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GROSSE POINTE PARK — Less than three years after he was appointed Grosse Pointe Park’s city manager in September 2019 at the age of 30, Nick Sizeland has been honored by his municipal peers.
The American Society for Public Administration’s Detroit Metropolitan Area chapter presented Sizeland with one of its annual awards, this one given to public service professionals within the first five years of starting their careers. According to the ASPA’s website, the honor is given to someone “who shows promise in contributing to the advancement of public service and good governance ideals in the Detroit metropolitan area.”
The award was presented to Sizeland by ASPA Detroit Treasurer Donald Crawford, a Grosse Pointe Park resident and retired former city manager, and ASPA Detroit Board member Mark Wollenweber, another retired former city manager. During Wollenweber’s long career, he spent time helming Grosse Pointe Woods and Grosse Pointe Shores, as well as St. Clair Shores.
“It’s a recognition of people who’ve done a good job as beginning professionals,” Wollenweber said of the award. “And things certainly have been tough (during Sizeland’s career).”
Besides managing a city during the ever-evolving landscape of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sizeland has also been faced with challenges such as horrific flooding that devastated thousands of homes and businesses last summer in the Park and neighboring communities.
Crawford said the nonprofit ASPA feels Sizeland “is really doing a superb job.”
“By far, the best city managers — you come in ready to tackle anything,” Crawford said. “Nick has been very aggressive in tackling things that have to be done.”
Wollenweber, who has been a mentor to Sizeland, agreed.
“He’s made so many right choices,” Wollenweber said.
Mayor Michele Hodges was among those pleased to see Sizeland named as the recipient of this award.
“We all know you are exceptional, but to have a third party (acknowledge) the same makes us very proud,” Hodges said.
