Curious. Critical. Intellectually honest.
These are just a few of the superlatives you’ll hear when talking about longtime Royal Oak City Commissioners Shar Douglas and Melanie Macey. And with good reason: their time spent on the Commission is just a part of each woman’s storied life of service.
On Monday evening, Douglas and Macey closed out their terms to a full house in Council Chambers. The final meeting of the 52nd Royal Oak City Commission included applause, a few tears, and multiple recognitions and tributes—including proclamations for Douglas and Macey from the City, Congresswoman Hayley Stevens and the 119th US Congress, Natalie Price on behalf of Governor Whitmer and the State of Michigan, and the Oakland County Board of Commissioners.
“This position is one that is meant to be given up eventually, to give breath to new voices and experiences,” said City Commissioner Monica Hunt. “But these women are the best of Royal Oak, and they will truly be missed.”
A Planning Mastermind and Champion for Older Adults
Douglas’s introduction to public service began long before she held the Commissioner office. A longtime Board Member and past President of the Michigan Association of Planning, she got her start on the Royal Oak Planning Commission in 2005. For nine years, she advised on matters of development and urban planning, supporting the city in its era of steady, strategic growth.
Douglas said that she began to feel the call to a higher level of service. “I had spent years reviewing and implementing policy… it dawned on me that I was ready to start creating the policies,” she said.
Douglas was elected to the City Commission in 2013 and has served ever since, providing leadership to more than a dozen committees—ranging from Downtown Redevelopment Board and Environmental Advisory Board to City School Liaison and Downtown Park Task Force—and leaving her mark on projects that will impact the city for years to come.
“Shar’s skill and knowledge of planning are immeasurable, and her work on the 2050 Master Land Use Plan really showed me how impactful a Commissioner can be,” said City Commissioner Becca Cheezum. “She is a huge part of Royal Oak’s transformation in walkability, housing, and design.”
Hunt added, “Shar knew every single thing about that plan; as an incoming Commissioner I read the entire Master Plan, and I still didn't know it as well as her.”
Royal Oak’s Master Plan was unanimously approved by the Commission in May of this year, following four years of robust research and planning and more than 5,000 community engagement touchpoints. The Plan has been lauded for its ambitious goals of increasing mobility, preserving neighborhoods, increasing housing diversity and supply, growing transportation centers, and advancing sustainability priorities.
Douglas said that while planning is her passion and the Master Plan was an incredibly gratifying project, she’s most proud of her work on the City’s Aging in Place plan—a comprehensive guide to improving the city’s spaces, places, and services for an aging community.
“It’s simple,” said Douglas. “Our community’s older adults must feel safe, empowered, engaged, and taken care of.”
With such a community-centered perspective, it should come as no surprise that, when asked about what’s next, Douglas focused not on herself but on the city she loves. She outlined her plans for expanding the efforts of the Royal Oak Civic Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to philanthropic giving to the city’s people, groups, and initiatives with the most need. Douglas was instrumental in starting the Foundation and now serves as a Trustee.
“Shar is an example of someone doing success the right way,” said Royal Oak Mayor Mike Fournier. “She looks at every issue with sound reasoning and judgment, does the work of asking questions and gathering facts, and is willing to change her opinion if the situation merits. She’s intellectually honest.”
Douglas expressed her gratitude her colleagues and the community, capping her remarks with a message for women. "I've learned that women often run for office because someone suggested that they should... this was the case for me," she said. "So now I’m here asking every woman who’s listening, who’s never thought of it, to think about a leadership role, to start the journey. Join a city committee, volunteer with campaigns, get ready to run, and get ready to win."
A Heart for Community—and a Penchant for Questions
Macey entered public office in 2017 with a clear vision: a city with shared community spaces where neighbors could connect, with families of all kinds thriving side by side, and with a civic process that genuinely welcomes every voice. With a background as an attorney and a passion for equity, she approached the role with clarity, rigor, and heart.
The word heart is purposeful; when Macey’s colleagues speak about her, it’s an oft-mentioned word.
“There is a special place in my heart for Melanie,” Fournier said. “Her compassion and empathy are endless.”
Hunt echoed the sentiment: “Melanie’s heart leads her every direction, every decision,” she said. “I’ve always appreciated the thoughtfulness that she puts into everything. I strive to be her on Commission.”
Fournier describes Macey’s role on the Commission as just one example in a life dedicated to public service. She is a tireless advocate for voting rights and the protection of free and
fair elections. In her professional role as Policy and Government Affairs Director for Promote the Vote, she has worked at the forefront of securing and expanding voter access across Michigan, ensuring that the tenets of State Proposal 2-2022, which made voting easier and more accessible, are implemented.
Perhaps even more notably, Macey is known for volunteerism and community service—from supporting local schools and managing fundraising efforts to helping with church activities and community events.
“Melanie is the first one to step in when nobody else will,” Fournier said. “Actually, she’s the first to step in even if others will. I’ve always been awestruck by her humility and capacity for giving.”
Affectionately referred to as “the question Commissioner,” Macey is known for her direct, incisive approach—asking the tough questions, seeking clarity, and offering a critical lens that elevates every discussion.
“Melanie is both an engineer and a lawyer, which is unique combination,” Fournier said. “She’s the rare individual who uses both sides of her brain, which makes her curious, inquisitive, and critical. She has an incredible set of values and she never compromises them.”
Following a series of heartfelt goodbyes from her fellow Commissioners, Macey summed up her experience by thanking the community. "I'm grateful to the residents of Royal Oak for entrusting me with this position for eight years," she said. "One of the best things about being a Commissioner has been meeting so many humans who are living, working, and playing here in Royal Oak, and are invested in it being the best city to do those things."
As the final meeting of the 52nd Commission came to a close and the 53rd Commission—including reelected Mayor Fournier and Commissioner Brandon Kolo along with newly elected Commissioners Woody Gontina and Paul Bastian—assembled to take their oaths of office, Fournier shared a final sentiment that perfectly encapsulated Douglas's and Macey's years of service.
"Commissioners Macey and Douglas have set a bar so high, I’m not sure there’s a metaphorical ladder high enough to reach it."