TRAVERSE CITY- Benjamin Marentette was sworn in as the new City Manager for Traverse City following a unanimous vote by the City Commission. Marentette brings over twenty years of city experience to the position, including fourteen years as the City Clerk.
The unanimous vote for Marentette underscores the confidence the City Commission has in his leadership. He started his career with the city shortly after turning nineteen, and in his own words, he found joy in public service from the early days of his career.
Marentette expressed gratitude for the support he has received throughout his career and acknowledged the community’s role in his journey, stating, “I just want to thank this organization, community that supported and supported me along the way, and this commission and organization for investing in me.”
Also at the meeting, John Socks, a local developer, presented a proposal for adding a third parking deck to the west side of the city, which would feature a mixed-use building with space for retail and workforce housing.
Socks has been involved in several development projects in Traverse City, including a new airport hotel. He shared that the conversation about the proposed project began well ahead of tonight’s meeting.
“Actually, this conversation started about two years ago. And just through the renditions of the T.I.F. falling off and then the new commission, it’s been taking a while to get to this point, and I’ve had conversations with other commissioners and with positive feedback, and thought it was an appropriate time to take it to the public,” he noted.