Council extends city manager contract

“Interim” no longer. The Grayling City Council approved a contract extension for City Manager Erich Podjaske during a regular meeting on Monday, April 13.

Last summer, the council opted to offer a contract to Podjaske – who was, at the time, the city’s zoning administrator – to serve as interim city manager as Doug Baum, city manager at the time, prepared to retire. Podjaske took over as interim city manager on August 1, 2022. At the time, city officials said the term was for eight months.

On Monday, April 13, the council voted 5-0 to approve a new contract for Podjaske to serve as city manager.

Podjaske said the contract is for five years and it ends on June 31, 2027.

Podjaske said the transition from zoning administrator to city manager has gone well for him.

“I’m enjoying it so far,” Podjaske said. “A lot of the stuff is the same as I was doing before.”