City Clerk Sees Relationships As Key to Democracy

Editor's note: This is the second in a series spottling the histories and philosophies of our City's staff members. Contact us if you have a suggestion about whom we should feature in the series.

As the City Clerk of East Lansing, Marie McKenna has a lot on her plate: managing the mechanics of elections, overseeing the city's records, answering citizens' Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and much more. Sometimes she also takes on special assignments, as she has done lately in her work helping to mediate the regional discussion about collaboration among local fire departments. Perhaps it is not too surprising, given all this, that citizens will often see McKenna going in and out of City Hall on the weekends.

But McKenna seems to handle her workload with aplomb, perhaps because she benefits from a staff that, like her, is attuned to the importance of good relationships. I asked McKenna to tell me about her philosophy as City Clerk, and in response she spoke to the group philosophy of her department:

"As a department, our primary focus is on maintaining healthy relationships with one another as colleagues. We consciously discuss this during our meetings. Our collective philosophy, which has evolved on its own, is that if we can communicate effectively and learn from one another, we can be better problem solvers. This in turn will help us to provide outstanding service to the community we serve. Ultimately, everything we do is about providing the best service to the citizens of East Lansing."

When asked about the challenges of the job, McKenna noted the problem of having not enough hours in the day. She also spoke to the joys: "As a department, we view everyone that comes to our 'window' as our neighbors and derive great pleasure from getting to know those whom we serve (we hope they feel the same about us!). We have individuals who stop in just to say hello and even a couple who checks in from time to time with their dog. These interactions energize and motivate me and my colleagues in the City Clerk's office."

McKenna, who previously served as Assistant City Manager of the City, says that her current position "has provided me with an opportunity for professional growth that I never would have imagined as a late-comer to local government, and one for which I am profoundly grateful." Although she is probably too modest to admit it, McKenna has not shied away from opportunities to be a first-line defender of the democratic process in our city. For example, as the LSJ recently reported, along with other nearby city clerks, McKenna has made a point of planning application-to-vote forms that do not ask voters to verify their citizenship. McKenna told the LSJ, "I think voting should be pleasant, private enjoyment of a very, very fundamental right."

As is true with many city staff, Marie McKenna is "home grown." She grew up in East Lansing, attending Spartan Village, Donley, and Central Elementary Schools, and then Hannah Middle School and East Lansing High School (class of 1981). McKenna told me, "it is truly an honor to serve residents in a way that I hope adds value to living in our community."