City Manager Issues Statement on Planning Director Firing

In the wake of the sudden termination of Traverse City Planning Director Shawn Winter this week, for which a cause was not given publicly or to Winter, City Manager Benjamin Marentette has provided a statement to The Ticker offering more context on the firing.

The statement in its entirety reads: "I recognize that when personnel decisions are made, especially regarding individuals who hold very public roles, people desire to have information surrounding the reasoning.

The job I was hired to do as city manager is to provide leadership to the organization.  This includes making expectations clear and holding employees accountable and providing support wherever prudent. My ultimate loyalty belongs to the city, not a specific individual, even though I care deeply about all employees.

While I am not commenting on the reason for terminating Shawn Winter for legal reasons, I assure the entire city organization and community that this was not a sudden or haphazard decision. Any time an employee is terminated, it is only after great thought and consideration for what I believe is best for the city. Any private individual or member of the media may FOIA any city employee’s personnel file, including Mr. Winter’s. There is documentation evidencing ongoing concerns dating back to August 2025 and as recent as April 2026.

This is a relatively small town and two or more things can be true at once: a person can be liked by some and yet be determined not a good professional fit for the city."

Winter was let go Wednesday effective immediately three days after returning from extended family medical leave. He said he was not given any explanation for the firing, nor was he on any type of performance improvement plan. In a response to Marentette's statement, Winter said the following:

"The limited interactions I had with the city manager in a superior/subordinate context primarily revolved around claims that were not violations of established personnel policies. When asked for clarity on expectations in absence of established policies, none was provided, including telling me I’d have to 'use my judgment.' But even when using my judgment, the goalposts would shift. That is the nature of our limited interactions. When I would bring issues related to the execution of my job duties where I needed guidance, direction, or participation in the formation of a solution, I was consistently denied the level of engagement necessary to be successful in my role."

A process has not yet been announced for hiring Winter's replacement. Marentette previously said he has a meeting scheduled this week to discuss next steps for the open position.