City of Saline Selects Finalists for its Next City Manager

The finalists will participate in an on-site interview and community engagement activities at Saline City Hall on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.

On May 12, 2025 the City Manager Hiring Committee selected finalists to be invited to interview for the position of City Manager. The discussion was facilitated by April Lynch, Recruitment Lead with Double Haul Solutions (DHS), who introduced each candidate and highlighted their professional experience and alignment with the community’s leadership needs.

The City of Saline hiring committee was comprised of Mayor Brian Marl, Council Members Chuck Lesch and Nicole Rice, Deputy Police Chief Andrew Hartwig, City Engineer Tesha Humphriss, city resident Chris Elenbaas, Executive Director of Communications and Community Relations for Saline Area Schools Jackelyn Martin and local business owner Dr. Mitch Rohde.

Following an extensive search process beginning in early March, the committee selected four finalists from a pool of 47 applicants. Of those, DHS brought forward candidates that fit the criteria that was set forth during interviews with City Council, City Staff and a community survey.

Finalists represent a range of leadership experience across the public sector, with backgrounds in city management, economic development, public utilities and large-scale operations. The four finalists invited to interview are:

	Todd Saums – Mr. Saums currently serves as Commissioner of Water Distribution for the City of Toledo, Ohio, where he oversees a department of 154 employees and a $30 million operations budget. His leadership has focused on public utilities, regulatory compliance, and long-range infrastructure planning. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Ohio University and is certified in utility and wastewater management.
	Jason Smith – Mr. Smith is the current City Manager of Belleville, Michigan, and has also served in the same role in Litchfield. His municipal leadership experience focuses on infrastructure modernization, downtown revitalization, and public safety. He holds a Master of Public Administration from the University of Arizona and has served in leadership roles with the Michigan Municipal Executives and the Rotary Club. He is also a former Mayor of Jackson, Michigan.
	Daniel E. Swallow, AICP, MPA – Mr. Swallow currently serves as the City Manager for the City of Tecumseh, Michigan, and brings over 20 years of public service experience. He has a strong background in land use planning, economic development, and city operations and previously served as Director of Economic and Community Development in Monroe, Michigan. He holds a Master of Public Administration from Eastern Michigan University and resides in Saline.
	Michael Tremblay – Colonel Tremblay (Ret.) brings over 25 years of executive-level public sector experience, most recently as the Garrison Commander (City Manager equivalent) for U.S. Army Garrison Humphreys in South Korea, a community of over 40,000 residents. He has overseen multi-billion-dollar budgets and complex infrastructure programs. He holds master’s degrees in National Security Strategy and Organizational Leadership and grew up in Washtenaw County.

The finalists will participate in an on-site interview and community engagement activities at Saline City Hall (100 N. Harris Street, Saline, MI) on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. The entire Saline community is invited to participate in an open house from 1 to 4 p.m. and public interviews will begin at 4 p.m.

Community members will have the opportunity to meet the finalists, ask questions and provide feedback to the City Council before the final decision is made.

“Selecting a City Manager is one of the most important decisions we’ll make as a Council,” said Mayor Brian Marl. “We’re looking for a leader who not only understands the complexities of municipal operations, but also values the character and priorities of our community. We’re excited about the caliber of finalists and look forward to engaging with our residents during this next phase of the process.”

Once a final candidate is chosen, DHS will conduct a full background check and assist City Council, as requested, in determining employment offer terms and negotiating the contract.

Individuals can watch the interviews in person or via YouTube livestream on the Saline Video YouTube channel. Any questions can be directed to Saline Community Engagement Specialist Sarah Massey at smassey@salinemi.gov.