For as long as I’ve known Bill he has been known as Swish, the sound a basketball makes going through a hoop. I’ve seen the mayor run up and down the Jim Mongeau Gym floor refereeing games more times than I can count," said Paul Gunderson, executive director of the Gaylord Area Chamber of Commerce.

Jim Grisso, publisher of the Gaylord Herald Times (1968-2008), said Wishart was a true community leader and public servant who had the ability to communicate with everyone.

“I met Bill right after I moved to Gaylord when he was a manager at Glen’s Market,” Grisso said. “He’s always had strong communication skills and a positive attitude. He truly loves Gaylord (and) I am sorry to learn he is resigning as mayor.”

Wishart's resignation deprives the city of his many years of experience that gave him a unique insight into the community. He is also among the few left with a direct connection to the 1960s — considered a golden era in which Gaylord transitioned from a quiet vacation town into a bustling commercial and social hub in Northern Michigan following World War II.

Among the leaders Wishart knew and served with from that time were Harold Elgas, president of the Gaylord State Bank, who was a primary force in the development of Gaylord into a tourist destination and economic/industrial/business pace setter. Gordon Everett, a Gaylord businessman who created the Alpine design concept after borrowing the idea from Frankenmuth, and Jim Mongeau, Gaylord High School teacher and coach.

Elgas and Mongeau were instrumental in organizing and getting Alpenfest off the ground. Wishart served on the Alpenfest Board of Directors in the early days, according to Grisso.

Awrey said the city will advertise for those interested in replacing Wishart as mayor. Any city resident is eligible for the position. Council must fill the vacancy within 60 days of Nov. 8 when it accepted Wishart's resignation.

Awrey said council will interview those interested in succeeding Wishart at its December meeting and then vote on a replacement.

"We have a unique situation because Bill did get elected as mayor starting in January," said Awrey.

Council will appoint a mayor to serve in December and at its first meeting in January, will accept Wishart's resignation again and then reappoint his successor, she added.

In other matters, council approved a site plan and special use permit for two retail marijuana outlets — Great Lakes Exotics on the site of the old Clark gas station at 820 W. Main St. and Moses Roses at 1388 W. Main St.

Council also approved a license application for a company that will transport marijuana called Michigan Secure Trucking operated by James Davis. He plans to house his vehicles in a building at 400 W. Mitchell St.

Council also approved a marijuana license application for CPFC Enterprises at 1377 W. Main St.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Mayoral resignation ends government, community service for Wishart