Commissioners Vote to Make Marentette Permanent City Manager

Traverse City commissioners voted unanimously Monday to appoint Interim City Manager Benjamin Marentette – who’s held the city’s top staff position on a temporary basis since July – permanently to the role. The move comes after two positive performance reviews for Marentette while serving as interim and is expected to save the city a lengthy and costly external search process.

Mayor Amy Shamroe asked commissioners Monday to consider either making Marentette the long-term city manager or determine next steps for filling the role. Marentette’s interim appointment was scheduled to expire in January, requiring a decision from commissioners soon on how to proceed. While serving as interim, Marentette’s “performance has provided the city commission with a clear and direct assessment of his capabilities and qualifications, thus eliminating the uncertainties typically associated with hiring an external applicant,” Shamroe wrote in a memo to commissioners.

Shamroe cited several reasons she believed the city should appoint Marentette rather than go through an external search process, which typically takes several months to complete and can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Shamroe pointed to continuity of operations – Marentette has “detailed knowledge of ongoing projects, operational priorities, and organizational practices,” she said – as well as the city’s commitment to “internal career development” and promoting from within when possible.

“Selecting an external candidate despite a proven internal option could create morale and retention challenges,” Shamroe wrote.

Marentette has also proven himself in the role, the mayor said. “His successful execution of duties provides objective, real-time evidence of his readiness and suitability for permanent appointment,” she wrote. “This decision incorporates feedback provided by former and current city commissioners, in addition to input received from staff.”

Performance reviews of Marentette demonstrate that feedback. In the most recent November review – which encompassed commissioners and over a dozen department heads and other staff – Marentette received near-unanimous high marks for communications, organizational culture, accountability, and community trust. “Commissioners and staff alike reported feeling more seen, heard, valued and hopeful,” the review summary states. “Most noted a dramatic shift toward the positive…specific comments from staff included feeling more respected and invigorated in their work. Several were considering leaving their jobs to find other work earlier in the year but are glad to have stayed.”

The review reports the atmosphere of city government “feeling lighter, more relaxed, and less guarded,” with commissioners expressing appreciation for “Benjamin’s fairness, directness, and ability to resolve issues.” Staff, meanwhile, “specifically called out Benjamin’s integrity and professionalism. There is an overwhelming desire for Benjamin to be named as the permanent city manager as soon as possible. He is described as communicative, inspiring, innovative, and transparent.”

The report suggested areas of improvement as well. Staff felt Marentette has “too many direct reports, which is not sustainable.” Staff suggested Marentette focus on “right-sizing” his availability and delegating more tasks to others, finding proper “time and balance” in the role. The report also notes “there is still healing that needs to happen,” referring to a difficult period in recent city history that has included a rotating door of city managers and interim managers – plus turnover in other key positions – as well recurring commission tensions.

That history included Marentette previously being offered the city manager role in 2023 – an offer he then rejected, citing his desire at the time to remain the city clerk. The commission then hired Liz Vogel, who lasted in the role just 18 months before stepping down this summer. When Marentette was appointed interim city manager following her departure, he told commissioners he’d received professional coaching and learned how to enforce work-life boundaries that provided him with the confidence to accept the city manager role. He said he intended to pursue being appointed to the position permanently.

Marentette thanked commissioners for their support Monday, saying he was “tremendously humbled” to be offered the full-time position. “It's an honor to be here at this point,” he said. “It is my genuine desire to serve in this capacity for a very long time to help this community achieve some wonderful things along with our city employee team.” Commissioner Jackie Anderson called Marentette an “exceptional manager and an exceptional leader” who has helped bring about a “positive anticipation for the future that maybe wasn't so obvious a while ago,” while Commissioner Heather Shaw cited his fair approach to all commissioners, saying she couldn’t think of a better candidate for the role. Mayor Pro Tem Laura Ness said making Marentette’s position permanent was an “important” and “necessary” step for the city, which needs “strong and steady, stable leadership at the helm.”

The commission’s motion authorized Shamroe, Ness, and City Attorney Lauren Trible-Laucht to negotiate an updated employment agreement with Marentette, which will return for commission approval at a future meeting. Commissioners Monday also expressed support for adopting a policy soon that will establish quarterly performance reviews for the city manager and city attorney in addition to their annual reviews, which would allow for more frequent check-ins with staff and ensure steady progress toward city goals (salaries and benefits would still be governed by employment agreements and not part of that quarterly review process). That policy is expected to return for commission approval early in the new year.