MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - After two years of working in Jackson, Amber Clark has returned to Meridian Township to serve as the Neighborhood and Economic Development Director.

Clark is a Michigan State University Alum with a degree in Communications and Public Relations. Before her work in Jackson, she worked for Consumers Energy and after meeting with the City Manager of Jackson she was recruited to work with them.

"I was doing a community project in Jackson and the City Manager started asking me some questions and said I think you’d be good at working in government and I think you’d be good in community planning and brought me along,” Clark said.

In her new position in Meridian Township, Clark hopes to see the competition of the Village of Okemos and the Village of Haslett, both of which are becoming eyesores.

“People see them all the time, people bike them and traverse all the time and they are the two areas that haven’t seen any development inn quite a long time,” Clark said. “They are becoming an eyesore and are getting underutilized.”

She also hopes to improve relationships in the community and with businesses community.

During our interview, Clark gave an update on a few projects in progress in Meridian Township. Marathon Gas Station on Haslett and Marsh Road has received a demolition permit and will enter into the construction phase soon. The renovations at High Caliber in the Meridian Mall have been completed and the Elevation Phase Apartments on Jolly Road are close to completion but two of the buildings will not be completed until spring.