Spencer re-elected Scottville mayor

Marcy Spencer

Spencer re-elected Scottville mayor

SCOTTVILLE — The Scottville City Commission re-appointed Marcy Spencer as mayor when it met in regular session Monday, Jan. 9, 2023. Spencer has served as mayor since 2020. Spencer has served on the commission since initially being appointed in April 2013. She is is the second generation of her family to serve as mayor. Her father, Clayton Spencer, served on the city commission from 1975 until 1992, including six years as mayor. 

She is also the fourth woman to serve as mayor. Other female mayors included Glenna Anderson (who’s father, Glenn Wallace, was also a mayor), Betty Gunningham and Mary Boyd.

The vote to elect Spencer as mayor was 4-1, with commissioners Aaron Seiter, Darcy Copenhaver, Rob Alway, and Spencer voting in favor and Commissioner Kelly Pettit voting against. Commissioner Ryan Graham was absent. Commissioner Nathan Yeomans, who was also absent, turned in his resignation last week, but was technically still a commissioner at the time of the vote, as the acceptance of his resignation took place later on the commission’s agenda. 

“It’s an honor to serve as mayor of my hometown, Scottville,” Spencer said after the meeting. “It’s been exciting to have been part of the commission the last several years and to help continue to move the city in an upward direction.” 

Seiter, who had been serving as acting mayor was appointed mayor pro-tem. Scottville’s commission selects its chairs from within. The mayor and mayor pro-tem are both voting commissioners. 

The commission accepted Yeoman’s resignation and declared a vacancy on the commission, as required by the city’s charter. 

The commission also set its 2023 goals for the city. Among those goals were: 

• Maintaining financial stability including keeping a balanced budget, preserving the fund balance, sustaining services and seeking alternative revenue sources. 
• Exploring replacement of the city’s 107-year-old city hall with a more efficient building, a move that could potentially allow a private investor to renovate the current city hall utilizing potential brownfield and Michigan Economic Development Corporation revenue sources, something the city is unable to do. 
• Increase citizen communication methods. 
• Identify and create plans for street and sidewalk repairs along with sewer and water pipe replacement. 
• Implement a plan for consistent pothole repairs. 
• Hire a police chief or create an administrative agreement with another law enforcement agency. 
• Hire a community development director. 
• Hire a rental property inspector and possibly combine that with ordinance code enforcement. 
• Build a pavilion at McPhail Field. 
• Continue to pursue charter amendments to update the city’s 70-plus-year-old charter. 
• Review the city’s current board structures and determine if there is a more efficient manner to conduct business on those boards. 
• Explore affordable housing and senior housing for the city. 

The commissioners acknowledged that some of the personnel-related goals are actually being pursued by the city manager, who is in charge of personnel. 

The commission also held a discussion about adopted a committee-as-a-whole structure for one of its bi-monthly meetings. The city charter requires the commission to hold a regular meeting at least twice a month. City Manager Jimmy Newkirk said he has been exploring the committee-as-a-whole concept and while the commission may not be able to meet without holding other business, it’s worth considering holding more discussions about committee items during regular commission business. 

Please consider helping to fund local news. Mason County Press and Oceana County Press are available for free thanks to the generous support of our advertisers and individuals. Three ways to help us: Venmo: @MasonCountyPress; Paypal: MasonCountyPress@gmail.com; Mail a check to PO BOX 21, Scottville, MI 49454. 

fb.com/stars

This story is copyrighted © 2023, all rights reserved by Media Group 31, LLC, PO Box 21, Scottville, MI 49454. No portion of this story or images may be reproduced in any way, including print or broadcast, without expressed written consent.

As the services of Media Group 31, LLC are news services, the information posted within the sites are archivable for public record and historical posterity. For this reason it is the policy and practice of this company to not delete postings. It is the editor’s discretion to update or edit a story when/if new information becomes available. This may be done by editing the posted story or posting a new “follow-up” story. Media Group 31, LLC or any of its agents have the right to make any changes to this policy. Refer to Use Policy for more information.