Pontiac city council to vote on new leadership roles

The primary official assembly for Pontiac’s new mayor and revamped Metropolis Council is right now at 6 p.m.

The council contains returning members William Carrington, Milanna Jones, Mikal Goodman and Kathalee James. They’re joined by newly elected members Adrian Austin, Chris Jackson and Regina Campbell.

Former Council President Mike McGuinness is the town’s new mayor and he’ll ask the board to approve the next appointees to his administration:

• Richard T. Seay, deputy mayor and director of knowledge expertise. Seay’s background features a bachelor’s diploma from the DeVry Institute of Expertise (now DeVry College) in laptop info methods and an MBA in info useful resource administration from Central Michigan College, together with certifications from Michigan State College in mainframe interconnects and private laptop networking and mission administration from Boston College, in line with his LinkedIn profile. He served as the town’s IT director from 1990 to 2011 and served as a Pontiac college board trustee for 12 years, between July 1994 and June 2006.

• Former Deputy Mayor Khalfani Stephens will stay with the town as a senior mission chief within the strategic partnerships division, the place he’ll implement grant-funded partnerships and pursue different assets for the town. His new position doesn’t require a Metropolis Council vote.

• Jo Darby, communications director: Darby earned a bachelor’s diploma in media arts and expertise and a grasp’s diploma in telecommunications administration, each from Michigan State College, earlier than pursuing a profession as a spokesperson for the Detroit Police Division and as an government producer/editor for the town of Detroit, and as a digital media coordinator for Detroit Public Colleges,

• Michael Hansen, Ph.D., director of neighborhood and financial growth: Hansen earned a doctorate and a grasp’s diploma in economics from Boston School, after incomes a bachelor’s diploma in economics and enterprise administration from Kalamazoo School. His work expertise contains three years at Bedrock in Detroit as senior director of analysis and evaluation for company technique and fourteen years at Rand Company, the final eight as a senior economist; almost a decade as a analysis analyst and scientist for the CNA Company, specializing in nationwide safety points.

• Robert Widigan, chief monetary officer: Widigan has a bachelor’s diploma in enterprise administration and accounting from the College of Michigan/Flint and an affiliate diploma in the identical topics from Mott Group School. The Flint native went on to grow to be chief monetary officer of Lansing and Flint. His most up-to-date position: Chief Technique Officer of Wayne County. He additionally served as Wayne County’s deputy chief monetary officer. His earlier jobs embody Shelby Village supervisor, co-chair of the Clayton Township Planning Fee; analyst for the Michigan Treasury Division’s Bureau of Native Authorities and College Companies; treasurer of the Genesee County Metropolitan Alliance Planning Fee. He was a firefighter within the Metropolis of Venice and in Lennon Village he served as police chief, councilman and later village president.

• Legal professional Tiffany Cartwright, Authorized Director: Cartwright obtained her regulation diploma from the College of Michigan. She clerked for the Michigan Supreme Court docket and later labored for the regulation corporations of Dickinson Wright and Dykema Gossett. She is a former state assistant lawyer normal and administrative regulation choose. After the state fired her twice, Cartwright launched a physique scrub firm.

• Jack McIntyre, director of neighborhood providers: The town employed McIntyre as housing and rental inspector in 2021 and was promoted to code enforcement supervisor in 2022. Final yr, he was named interim neighborhood growth director to fill in after Rachel Loughrin was employed as village administrator for Franklin. McIntyre is the previous director of code enforcement and animal management for Dearborn Heights and holds a nationwide certification in animal management and animal welfare, in addition to a state animal management license. He additionally masters signal language deciphering.

• Robert Burch, parks and recreation director: Burch earned a bachelor’s diploma in sports activities administration and studied elementary schooling at Wayne State College. He comes from Ferndale, the place he was deputy director of parks and recreation. Burch beforehand labored for Pontiac as a youth recreation supervisor. He’s a former membership director for the Boys & Women Membership of Southeast Michigan and a former behavioral intervention specialist for Pontiac Colleges.

Three folks employed by the final administration will stay of their posts and won’t want a council vote to maintain their jobs: Human Sources Director Melinda Durakovic; Director of Public Works Larry Sirls and Director of Strategic Partnerships Lisa Campbell.

“I’m grateful that this dynamic group of pros has accepted my name to hitch our Metropolis of Pontiac management workforce,” McGuinness advised The Oakland Press. “We’re excited in regards to the work forward and able to work with you to maneuver Pontiac ahead sooner.”

The council can even elect amongst itself a board chair and a chair professional tem and vote on council procedures and organizational guidelines, in addition to on a code of ethics and the 2026 assembly schedule.

The council assembly will start Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 6:00 PM within the Council Chambers of Metropolis Corridor, 47450 Woodward Ave. in Pontiac. The assembly is public.