Grosse Pointe Shores names new city clerk

GROSSE POINTE SHORES — The departure of Bruce Nichols from the Grosse Pointe Shores city clerk position marks the end of an era.

For its more than 100-year history, the Shores has always had an appointed volunteer city clerk. But as was once sung, the times, they are a-changin’.

“Over the years, the qualifications to be a city clerk have changed due to the ongoing changes in election law,” City Manager Stephen Poloni told the Shores City Council at a meeting Aug. 19.

He said the Michigan Bureau of Elections supplied the city with a list of classes a clerk must complete within six months of being appointed to become accredited, and there are regular continuing education classes that are required as well.

“Due to the intensive requirements, it is impractical to have a volunteer hold this position,” Poloni said.

That may be why it’s so uncommon. All the other Grosse Pointes and Harper Woods have on-site city employees who serve as city clerks — something that Poloni said is true for most cities.

As a result, Poloni recommended that the Shores name Courtney Smith — who was already serving as the elections coordinator, building official and harbormaster — as the new city clerk.

The council concurred, voting unanimously in favor of her appointment, which took effect Sept. 1. To reflect her additional duties — which will include attending council meetings and taking meeting minutes — Smith received a salary increase of $2,000, which was prorated for 2025.

Poloni said Smith also met the requirements to be an accredited city clerk.

Smith, who has been working in the Shores since early 2024, has a background in finance and elections from Grosse Pointe Park, where she worked for about eight years. When she left to take the position in the Shores, she was a city accountant and deputy city clerk in the Park; for the latter, she worked elections, tested equipment, trained election workers, created council meeting minutes and prepared City Council agendas, among other responsibilities.

“I endorse her as well,” Nichols said. “She’s a good choice.”

When asked if the additional title would mean too great of a workload, Smith said it wouldn’t.

“It’s not much more than what I’m doing anyway,” Smith said.

Still, Nichols acknowledged that being the clerk “is time-consuming.” As part of the process of preparing meeting minutes, he said he would listen to each council meeting again to make sure he recorded motions, votes and other information accurately.

Shores officials welcomed Smith to the new role.

“Congratulations, Courtney,” Mayor Ted Kedzierski said.