Nickels not running for Ypsilanti City Council

By Bill Nickels
Apr. 12, 2010    ·    3:17 a.m.

The citizens of Ward 2—Normal Park and College Heights—will elect one of their two council persons in the August primary and November election this year. Having served in this capacity for 12 years, I am not going to seek re-election.

Feelings of accomplishments during these 12 years have been very rewarding for me. The first Living Wage Ordinance, weekly recycling, council protocol, keeping College Place in front of Pease Auditorium open, zoning enforcement along Washtenaw Avenue, the uniform Residential Parking Permit Program, down zoning in Midtown and saving the Starkweather House are issues that I worked on and now find gratifying.

Two disappointments mark my twelve years. Our unsuccessful attempt to redevelop Water Street is my major disappointment. A three-year attempt to restore the generating capacity of the Peninsular Dam and become profitable for the city is my second disappointment. Knowing that government sometimes works slowly but does work, there is still hope for both unfinished projects.

Shortly after I first got elected in 1998, cuts were necessary to keep revenues in line with expenses. I thank City Manager Koryzno for his low profiled outstanding management during these difficult economic times, City Clerk McMullan for bringing stability to our Clerk's Office and our city staff for their professional service. Most of all, I thank the voters of Ward 2 for electing me three times.

Eleven years and five months are complete. I look forward to seven more months of accomplishments and, like many of our citizens, service as a community volunteer after November.

Sincerely,
Bill Nickels
Ypsilanti City Council, D-Ward 2