Darwin McClary to take the helm on, or after, Nov. 28

By Megan Kelley
Staff Writer
LAKE ORION — Lake Orion will soon have a new village manager after the village council voted on Monday to approve the employment application with Darwin McClary.

McClary is not new to the village. He previously was Lake Orion’s village manager from July 2013 through February 2017, and was interim village manager from April – July 2013.
McClary was selected out of a pool of five candidates who interviewed for the position last month with the board voting 4-3 during their Oct. 10 meeting to hire him. Councilmembers Doug Hobbs, Sarah Luchsinger and Michael Lamb cast the three nay votes. Council President Ken Van Portfliet, President Pro-Tem Jerry Narsh and Councilmembers Theresa Rutt and Brad Mathisen all voted yes.
During their meeting on Oct. 24, the motion to approve the employment application with a start date of on or after Nov. 28 was made by Narsh and seconded by Van Portfliet.
The agreement was approved by a vote of 6-1 with Lamb casting the lone nay vote.
McClary is currently the manager of the Village of Stockbridge.
According to Lake Orion documents, McClary’s compensation includes a base salary of $85,000. McClary will also receive a monthly automobile allowance of $600 with a five percent increase annually.
The contract includes 13 days of paid holiday time off, and 40 hours of sick leave, which can be carried over each fiscal year.
McClary can be terminated by the village council without cause by majority vote, which would then be effective no earlier than 30 days.
In the event that McClary is terminated without cause, he would receive a lump sum cash payment equal to six months base salary.
He can resign effective no earlier than 30 days notice or another agreed upon period of time. Failure to do so would result in the forfeiture of right to payment for any accrued vacation, PTO, holiday, sick, compensatory or personal leave time.
Interim Manager D. Wayne O’Neal informed the council that he would facilitate the transition with McClary.
Luchsinger requested that O’Neal include the transition plan in his weekly email updates to the council.