Saline City Council Interviews Four Finalists for City Manager Role

The Saline City Council interviewed four finalists for city manager during a public meeting on May 21, 2025. Each candidate brought unique qualifications, leadership experience, and a shared commitment to public service.

Photo: (Clockwise from upper left) Todd Saums, Jason Smith, Daniel Swallow, Michael Trembley. Images: Saline City video

The Saline City Council held a special meeting on May 21, 2025, to interview finalists for the city manager position. The interviews were conducted publicly and livestreamed to allow community engagement.

Four finalists were selected from nearly 50 applicants. “By any reasonable standard, there were clearly 12 to 10 candidates who would have been considered good to excellent,” said Mayor Marl. “It was a very difficult decision, but four have been forwarded to city council to review this evening.”

The process included morning tours of key city facilities, mock department head meetings, and an afternoon meet-and-greet with the public, after which a nearly five-hour public interview session followed.

Candidate Highlights

Todd Saums

Todd Saums, the first candidate interviewed,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.

Saums brought to the table nearly two decades of hands-on public works and utility management experience. He began his career in a small-town park district where he first discovered his passion for service. “At that young age, I realized I was a public servant. I loved making my community look better. And I was passionate about it.”

His career progressed through increasingly complex roles, from street maintenance to project management and eventually to commissioner of water operations in Toledo. “I pride myself in starting from the bottom and where I am today and I’m really proud to be interviewing here today.”

Saums spoke directly to Saline’s infrastructure needs, identifying wastewater treatment and water quality upgrades as areas where his expertise would provide immediate value. “Obviously, my background is public works and public utilities. So, that is what I bring to the table…Planning for long-term infrastructure, project management, regulation, that is my wheelhouse and that is what I would bring to your community.”

When asked about leadership, he emphasized identifying team strengths and aligning roles accordingly. “You want to put people in positions to leverage their strengths… I’ve found it very successful to put people in positions where their personalities lie.”

A strong advocate for community engagement, Todd stressed the importance of building trust through consistent communication and accessibility. “You have to be reasonably on the same page to get where everyone wants to be… I really believe that’s relationship building.”

He also reflected on balancing data-driven decision-making with public sentiment. “I’m a believer in the community. They should make the decision.”

Jason Smith

Jason Smith, currently serving as city manager of Belleville and a former mayor, offered a blend of executive leadership, policy experience, and personal connection to community building. His path into public service began after a successful career in broadcast journalism. “Before entering public service, I spent nearly a decade in broadcast journalism… that strengthened my communication skills and appreciation for clear messaging and public trust.”

As city manager, he has implemented broad organizational reforms, emphasizing fiscal discipline and community trust. “We’ve completed a road project… awarded contracts for two major street construction projects… implemented a citywide water meter replacement program, all without issuing bonds or raising taxes.”

Smith’s philosophy centers around being a visible, approachable leader. “When residents see you not only as a leader but as a fellow neighbor, they feel more confident in expressing concerns and exploring real options for improvement.”

Communication is a cornerstone of his leadership approach. “I don’t like to have my council be surprised… I stay in regular communication with the mayor. We talk pretty much daily.”

He also detailed the implementation of a custom civic app to streamline communication, enable digital bill pay, and push out alerts. “It links to city council member pictures, profiles… so they know how to contact their council people.”

One of Smith’s most significant accomplishments has been transforming Belleville’s organizational culture. “The perception in Belleville was ‘don’t work there’… We essentially took that culture from the police department and carried it over to the staff side.” He turned that around with structural changes, employee recognition, and flexible scheduling. “We’ve sort of created this destination that people want to work in.”

Daniel Swallow

Daniel Swallowbrought with him three decades of experience in public service, blending engineering, environmental consulting, and municipal leadership. Currently serving as the city manager of Howell, Swallow offered a seasoned perspective grounded in technical expertise and a strong belief in transparency and collaboration.

Swallow’s early career was rooted in large-scale environmental and infrastructure projects, which he now sees as directly relevant to Saline’s pressing needs. “My early career was in environmental consulting… major construction projects, pipeline projects, road projects. I see that experience as being directly applicable… I could apply that experience right here in the city of Saline.”

A significant portion of his interview focused on how to manage large developments and infrastructure projects while maintaining fiscal responsibility and transparency. He recalled a complex situation where a corporate bankruptcy risked undermining a township’s bond-backed development. “It was a very difficult negotiation to protect the township the best we can, dealing with multiple interest groups…Ultimately, we were able to get some additional cash settlement in the bankruptcy.”

Swallow also emphasized the importance of employee retention and workplace morale in municipal success. He spoke about his efforts to promote internal communication and staff development, especially in light of labor shortages across sectors. “Even if we are to recruit someone, we don’t lose them because… there was a misstep in the office.”

When it comes to public engagement and planning, Swallow pointed to his commitment to long-term thinking and accessible governance. He described using data-informed decision-making while being responsive to community input and shifting expectations.

Michael Tremblay

Michael Tremblay, a U.S. Army officer with decades of national leadership experience, brought a service-first mindset and sharp strategic acumen to his interview. Having spent his career leading people in high-pressure environments, he sees municipal leadership as a natural continuation. “There could be no greater honor than to continue my public service work.”

Drawing on an anecdote from his time at the National War College, Tremblay illustrated his skill in delivering difficult messages with clarity. “They said, ‘You’re the spokesman for the plan we come up with… and we have the most at stake.’”

Tremblay is perhaps best known for his work turning around Army recruitment in recent years. He took over during a period of deep underperformance and low morale and changed the tide. “It was the best year ever… I really felt that it turned the tide because they looked at themselves as failures, and really what it was, was the leadership was failing them.”

Throughout his interview, Tremblay emphasized mission-focused leadership, high accountability, and the ability to bring people together under shared values. His experience commanding diverse teams under challenging circumstances has shaped a resilient, purpose-driven management style.

What’s Next

Following the completion of interviews with all four finalists—Todd, Jason Smith, Michael Tremblay, and Daniel Swallow—the Saline City Council will take time to deliberate before making a final decision. Councilmember Harmont, who was absent due to a family emergency, will review the recordings and submit any follow-up questions. As Mayor Marl emphasized, no decision will be made until every council member has had the opportunity to fully evaluate the candidates. Community feedback is also being strongly encouraged via online surveys and written comments. A final decision is expected in the coming week.