City Council Candidates Share Vision for Milan, The Sun Times News

Elections 2023: 6 candidates vie for 3 seats on Milan City Council

Jesse previously served on the Milan City Council. 

Supports aggressive pursuit of grants to fund projects, reducing reliance on incentives for business growth.

Supports aggressively pursuing grants to fund projects and reducing reliance on incentives for business growth.

- Supports aggressively pursuing grants to fund projects and reducing reliance on incentives for business growth.

Economy

Supports using the master plan and collaborating with residents to address affordable housing, transportation, and accessibility issues.

Believes in following the master plan and collaborating with residents to address affordable housing, transportation, and accessibility issues.

- Believes in following the master plan and collaborating with residents to address affordable housing, transportation, and accessibility issues.

Housing & Urban Development

As of August 14, 2025, Jesse Robert Nie did not have a website or any information online.

Public Safety

Healthcare

Public Services

Energy & the Environment

Prioritizes improving roads and water infrastructure.

Holds road and water infrastructure as a top priority.

Supports balancing infrastructure needs with community goals.

- Holds road and water infrastructure as a top priority.
- Supports balancing infrastructure needs with community goals.

Transportation & Infrastructure

Jesse Robert Nie

Believes the current mayor's actions have led to "negative repercussions" and lawsuits, and removing him will prevent further legal issues and protect "hard-working taxpayers' money."

Believes preventing further lawsuits is crucial and can be achieved by removing the current mayor.

Jesse previously served on the Milan City Council but is not seeking reelection this year.

Buket Urgen

Facebook

Christian Thompson is from Milan, where he still lives today. He studied at the University of Wyoming. He has a son. 

Kolar easily defeats Gilson for Milan Mayor

Christian previously served on the Milan City Council from 2014 to 2018. 

As of August 14, 2025, Christian Thompson did not have a website or any information online.

Christian Thompson

Linkedin

All Open Seats Contested in Upcoming Milan Elections; Library ...

Connie Harrison holds a bachelor's degree in literature and history from Eastern Michigan University, a master's of business administration degree from Cleary University, and a master's degree in library and information science from Wayne State University. She has 2 sons. She served as a board trustee with the Greater Milan Area Community Foundation. 

Connie works as a teacher assistant at Milan Area Schools. She previously worked as a program project manager at Allied Vaughn, a content management group. 

Connie's campaign for Milan City Council Member is her first entry into politics.

Supports property tax reduction abatements.

Wants to address stagnant population growth and tax base by collaborating with neighborhoods, townships, and regions to create a growth plan.

Said, "I would ensure that Milan is in a good fiscal position while addressing services it delivers are managed using a balanced scorecard to measure and identify deliverable services at a good price, maintaining sound financial positions, and that funding mechanisms are identified to be applied responsibly."

Pledges to ensure Milan remains in strong financial position by using a balanced scorecard to evaluate services, maintain fair pricing, uphold fiscal responsibility, and identify sustainable funding sources.

Supports identifying neighborhoods for improvement or expansion to increase affordable housing.

- Supports property tax reduction abatements.
- Wants to address stagnant population growth and tax base by collaborating with neighborhoods, townships, and regions to create a growth plan.
- Pledges to ensure Milan remains in strong financial position by using a balanced scorecard to evaluate services, maintain fair pricing, uphold fiscal responsibility, and identify sustainable funding sources.
- Supports identifying neighborhoods for improvement or expansion to increase affordable housing.

Wants to "grow and diversify our tax base by attracting the right large/medium-sized companies to open or expand in Milan."

Wants to expand and diversify the local tax base by attracting quality large and medium-sized companies to the area. 

Supports hosting town hall meetings to gather public input on revising the city master plan to address affordable housing, transportation, and accessibility issues.

Supports town hall meetings to gather public input on revising the city master plan to address affordable housing, transportation, and accessibility issues.

Supports regional collaboration with townships, greater Milan, and SE Michigan to address population, mobility, and commerce growth.

Supports regional collaboration with nearby townships to address population, mobility, and commerce growth.

Said, "I will strive to protect the smalltown character of Milan, preserve its agricultural heritage, and continue to promote its historic “place” in history as a Ford Industry Village."

Wants to protect Milan’s small-town character, preserve its agricultural heritage, and promote its "historic identity as a Ford Industry Village."

- Wants to expand and diversify the local tax base by attracting quality large and medium-sized companies to the area. 
- Supports town hall meetings to gather public input on revising the city master plan to address affordable housing, transportation, and accessibility issues.
- Supports regional collaboration with nearby townships to address population, mobility, and commerce growth.
- Wants to protect Milan’s small-town character, preserve its agricultural heritage, and promote its "historic identity as a Ford Industry Village."

As of August 14, 2025, Connie Harrison did not have a website or any information online.

Supports measures that study regional transportation for Milan citizens.

- Supports measures that study regional transportation for Milan citizens.

LinkedIn

Connie Harrison

Connie Harrison's campaign for Milan City Council Member is her first entry into politics.

Marie Gress is from Milan, Michigan. She holds a bachelor's degree in social works from Calvin University and a master's degree in social work from Eastern Michigan University. She currently lives with her husband, Evan, and their son in Meadowbrook. She served as vice-chair of the Washtenaw County Commission on Aging and helped launch Fieldstone Church. 

Marie works as an executive director of WESTERN-WASHTENAW AREA VALUE EXPRESS (WAVE) and is the founder of Kovir LLC. She also works as a Lecture at The University of Michigan's School of Social Work and Eastern Michigan University.  

Marie Gress's campaign for Milan City Council Member is her first entry into politics. 

Believes Milan needs to improve its financial situation.

Believes in seeking additional funding opportunities by building relationships with potential funders and assisting in writing grant requests.

As a state representative, secured an $8 million state earmark for the Dexter Senior Center and Dexter Schools to purchase the local wellness center and build a new age-friendly senior center.

As a state representative, secured a $10 million federal earmark for Goodwill of Delaware to build a workforce development center.

- Believes Milan needs to improve its financial situation.
- Believes in seeking additional funding opportunities by building relationships with potential funders and assisting in writing grant requests.
- As a state representative, secured an $8 million state earmark for the Dexter Senior Center and Dexter Schools to purchase the local wellness center and build a new age-friendly senior center.
- As a state representative, secured a $10 million federal earmark for Goodwill of Delaware to build a workforce development center.

Supports increasing housing availability.

Wants to increase housing availability and improve the quality of existing housing and sidewalks. 

- Wants to increase housing availability and improve the quality of existing housing and sidewalks. 

As of August 14, 2025, Marie Gress’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Believes that "progress on building more positive relationships with funders, contractors, and neighbors brings more opportunities to our doorstep."

Believes relationships are important, saying "progress on building more positive relationships with funders, contractors, and neighbors brings more opportunities to our doorstep."

Plans to expand communication channels between the city council and the public.

- Believes relationships are important, saying "progress on building more positive relationships with funders, contractors, and neighbors brings more opportunities to our doorstep."
- Plans to expand communication channels between the city council and the public.

Supports progress on road improvements and better communication about road projects.

Wants more progress on road improvements and better communication about road projects.

Believes public transportation options can enhance chances of receiving financial assistance for state and federal housing development programs.

- Wants more progress on road improvements and better communication about road projects.
- Believes public transportation options can enhance chances of receiving financial assistance for state and federal housing development programs.

Marie Gress

- Plans to expand communication channels between the city council and the public.

Marie Gress is from Milan, Michigan. She lives with her husband, Evan, and their son, Lennox, in Meadowbrook. During that time, they also helped launch Fieldstone Church.

As of August 14, 2025, Marie Gress did not have a website or any information online.

Supports the development of public services.

Dr. Shannon Dare Wayne | Michigan Tech Board of Trustees

Shannon Dare Wayne holds a bachelor's and master's degree in industrial management and a master's degree in business administration from Lawrence Technological University. She also has a doctorate degree in industrial engineering from Wayne State University. She serves as chair of the the Industry Advisory Board of the Department of Mechanical, Robotics, & Industrial Engineering at Lawrence Technological University.

Gov. Whitmer makes appointments to MTU, NMU Board of Trustees

Shannon is a global quality manager at Ford Motor Company. She also serves as an adjunct professor at Lawrence Technological University. 

Shannon is currently a council member and the Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Milan. She was elected in 2021 and is serving her first term.

As of August 14, 2025, Shannon Dare Wayne did not have a website or any information online.

Shannon Dare Wayne

- City council members in Michigan help make city-level laws, approve budgets, and oversee city services to serve the community’s needs. 
- Council members attend regular meetings, listen to public concerns, and vote on city issues like zoning, public safety, and spending. They also appoint and direct officials, like the city manager.
- City council members may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. They may represent either the whole city or residents of a specific district. 
- Terms for city council members often last two or four years, depending on the city.