Pentwater council appoints Rachel Witherspoon as village manager and street administrator

The Pentwater Village Council unanimously appointed Rachel Witherspoon as village manager and designated her Street Administrator at its Oct. 21 regular meeting at Park Place.

The appointment passed on a motion by Trustee Jared Griffis, supported by Trustee Dan Nugent, with a roll-call vote of 7–0. The council separately approved a second contract amendment with Double Haul Solutions to provide 20 hours of transition service from former Interim Manager Steve Brock to Witherspoon for $1,700, a move described in the meeting as part of the managerial handoff. "I hope the council will ask Steve if he has anything to share before he finishes his time with us," public commenter Chris Conroy said earlier in the meeting when thanking Brock for his service.

Council also approved a resolution to change the authorized signer on a DWSRF grant to the Village Manager, making Witherspoon the listed signatory for that grant account. The vote on Resolution No. 2024-10-26 (DWSRF grant signatory change) was 7–0.

Why it matters: the appointment centralizes administrative and operational authority in one official and updates grant-signing authority and transition supports needed for continuity in operations. The contract amendment flags a modest, one-time transition expenditure of $1,700 for transfer-of-service assistance.

The meeting record shows the council proceeded to three closed sessions later in the evening for attorney consultation under the Open Meetings Act; the closed-session records list Village Attorney Brian Monton, Interim Manager Steve Brock, Manager Rachel Witherspoon and Clerk/Treasurer Rande Listerman as present. The council adjourned the public meeting at 8:53 p.m.