Angeli, who has served in his current role as city manager since 2015, informed the Marquette City Commission on Dec. 1 of his intent to retire in the second quarter of 2021. His retirement will be effective June 1.

“I have been employed by the city since 1976 and after much consideration, I believe the time has come for me to move on,” Angeli said in his retirement letter. “This is not an easy decision for me, as I have spent two-thirds of my life working for the city and have taken great pride and ownership in its achievements and success.

“I believe that I am leaving the city of Marquette in a good place and I am proud of the accomplishments we have achieved together. I have worked for and with many different people over the years and believe that there is no more dedicated or finer staff than those who currently serve this wonderful community. As community leaders and citizens, we should all be proud of the work that they do every day to make this city an exemplary place to live or work.”

Angeli also made some remarks at the end of Monday night’s commission meeting.

Then-Marquette Mayor Dave Campana addresses the crowd as Marquette City Manager Mike Angeli looks on during the city’s groundbreaking ceremony for the new Municipal Service Center along Wright Street in June 2016. Angeli announced that he will retire, effective June 1, after 45 years of employment with the city of Marquette. (Journal file photo)

“I want to thank the commission for accepting my let

ter of retirement,” he said. “It was something that I’ve been contemplating for some time. It was not an easy decision, but I think at this point, the city is in a very good place, a very comfortable place, in that the staff is excellent, and the projects that we’ve all experienced in the last few years have been completed.”

Angeli also added that the city has done an excellent job in continuing to operate throughout the pandemic.

“Part of my decision to retire now is based on where we are with the COVID situation,” he said. “The city has put together a very competent COVID plan for operations. We’re functioning very well. And quite honestly, they can function very well without me. That makes me comfortable in offering my letter of retirement.”

Angeli is a graduate of Marquette Senior High School and Northern Michigan University, graduating from NMU with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a minor in business management.

He began his career as a police officer with the Marquette Police Department in 1976, spending 10 years as a patrol officer before a 29-year stint as a detective captain. Angeli was promoted to chief of police in 2008.

Mike Angeli, who was then chief of the Marquette City Police, and Det. Sgt. Steve Snowaert teach Bothwell sixth-graders about flag etiquette, rules and how to assemble the flags in May 2009. (Journal file photos)

Angeli also graduated from NMU’s Regional Police Academy, the Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy, the Central Michigan University Law Enforcement program, the Executive Leadership Institute and the Lake Superior Leadership Academy.

Mayor Jenna Smith thanked Angeli for his four and a half decades of service to the community.

“Mike has been a public servant for most of his life,” she said. “We certainly appreciate what he’s done for our community. He’s been instrumental in a number of tasks to improve and help our city grow, whether on the police force or as police chief and now as city manger.

“We’re going to have plenty of time to continue to recognize and honor Mike over the next several months, and I appreciate his willingness to give us significant notice to be able to find an adequate replacement, although they’re going to be some pretty big shoes to fill.”

Smith appointed commissioners Fred Stonehouse, Sally Davis and Cody Mayer to a subcommittee that will develop a process to find Angeli’s successor. One a process is formed, a recommendation will be up for approval by the full commission.

Marquette City Commissioner Fred Stonehouse looks on as Marquette City Manager Mike Angeli addresses the Marquette City Commission in January. Angeli announced that he will retire, effective June 1, after 45 years of employment with the city of Marquette. (Journal file photo)

Ryan Spitza can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. His email address is rspitza@miningjournal.net.

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