By Scott Sullivan
Editor
Saugatuck City Council elected Holly Anderson mayor at its post-election organizational meeting Nov. 12.
Her predecessor, Lauren Stanton, was chosen mayor pro-tem for the coming year.
By city charter, the outgoing council picks rotating members for one one-year term, sometimes two, on heels of the November general election vote.
Incumbent Helen Baldwin, who lost to now-returning councilmember Chris Peterson, joined Stanton, Scott Dean and Joe Clark choosing Anderson. Dean, Clark, Baldwin and Anderson then tapped Stanton as mayor pro-tem.
Russ Gardner voted no on both, saying he did so not to protest the individuals but a process in which outcomes often are pre-determined. Gregory Muncey was not present..
Peterson, also a former mayor here, will assume Baldwin’s seat at the next council meeting Monday, Nov. 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Anderson praised Stanton’s tenure during a challenging, often-contentious but active year, which saw, among other measures, the four-member majority pass a 20-percent cap on short-term rentals in the city’s R-1 Residential district.
“I wish you’d agreed to serve another term,” Anderson told Stanton. “You’ve done a phenomenal job and leave big shoes to fill.
“(I) appreciate the confidence of council,” she continued. “I know it’s been a rough year, but my hope is that we can move on together.
“I look forward to working with each councilmember individually to get to know you better and would love to spend time individually with everybody to talk about where we see opportunities to work as a council better and represent the city better.”
Stanton agreed it had not been an easy tenure but was proud of what council accomplished during it.
“I’m stepping down as mayor because, between work and my family, it just became too time-consuming,” she explained.
“As mayor pro-tem I’ll still be here to help any way I can.”
During public comments, resident and planning commission member Bobbie Gaunt congratulated Peterson on her return to council and thanked all members for their service.
“I look forward to all of us facing the issues we have,” Gaunt said.
Resident Gary Medler was less effusive. “It’s a shame the new mayor was decided on more than a month ago,” he said.
“I plan to reveal as much plus encrypted emails when it’s time.”
