Press Release
Contact:
Matt Bach
Director of Communications
Michigan Municipal League
(734) 669-6317; C: (810) 874-1073
[email protected]; www.mml.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 13, 2019
Fenton City Manager to Lead Statewide Association
Lynn Markland Named President of Michigan Municipal Executives
BATTLE CREEK, Michigan – Fenton City Manager Lynn Markland is the new president of the statewide association representing Michigan’s municipal managers.
Markland was selected as the 2019 president of the Michigan Municipal Executives (MME) during the organization’s annual Winter Institute in Battle Creek Feb. 5-8. Markland succeeds Patrick Sullivan, Northville city manager, who now serves as immediate past president. Markland served the past year as the organization’s president-elect.
“It is both humbling and challenging to be selected to a position of leadership in MME,” Markland said. “MME is a great organization that helps develop and support executives in local government. The organization is also an advocate for professional and ethical leadership in Michigan communities.”
Lynn has 32 years of experience in local government. Before accepting the appointment as city manager of Fenton in July 2008, Markland served as city manager of Durand for 15 years and before that was city manager in Sandusky, Michigan.
Lynn has served the Michigan Municipal League in many capacities including as a committee chair. He has also served as a member of the Board of Trustees for the Michigan Municipal League, is a former board member of the Michigan Municipal Executives and is a member of ICMA (International City/County Management Association).
His civic involvement includes having served as a board member of the Lions Club, Optimist Club (past president), and Rotary Club in various communities. He has also served on the boards of Chambers of Commerce and is a past president of the Durand Area Chamber of Commerce.
A graduate of Central Michigan University, Lynn has a passion for local government and creating vibrant and active downtowns. In the communities he has served, Lynn has led collaborative efforts to seek solutions for local issues.
During his one-year term, Markland will ask the MME to focus on continuing education for the membership, expanding the diversity of the profession for a new generation of municipal executives, and collaborating with other public professional groups that seek to make better communities for a better Michigan.
“Our profession needs to be more diverse so that we better reflect the population,” Markland said. “We need to continue to provide training and educational opportunities for the next generation of municipal executives.”
In addition to selecting Markland as president, the organization elected the following to serve new roles and terms on the board: president-elect Ludington City Manager John Shay, vice president Battle Creek City Manager Rebecca Fleury, and trustees Dana Muscott, Bay City city manager; Christian Wuerth, Milford village manager; Juan Ganum, Bridgman city manager; and Cameron VanWyngarden, Plainfield Charter Township manager. The organization also thanked outgoing board members for their service—Martin Colburn, Traverse City city manager; Robert Straebel, Petoskey city manager; and Russell Taylor, Thomas Township manager.
MME is a nonprofit, professional organization representing the managers of Michigan’s cities, counties, townships and villages. Its purpose is to foster and encourage the personal and professional development of its members so that they can better serve their communities and to promote, encourage and preserve high ethical standards for municipal administrators.
For additional information, contact Matt Bach, communications director for the Michigan Municipal League, at [email protected] and (810) 874-1073.
The purpose of Michigan Municipal Executives is to foster and encourage the personal and professional development of its members in order that they may better server their communities and to promote, encourage, and preserve high ethical standards for municipal administrators.