Alpena City Manager Rachel Smolinski was the speaker at the Alpena Lions Club meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 7. Smolinski, who took over as city manager in December, talked to the Lions about how her introduction to the job and Alpena has been going, and about the things she is hoping to work on as she gets more comfortable in her new position.

Smolinski came to Alpena from Harbor Springs where she was the director of the Downtown Development Authority. She is familiar with Northeast Michigan, as her in-laws are from Rogers City and she has other family in the Hubbard Lake area, though she hadn’t spent a lot of time in Alpena. Her husband and children are still living in Harbor Springs and will move here this summer.

She received her master’s degree in May 2019 and when the city manager’s position opened with the retirement of Greg Sundin, she thought it was the opportunity of a lifetime. She said this is what she wants to be doing. She said that when she told her husband about the opening he said she “should get that job.”

Smolinski said she spent two weeks with Sundin, learning about the job, and said she will keep in touch with him on issues that may come up. She said she has spent her time digging in and learning about the job and about Alpena, and said there is a lot to learn.

The thing she is focusing on right now is setting priorities. She said she is not looking to make changes, but is looking for opportunities for growth. She is looking forward to meeting with Mike Mahler, the new economic development director, at the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce, and that she believes in a regional approach to economic development.

The ongoing water/sewer litigation between the city and township and the biorefinery are two issues Smolinski is looking at. She said she is going to try and work with state Sen. Jim Stamas to get a resolution to the issue with the biorefinery. She also said she wants to be part of the search in finding a solution to the lack of housing in Alpena.

Smolinski was asked about parking in downtown and about municipal WiFi. She said is aware of the parking issue in Alpena and that it will take some work to find a solution. Smolinski said that it’s also an issue on the west side of the state, the difference being that it’s not as seasonal as the west side, which sees big increases in need during tourism seasons.