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EASTPOINTE — At the Eastpointe City Council’s March 4 meeting, City Manager Mariah Walton delivered an emotional report to council — her final one.
“I said I was going to hold it together,” she said, laughing. “I felt that way, I was strong coming in … and it’s hard.”
Earlier this year, Walton turned in her resignation to the city after taking a position as Ann Arbor’s deputy city administrator. Her last day in Eastpointe was March 6.
“It’s a small community with a lot going on, and our staff here work incredibly hard,” she said before recognizing multiple departments within the city and recounting her first days with the city.
At the end of the meeting, City Council members took the opportunity to give their farewells.
Councilman Harvey Curley, after addressing some of the issues that were brought up during the meeting, addressed Walton.
“You can be replaced, but you are irreplaceable. … Someone comes into your life, maybe not forever, but they do change this up here in your head, they change your mind, change your perception of other people,” he said. “Never once did I hear her talk negatively about anybody, so I’m going to miss you a lot.”
Eastpointe Mayor Michael Klinefelt said it spoke to Walton’s character that in her final report, she addressed the department heads.
“I think the stars aligned. Eastpointe got lucky,” he said. “We got a great city manager. Ann Arbor is going to be very lucky to have you.”
During the public comment portion of the meeting, multiple residents used the public comment section to give her their well wishes.
Joao Muniz came to the meeting to not only talk about the construction on Nine Mile Road and the marijuana ordinance that was to be voted on that evening, but also to address Walton.
“We are praying for you daily so that everything you do and everywhere you put your feet, there will be success written all over it,” he said.
His son, Isa Muniz, said Walton was the kind of leader others should strive to be.
“You have been a light to this city,” he said. “In every single challenge that has come your way, you have handled it not only with the position that you hold, but also with the voices of the residents.”
Elke Doom, a former Eastpointe city manager who has returned to serve as the interim city manager, said the City Council has not yet made a decision on how to move forward with the manager search. She said options for the search include conducting it in-house through the city’s human resources department or asking the Michigan Municipal League or contracting with a local or national firm to conduct the search.
