Port Huron City Manager James Freed has won the 2022 Community Leadership Award, given by the Michigan Municipal Executive Association.
Freed was nominated by Lake Isabella Village Manager Tim Wolf in a letter that was endorsed by fifteen city and county officials. In the nomination, Freed was commended for his work in turning around the finances of the city and avoiding impending bankruptcy.
In accepting the award, Freed said, “I am deeply humbled by the recognition of my professional peers. However, this is an award for the entire Port Huron community. We simply could not have made the achievements we have made without the strong and steady leadership of Mayor Repp and the City Council.”
Freed continued, saying, “Their leadership, coupled with the sacrifices of our employees and the understanding of an engaged community about complex issues, made Port Huron a state leader. This award is not about me, but more a reflection on our community as a whole to come together and tackle generational problems.”
Freed’s work in addressing the unfunded liabilities of the City of Port Huron was described as “groundbreaking” by the Michigan Municipal Executive Association.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
