Meet the new City Manager July 12
The St. Johns City Commission has selected Chad Gamble as the new city manager. The commission unanimously approved Gamble’s contract at its May 22 meeting, and Gamble will take his oath of office July 10.
The community is invited to get to know their new city manager at a meet-and-greet on Wednesday, July 12 from 4-5 p.m. at the Clinton County Courthouse Chambers.
“We interviewed several quality candidates,” says Mayor Scott Dzurka. “Chad’s solid engineering background and extensive experience in public service were key factors in our selection. We are excited to have him on board as we to continue to move the city forward.”
Gamble graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelor of Science in civil engineering. He has more than three decades of public service experience, including 23 years with the City of Lansing where he held a variety of positions including assistant city engineer, director of public services and chief operating officer.
“I am thrilled to be part of the amazing team at the City of St. Johns and to serve this vibrant community. I appreciate commission’s support and look forward to working with everyone to advance the City of St. Johns toward the commission’s goals and objectives,” Gamble says.
In his role, Gamble will be responsible for providing leadership, vision and direction to city service areas. He is charged with implementing city commission policy and collaborating on strategic and financial planning. He will also serve as an ambassador for the community and to other governmental agencies.
Learn more at cityofstjohnsmi.com.
Independence Day at the Park
by Maralyn Fink
This was our July 4th here in St Johns. I actually thought it was a pretty quiet day.
53rd Anniversary Cruise In is July 12
The parking lot of the St. Johns High School will be host to the Auto Program’s 53rd Anniversary Cruise In on Wednesday, July 12 from 4-8 p.m.
– Dash plaques to the first 100 vehicles
– Food and non-alchoholic beverages will be available for purchase
– Day of registration is $10, T-shirts are shirts $15.00
Proceeds from the Cruise In benefit Auto Program Scholarships.
Beatles Tribute Band to headline July 12 Concert in the Park
John, Paul, George and Ringo are coming to St Johns for what promises to be an enjoyable evening featuring the incredible music of the Beatles. Toppermost, a Beatle Tribute Band, will be performing the amazing music of one of the best, most beloved bands ever.
This special tribute concert will take place on Wednesday evening, July 12 starting at 7:00 p.m. in the William E. Tennant Performance Shell in the beautiful St. Johns City Park.
Formed in 2007, Toppermost will be performing many of the Beatle’s hits from 1962-1970 on this concert. They perform with authentic costumes, instruments and voices. With over 900 shows under their belt, their combined acting and musicianship will put big smiles on the faces of audience members all evening long. And as you get into the music, dancing is allowed!
“Toppermost, one of our most popular groups, have been performing here in St. Johns most every-year since 2012,” says Bill Tennant, chair of the series committee. “Having them back on our 20th anniversary year is special – as is their closing number Hey Jude. This will be an evening you will thoroughly enjoy.”
The concert in the Park series is co-sponsored by the Clinton County Arts Council and the City of St. Johns. The concerts are open to the public free of charge; donations are graciously accepted. The Lion’s Club food trailer will be available this year and as always, all concerts are presented rain or shine.
So, set your GPS to: 801 W Park St, St Johns. Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy!
The CCAC receives funding from the Michigan Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Sit back and enjoy the fireworks once again
video courtesy of Darryl Schmitz
Darryl says that he shot all of his drone photos from above and behind the maintenance garage at the City Park. He also assures us that he does abide by all of the required safety protocol, including not flying directly over people. And the drone was well outside of where the fireworks were going up.
Downtown St. Johns has a new look
The DDA Marketing Committee recently undertook a comprehensive evaluation of our branding strategy. After careful analysis, they say that they recognized that the existing branding did not effectively convey the essence and message they wanted to communicate about the Downtown District.
Working collaboratively as a committee, they embarked on a journey to create a new brand that captures the true beauty and love they have for downtown. This involved multiple stages of development, refining ideas, and soliciting valuable input from various stakeholders. They are pleased to announce that the new brand was successfully voted on and approved by the DDA and is being publicly released now.
CCAC looking for a Volunteer
The Clinton County Arts Council needs you. They are looking for a volunteer treasurer.
Qualifications include:
– Accounting or Bookkeeping Background
– Quick Books knowledge is preferred, not required
– Experience with Microsoft Products (Excel, Word, etc.)
– Able to work on your own, self motivated
– 300-400 Hours a Year
If you or anyone you know is interested, please email Tom Webb at ClintonCountyArts1@gmail.com to apply.