By John Hummer
Editor
For the second time this year, a new village manager will come aboard to steer the ship of the village. At a special village council meeting Monday night, Matt Swartzlander, a Brooklyn resident who lives near Vineyard Lake, was hired for the position.
The vote of the council wasn’t unanimous, however, as the final tally was 4-2 in favor of bringing Swartzlander aboard. “Yes” votes were cast by Village Council President Estella Roberts and council members Gabriella Bach, Phil Bliven, and Patti Robinson. Stacy Hicks and Bob Jenson voted “No”. None of the village council members obliged when asked for comment following the meeting. Council member Phil Krauss was not present at the meeting.
Swartzlander’s most recent position is executive director of the Greater Lenawee Chamber of Commerce. He took that position in January 2022. From May to December of 2021 he served as the Tecumseh Area Chamber of Commerce interim executive director and concurrently, from June to December of 2021 he was executive director of the Adrian Area Chamber of Commerce. For a year prior to that, Swartzlander was director of events and legislative affairs for the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. He also spent five years from 2008 to 2013 as a senior district executive for the Boy Scouts of America.
In a brief phone conversation, Swartzlander said he loves living in Brooklyn and looks forward to working with the village council and the residents and businesses of Brooklyn.
A definitive starting date has not yet been set for Swartzlander to assume his new position.
