The Mayor's Office -

The Mayor’s Office

The Mayor of the City of Mount Clemens is elected at large to serve a two year term. The Mayor is one member of a non-partisan, seven member City Commission. The City Commission makes policy decisions, taking into account the best interests of the City and its residents.

Duties of the Mayor’s Office include:

• Authorized signer of agreements, resolutions and other official documents
• Appoint and reappoint volunteer members to the City’s various boards, committees and commissions.
• Create and format proclamations and resolutions for various reasons including retiring employees, milestone anniversaries and birthdays, residents, designation of special days, in support of issues, or for other official purposes (When requesting a proclamation, please allow ample time to complete it as well as provide sufficient information and contact information.)
• Meet with administrators from other communities and local, state and federal representatives
• Attend social events as a representative of the City of Mount Clemens
• Member of the Downtown Development Authority and Retirement Board of Trustees
• Speak at area social events which have included functions at Selfridge, grand openings and ribbon cutting ceremonies
• Perform marriage ceremonies
• The Mayor of Mount Clemens has the granted authority from the State of Michigan to perform marriage ceremonies. Most weddings are scheduled at the Gazebo, on the riverfront of the City Hall property. However, the Mayor can perform ceremonies anywhere in Macomb County. The fee to have the Mayor preside over a wedding is $50.00, made payable to the City of Mount Clemens. If a couple is interested in requesting the Mayor, please contact the Mayor’s Office at (586) 469-6818 extension 7. Make sure you give the date, time and location of the ceremony. The Mayor also needs to know whether or not it is a single or double ring ceremony and if the couple intends to recite standard vows or their own. A Marriage Certificate must be obtained through the Macomb County Clerk’s Office. The Marriage Certificate must be turned in to the Mayor’s Office prior to the date of the wedding. In addition, a receipt showing that the Mayor’s fee has been paid needs to be submitted. Please see the Treasurer’s Office page if you are interested in reserving the Gazebo.

Mayor Barb Dempsey is the 40th Mayor of Mount Clemens since it was incorporated in 1879. (A complete list of the past Mayors of Mount Clemens is listed below.) She is only the third female Mayor in the City’s history. Barb Dempsey has been a resident of Mount Clemens since she was a child. She began her public service career in 1989 as a member of the City Commission. From 1999 through 2005, Barb was the Mayor Pro Tempore. In 2005, Barb was elected to the position of Mayor. Because she ran unopposed in the 2007 election, Mayor Dempsey will continue in her role at least until 2009.

During the time she spends at City Hall, Mayor Dempsey’s door and phone lines are usually open to the public. She takes an interest in assisting citizens with their issues or complaints in any way she can. Due to the fact that she is only here part time, you may want to contact the office to be sure the Mayor is in.

While in office, Mayor Dempsey has been fortunate to receive several awards and recognitions. Among them are the 2007 Girl Scouts of Macomb County Otsikita Council, Inc.’s 2007 “Woman of Distinction” award and the National Council of Negro Women, Inc.’s 2006 Certificate of Appreciation for “Women Shaping the World.”

Over the last two years, Mayor Barb Dempsey (in conjunction with the Parade Steering Committee) has led the efforts to coordinate and put on the Mount Clemens Presents the Macomb County Santa Parade. Also, during the summer of 2007, Barb was the Co-Chairperson for the City’s team in the First Annual American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life race which was held here in Mount Clemens.

On a personal note, Barb retired from St. John Health as the Director of Patient Financial Services. She is married and has two grown sons. She is also the proud grandmother to one grandchild. In her spare time away from the office, Barb is President of the Mah Nah Be Zee Chapter 198 Questers and chairs their annual fundraiser, The Yvonne Leslie Pottery Lunch (which will hold its 10 th luncheon March 8, 2008). She is also a member of the executive board at the Crocker House Museum in Mount Clemens and enjoys collecting 1940’s – 50’s rhinestone jewelry.

 

The Mayors of Mount Clemens

(Since being Incorporated in 1879)

• Joshua Dickinson Apr. 1879 – May 1879
• George M. Crocker Jun. 1879 – Apr. 1881
• Spencer Booth Russell Apr. 1881 – Apr. 1883
• Colonel Judson S. Farrar Apr. 1883 – Apr. 1885
• John E. Van Eps Apr. 1885 – Apr. 1887
• George W. Robertson Apr. 1887 – Apr. 1888
• William J. Daley Apr. 1888 – Apr. 1889
• Thomas M. Crocker Apr. 1889 – Apr. 1891
• Dr. A. B. Chapin Apr. 1891 – Apr. 1892
• Dr. William C. Tennant Apr. 1892 – Apr. 1894
• Andrew True Donaldson Apr. 1894 – Apr. 1898
• Dr. W. D. Wilson Apr. 1898 – Apr. 1899
• Reuben C. Ullrich Apr. 1899 – Apr. 1901
• Dr. William F. Berry Apr. 1901 – Apr. 1902
• Martin Crocker Apr. 1902 – Apr. 1903
• Dr. Albert A. Parisot Apr. 1903 – Apr. 1904
• John H. Westendorf Apr. 1904 – Apr. 1906
• Varnum J. Bowers Apr. 1906 – Apr. 1909
• Paul J. Ullrich Apr. 1909 – Apr. 1911
• Varnum Bowers Apr. 1911 – Apr. 1912
• Duncan B. Hubbard Apr. 1912 – Apr. 1913
• William F. Nank Apr. 1913 – Apr. 1916
• Varnum J. Bowers Apr. 1916 – Apr. 1917
• Dr. Albert Parisot Apr. 1917 – Apr. 1918
• A. Frank Sarns Apr. 1918 – Apr. 1923
• William M. Streit Apr. 1923 – Apr. 1931
• Charles R. Ullrich Apr. 1931 – Jan 1934
• Donald R. Westendorf Apr. 1934 – Apr. 1945
• Albert A. Wagner Apr. 1945 – Apr.1951
• Philip T. Mulligan Apr. 1951 – Apr. 1955
• Harold “Bugs” Lindsey Apr. 1955 – Apr. 1957
• Harry T. Diehl Apr. 1957 – Apr. 1961
• Abraham S. Levine Apr. 1961 – Nov.1973
• Bert VandeVusse Nov. 1973 – Nov. 1981
• Ada ( Davis) Eisenfeld Nov. 1981 – Nov. 1985
• Jeanne (Russo) Nelson Nov. 1985 – Nov. 1987
• Quinnie E. Cody Nov. 1987 – Nov. 1999
• Harry T. Diehl, Jr. Nov. 1999 – Nov. 2003
• Quinnie E. Cody Nov. 2003 – Nov. 2005
• Barbel (Lohan) Dempsey Nov. 2005 - present

Source: The Mayors of Mount Clemens presented by The Rotary Club of Mount Clemens and The 175 th Anniversary Committee.