OCTOBER 1, 2025 Vol. 38, No. 20
BEEKEEPING BEGINS WITH LEARNING 10A Mount Clemens Mayor Laura Kropp delivers the State of Mount Clemens on Sept. 17 from the stage of the Emerald Theater. Photo by Dean Vaglia
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‘Coming alive’ message resonates at State of Mount Clemens BY DEAN VAGLIA dvaglia@candgnews.com
MOUNT CLEMENS — On a quiet Sept. 17 afternoon, officials and notables across Macomb County took their places at the historic Emerald Theater for the 2025 State of Mount Clemens address. Delivered by Mayor Laura Kropp with starting remarks by Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel and Stacy Ziarko, president and CEO of event organizer Connect Macomb, the annual speech took attendees on a triumphant look at the city’s accomplishments over the past year, the thesis of it all best said by the disembodied voice of City Manager Gregg Shipman. “Something powerful is emerging, a force unlike anything this city has known,” Shipman said, his voice narrating video clips of life, commerce and construction around the city. “Rooted in legacy, powered by progress, and now there is no turning back … Mount Clemens is rising, but this is only the beginning. The transformation is far from over, so we invite you to walk these streets with us, to shape this future See ADDRESS on page 6A
COMMISSION APPROVES NEW CITY HALL PURCHASE MOUNT CLEMENS — City commissioners unanimously approved the $1.5 million purchase of a downtown office space for City Hall at the commission’s Sept. 15 meeting. Formerly housing the Oakland Univer-
sity Anton/Frankel Center, the office space at 20 South Main in Mount Clemens is set to house both the city’s government as well as the Mount Clemens Fire Department once renovations are completed. The city announced a purchase agreement for the building on June 27, about a month after the City Commission approved entering the agreement and placing
a $25,000 deposit on the building. What followed were months of due diligence — conducting a feasibility study, full building assessment and an American Land Title Association survey to ensure the building matched its depiction in title documents — and an examination of other options for the city, such as conducting assessments of the current City Hall and fire station to com-
pare the cost of the purchase with potential renovations. City Commissioner Theresea McGarity inquired about the possibility of going with a different location around Groesbeck Highway, though City Manager Gregg Shipman stressed the importance of having City Hall downtown.
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