Matt Tortorice Mayor of Margaret

Last night’s City Council meeting was difficult. But what happened during and after the meeting may say more about where we are as a city than anything that appeared on the agenda. During the work session, residents confronted members of the council directly about their actions. For much of that discussion, council members chose not…

Recent news reports have focused on Councilman Jonathan Ray’s conduct following a City Council meeting – and they should. But if the public’s attention stops with one councilman, the larger problem will escape accountability. What you see and hear in the video is not one elected official operating in complete isolation. Other members of the…

You Cannot Refuse the Email, the Device and the Packet-Then Claim Nobody Communicated I have tried more approaches than I can count to resolve the disagreements within this Council and prevent our City government from descending into the spectacle the public has witnessed. I tried reasonable solutions and, at times, solutions that required more patience…

The FY2027 proposed budget is about protecting the progress Margaret has made and making responsible decisions about what comes next. 2026 was a year of catching up. The City faced unexpected expenses and needs that, in my view, should have been addressed through better planning. We also had accumulated reserves. Those reserves give us an…

Transparency, Special Meetings and Margaret’s Financial Position I want to give everyone an update on what has happened over the last 24 hours, but I also want to put it into the larger context of where Margaret stands financially and where I believe our attention needs to be as we prepare the next City budget.…

The City of Margaret currently has a vacancy in the position of City Clerk. Before anything else is said about what comes next, I want to say thank you to Tabitha for the time she spent serving our city and helping keep City Hall moving forward. She stepped into an important role during a period…

A six-year review of audited revenue, spending and utility operations An annual audit is different from a budget. A budget is the City’s financial plan for the coming year. It estimates how much revenue the City expects to receive and authorizes how much may be spent. An audit looks backward. It reports what was actually…

Since taking office, I have tried to keep the City Council informed through regular Mayor’s Updates, financial reports, project summaries and supporting documents. I am combining those updates into one public document because I believe residents should be able to see what information has been provided, when it was provided and how the City’s financial…

Over the past few weeks, I’ve talked with quite a lot of folks about the upcoming school millage, and I wanted to take a few minutes to explain it the way I understand it. My hope is that everyone – whether you support it or oppose it – can make an informed decision based on…