JENNA SMITH
For Marquette City Commission

First and foremost, I am a wife and a mother to two wonderful daughters. I am also a local Human Resources Manager, and I am currently the Mayor of Marquette. I have served on the Commission since 2017. I am a graduate of Marquette Senior High School and the University of Michigan. I was out of the area for 10 years and moved back to Marquette in 2014.

 

I am often asked “how did you decide to become a City Commissioner?” For me, the seed was planted a couple of decades ago, watching my dad serve on the Chocolay Township Planning Commission. I joined him for some strategic planning sessions and I remember feeling incredibly proud that my dad was involved in our community.

 

When I moved back home, I was looking for ways to get involved in our community.  One area that caught my eye, was the City of Marquette boards and committees. I met with some folks from the City of Marquette and determined that the Housing Commission would be a great fit. For those of you who don’t know, the Housing Commission administers affordable housing programs in the City of Marquette. Through that experience I learned a great deal about budgets, policy implications, strategic planning, and contract negotiations. I served on the Housing Commission for 2 years and became the Vice Chair during my time on that board.

 

When an opportunity came up in the fall of 2017 for a seat on the Marquette City Commission, I couldn’t decide if I was ready. Ultimately, I decided I couldn’t expect other young women to put themselves out there if I wasn’t willing to do it myself, so I did.

 

As a Marquette City Commissioner, I am currently 1 of 7 Commissioners acting as the legislative branch of city government. The Commission represents the citizens of Marquette, establishes policies and approves the budget. We make decisions related to police, fire department, roads, infrastructure, harbor activities, event permits, taxes, budget, etc. Over the past several months I have learned a lot and I have been able to take the concerns from my peers to the table, and I hope to continue on.

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Please consider supporting me at the polls,