Marne McGrath hung up the phone with a friend who was a predecessor during her days as deputy clerk in Ferndale, Michigan. Her friend, originally from Florida and now an Ormond Beach resident, noticed a job posting for village clerk.
She told McGrath of the opportunity. McGrath put in her resume and application. Months passed by and she didn’t hear anything. McGrath ended up visiting her friend in Ormond Beach, and the two decided it was time to take a road trip to the Keys.
“We stayed on a houseboat to experience something different,” she said. “In the days I was here, coincidentally we were at Treasure Harbor Resort & Marina, the village got a hold of me and I came in for an interview. They liked me and I liked them.”
April 18 was McGrath’s first day as Islamorada village clerk. She fills a position that was formerly held by Kelly Toth, who retired last December. Stephanie Conde, who’s currently deputy clerk, served as acting village clerk between Toth’s departure and McGrath’s arrival.
McGrath comes to Islamorada with a wealth of experience and accolades during her time with the city of Ferndale, a diverse inner-ring suburb of Detroit. She served as deputy clerk for six years before moving up to clerk. She worked in that position for seven years. She called Ferndale home for some 20 years.
McGrath did everything from legislative administration and election administration to records management and agenda development. She was a member of the Michigan Association of Municipal Clerks before recently switching over to join the Florida Association of City Clerks. In addition, she’s a member of the International Institute of Municipal Clerks and received the master municipal clerk designation, and she’s certified as a master municipal clerk.
. She was also appointed a member of the Oakland County Safe, Healthy and Secure Elections Advisory Council in 2020 by the board of county commissioners. In her role, she advised the board on protocols and initiatives to host safe and secure elections during August and November 2020.
“It was quite an honor to be selected for that,” she said.
In her first couple weeks, McGrath said she’s enjoying the job and working alongside supportive coworkers. She said she feels welcome and part of the team at village hall.
“I love working with these people and it’s a good group of dedicated public servants,” she said. “That’s what I always strive to be. We have a lot of good people doing a lot of under-the-radar work, and we work together well. I’m very pleased that I ended up here.”
In Ferndale, McGrath spent a portion of her time giving back to the community. She worked at the farm animal sanctuary and with the sex assault prevention team to do a Take Back the Night at the University of Michigan. She was also a member of the Detroit Women’s Chorus.
Now, McGrath is getting outside to enjoy every sunset she can. She’s spent time learning how to snorkel, and she’s exploring the community with her new bicycle.
“I’m trying to do all sorts of new things like kayaking,” she said. “Every day I find a new reason that solidifies the fact that I made the right decision to come down. I’m excited to be here and I love the community.”
