Council/Manager Government

The Village of Stockbridge is a Michigan general law village that operates under the council/manager form of government by ordinance.  The elected president and village council acts as the legislative or policymaking body of the village responsible for making laws, regulations, rules, and policies for the operation of the village government.  The Village Manager is appointed by the village council and serves as the chief administrative officer of the village governnment responsible for the efficient and effective daily operations of the village in accordance with Sec. 65.8 of the Michigan General Law Village Act, Sec. 2-46 through Sec. 2-54 of the village code of ordinances, Village Manager job description, Village Manager employment agreement, and state law and the local ordinances, rules, regulations, and policies duly adopted by the village council.  The village's organizational chart illustrates the relationship between the village council, Village Manager, departments, and boards and commissions.

About Our Village Manager

Village Manager Darwin McClary joined Stockbridge's management team on April 28, 2022.  He possesses more than 30 years of Michigan municipal management experience, administering communities with populations as small as 1,200 residents and as large as 34,000 residents.  He earned his Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in human services with a concentration in public administration from Siena Heights University and a Master of Public Administration IMPA) degree from Golden Gate University.

Darwn is a professinal member of the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), Michigan Municipal Executives (MME), Michigan Public Employer Labor Relations Association (MPELRA), and Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM).  He is a strong advocate for, and strictly adheres to, the ICMA Professional Code of Ethics.  He also passionately believes in his Organizational Values for Municipal Excellence in fulfilling his responsibilities to manage the village government and deliver high quality, cost effective municipal services to citizens, businesses, and visitors.  He strives to maintain openness, transparency, and robust public engagement in government decision making, and he understands that effective public service requires an unwavering commitment to maintaining the public's trust.

Darwin was born and raised in the Detroit metropolitan area and is proud to call Michigan "home".  Both sides of his family settled in Michigan in the 1850s, and his family roots extend back to Massachusetts in the 1630s.  He is married and has four sons and one grandson.  In his spare time, Darwin enjoys camping, hiking, biking, swimming, fishing, canoeing/kayaking, traveling, visiting historic places and old cemeteries, working on family history research, and ESPECIALLY spending time with his family.

After-Hours Appointments

The Village Manager welcomes the opportunity to meet with citizens and business owners and offers convenient after-hour opportunities to meet on weekdays from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM by appointment.  You can also reach Darwin at (517) 851-7055 to leave a message.  We look forward to assisting you!