Retired mayor honored by league
Retired longtime Utica Mayor Jacqueline Noonan has been honored by the Michigan Municipal League with the organization’s highest individual honor — the Honorary Life Membership Award.
Noonan received the recognition this week in conjunction with the release of a tribute video and a podcast conversation about her work on behalf of Michigan’s communities. The video celebration and podcast are being done in place of an in-person awards gala that was cancelled due to COVID-19-related safety measures.
Noonan retired in 2016 after 28 years as mayor of the city of Utica. She was the longest serving mayor in the city’s history and was the first woman to hold the position when she was first elected mayor in 1987. She previously served on the city council from 1981 to 1985.
“Mayor Noonan was an exceptional mayor and is more than deserving of the League’s Honorary Life Membership,” said Sterling Heights City Manager Mark Vanderpool, whose community borders Utica. “Utica experienced numerous transformational changes under her leadership, and I was honored to be able to work with her on multiple efforts involving both of our communities over the years.”
Known as the “architect of Utica’s rebirth,” Noonan served 14 terms as mayor and first ran for office to modernize the city in every way possible. She played an integral role in nearly all of the city’s major projects, including helping establish a new minor league ballpark in the city’s downtown district, overseeing the construction of hiking and biking trails, having basket-hanging flowers downtown, the widening of M-59, reconstruction of Van Dyke Road, the hiring of a professional planner, resurfacing nearly every city street, and establishing a Downtown Development Authority.
She also focused on bringing city hall up to date in multiple areas, such as computerizing city offices, updating the criteria for filling vacant positions, revising the city’s Master Land Use Plan, and updating employee job descriptions. Noonan also is a retired high school teacher who taught French and social studies.
Getting the Honorary Life Membership Award from the League is very meaningful, Noonan said.
“It’s hard to describe how much this award means to me,” Noonan said. “Over the years I have always said the Michigan Municipal League was the preeminent statewide organization in helping, inspiring, and informing local leaders. To this day, it has only increased my admiration and my appreciation for MML, its staff, and all its members. Thank you for this incredible honor.”