Before it embarks on the process to its replace 17-year city manager, the Otsego City Commission will have to replace one of its own members.
Commissioner Ryan Wieber resigned from the board Monday, Aug. 21.
“I was honored to serve on the commission,” Wieber said.
The former Otsego District Library director accepted a new job as the director of the Kalamazoo Public Library in June and said then he intended to relocate to Kalamazoo. His wife and soon-to-be fellow former commissioner Molly Wieber already works at Parchment Public Schools.
Commissioner Tom Gilmer echoed himself from the commission’s previous meeting where it accepted city manager Thad Beard’s resignation.
“I’ll move reluctantly to accept, again,” Gilmer said.
Wieber thanked his fellow commissioners.
“I’ve had a good time on this commission and I’d like to thank my fellow commissioners.”
Living on Morrell Street since 2000 and raising his kids here, Wieber said Otsego was a big part of his life.
“I’m leaving a lot here,” he said.
The family will be moving out of the city in two or three weeks.
Wieber said everyone at the meeting had helped him out at one time or another and he singled out everyone in the audience.
Gilmer said he remembered sitting in the Wiebers’ kitchen with Molly after she resigned from the commission and discussing possible replacements while Ryan was watching something on television in the living room.
“I said, we should both turn our heads and look in there and I think we’d have a good candidate,” Gilmer said.
He said he believed the new Otsego library wouldn’t have happened without Wieber.
“He’s helped the community as library director and as a commissioner,” Gilmer said.
Mayor Cyndi Trobeck said she believed both Wiebers had been in Otsego for a purpose.
“I’m a woman of faith. I believe you’ve served your purposes and God has moved you to where you are needed,” she said.
Commissioners Stacey Withee and Nick Breedveld also offered best wishes to Wieber.
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