LANSING - Marilynn Slade is heading west this winter.
Slade, the Lansing city clerk, plans to resign at tonights city council meeting after eight years at the position and is moving to Sierra Vista, Ariz. to be closer to family.
Were an extremely close family, she said. A lot of my brothers and sisters have all retired. They retired out to Arizona.
Ive only got one brother left in Michigan and were working on him.
Slade said shes going to miss the challenges of the job the most.
Its very challenging, but I like challenges, she said. All the employees in the city are wonderful people.
Im into computers, looking at ways to streamline the process using technology - thats probably something Ill be doing out in Arizona.
Although she doesnt have a new job lined up yet, Slade said she doesnt plan on completely retiring when in Arizona.
Slades resignation is effective Jan. 3, 2001, and city officials say shes going to be hard to replace.
Were definitely going to miss Marilynn, said Debbie Miner, the citys chief deputy clerk. Obviously its going to be a struggle (to bring in someone new). Were going to have a transition period.
We were the first department in the city to have a (computer) network and that was because Marilynn instituted it.
Miner said she is interested in filling the position because she feels the transition will be smoother if someone familiar with the position takes over. However, whether she receives the appointment, she will run for clerk in November 2001 when the seat is up for election.
Obviously, I feel that if I were appointed, the transition period will be shorter and smoother, Miner said. I do have some ideas about instituting some off-site absent voter ballot sites. I have some other ideas about voter education and stuff like that, about encouraging people to get out to vote, maybe some free handouts.
Slade has been very instrumental in bringing technology to the city, said David Wiener, executive assistant to Mayor David Hollister.
Shes taken the lead in developing the citys Web site and in really bringing a lot of modern technology to the citys operations, Wiener said. Shes really been a forward thinking, capable, well-organized, creative clerk.
We just hope we can find somebody else who has the skills, vision and energy that she had to carry on.
Lansing City Councilmember Carol Wood said to replace Slade there will be an application and interview process for the council to choose the new clerk.
Well have a lot to do when January comes before the council, she said. We will miss what shes brought to us.
Shes been very good to put in a very good staff, so we will have remnants of Marilynn behind with the staff shes been working with for some time.