ST. JOSEPH, Mich – A new Director of Public Safety and Assistant City Manager were appointed in St. Joseph Michigan to replace Brian Uridge who abruptly resigned from the positions.

Uridge who held the position since 2016 is resigning to return to the “private sector and private life," according to the resignation letter he sent to St. Joseph City Manager Joseph Hodgson.

The resignation was effective immediately.

Hodgson says he hopes the change leads to improvements.

“I had some concerns that I needed more communication from the Public Safety Department in order to be able to be able to do my job as the City Manager” Hodgson said.

At Monday night’s St. Joseph City Commission meeting Steve Neubecker and Tom MacDonald were appointed to temporarily fill the Public Safety Director and Assistant City Manager position.

A search will begin to permanently fill both positions.