Eight running for seven seats on Southgate City Council – The News ...

Phillip has worked as a playground leader for the Southgate Parks and Recreation Department.

Phillip is currently a member of the Southgate City Council. He has served on the council for 14 years and previously served as council president from 2009 to 2011.

Said, "I don’t really have an agenda, but I feel as a councilman, I need to help keep the city budget on track, keep the city moving in the right direction and being fiscally responsible when the time comes to vote on important issues."

Said, "We need to find a way to bring new revenue into the city to continue the level of services offered... I think we need to consider other avenues that are legal in the state, but the council and administration has previously turned down."

- Said, "I don’t really have an agenda, but I feel as a councilman, I need to help keep the city budget on track, keep the city moving in the right direction and being fiscally responsible when the time comes to vote on important issues."
- Said, "We need to find a way to bring new revenue into the city to continue the level of services offered... I think we need to consider other avenues that are legal in the state, but the council and administration has previously turned down."

Economy

As of August 12, 2025, Phillip Rauch did not have a website or any information online.

Housing & Urban Development

Public Safety

Healthcare

Supports public-private partnerships, citing Market Center Park as a successful example.

- Supports public-private partnerships, citing Market Center Park as a successful example.

Public Services

Energy & the Environment

Transportation & Infrastructure

Phillip Rauch

Phillip Rauch is a public servant and community advocate. He previously worked as a playground leader for the Southgate Parks and Recreation Department.

Walter Ley

Buket Urgen

Facebook

Adriene lives in Southgate with his wife, Briana, and their four children.

LinkedIn

Ballotpedia - Adriene Price

Adriene's campaign for Southgate City Council is his first entry into politics.

As of August 12, 2025, Adriene Price did not have a website or any information online.

Adriene Price

Adriene's campaign for Southgate City Council At-large is her first entry into politics.

Adriene's campaign for Southgate City Council is her first entry into politics.

Adriene is a registered nurse at Beaumont Health.

Councilman Christian Graziani

Christian is from Southgate, Michigan and attended Southgate Anderson High School. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Voters in Southgate to decide which seven candidates to place on ...

Christian is currently a member of the Southgate City Council. He was elected in 2021 and is serving his first term.

Believes promoting favorable commercial opportunities, such as reduced property taxes and grants, will attract businesses to the city.

- Believes promoting favorable commercial opportunities, such as reduced property taxes and grants, will attract businesses to the city.

Believes Southgate should redevelop obsolete commercial buildings into condominiums and rezone underutilized areas for housing to attract "respectable developers" and businesses.

- Believes Southgate should redevelop obsolete commercial buildings into condominiums and rezone underutilized areas for housing to attract "respectable developers" and businesses.

As of August 12, 2025, Christian Graziani did not have a website or any information online.

Christian Graziani

Christian Graziani is from Southgate, Michigan. He has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan - Dearborn and a Juris Doctor degree with honors from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. He lives in Southgate.

Supports redeveloping obsolete commercial buildings into condominiums and housing units.

Edward Gawlik Jr. appointed to Southgate City Council

Edward has lived in Southgate for 38 years. He has volunteered for the Southgate school band boosters and the Gibraltar Food Pantry. 



Edward is retired. He previously worked at Speedway Convenience Stores for 42 years as a store manager, human resources consultant, auditor and multi-unit district manager. 

Councilman Colovos - Ed Gawlik Jr.

Edward is currently a member of the Southgate City Council. He was appointed in 2024 and is serving his first term. Before his appointment to the council, Edward served for 12 years on the Southgate Community School District Board of Education, where he was the board’s president for five of those years. He also served for six years on the City Planning Commission, where he was chair for three years.

As of August 12, 2025, Edward J. Gawlik, Jr. did not have a website or any information online.

Edward J. Gawlik, Jr.

Edward is currently a member of the Southgate City Council. He was appointed in 2024 to fill the position vacated by Bill Colovos’ recent resignation. Before his appointment to the council, Edward served for 12 years on the Southgate Community School District Board of Education, where he was the board’s president for five of those years. He also served for six years on the City Planning Commission, where he was chair for three years.

Councilwoman Karen George

Karen George is from Southgate, Michigan. She has an associate's degree from Washtenaw Community College, a bachelor's degree from Wayne State University, and a master's degree from Wayne State University. She attends Gateway Church of Christ in Southgate. She lives with her husband and their three children in Southgate.

Karen previously served on the Southgate City Council from 1983 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2021. She is currently a member of the Southgate City Council. 

Supports bringing new businesses into the city and hosting new events to boost the economy.

- Supports bringing new businesses into the city and hosting new events to boost the economy.

As of August 12, 2025, Karen E. George did not have a website or any information online.

Karen E. George

Karen George is from Southgate, Michigan. She has an associate's degree from Washtenaw Community College, a bachelor's degree from Wayne State University, and a master's degree from Wayne State University. She attends Gateway Church of Christ in Southgate. She lives with her husband, Michael George, Jr., and their three children in Southgate.

Supports community engagement through sports, having sponsored girls' softball and managed men's senior citizen softball teams.

Priscilla Ayres-Reiss has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Wayne State University. She lives in Southgate.

Pricilla is a program financial control analyst for Ford Motor Company. she previously worked as a business analyst for General Motors, an IT coordinator for IAC Group, and in various positions with Comerica Bank.

Priscilla is currently a city council member for Southgate. She was elected in 2023 and is serving her first term.

As of August 12, 2025, Priscilla Ayras-Reiss did not have a website or any information online.

As a council member, I will continue to work aggressively with the Public Safety and Recreation commissions to address issues important to our community.

- As a council member, I will continue to work aggressively with the Public Safety and Recreation commissions to address issues important to our community.

Believes in transparency and communication between the council and citizens.

- Believes in transparency and communication between the council and citizens.

Supports maintaining and improving infrastructure and having transparent communication with residents.

Supports maintaining and improving infrastructure.

- Supports maintaining and improving infrastructure.

Priscilla Ayras-Reiss

Priscilla previously ran for one of the seven seats on the Southgate City Council in 2021 but did not win.

Supports maintaining and improving infrastructure, and retaining and attracting businesses.

Plans to work with citizens and business owners to enhance Southgate's appeal and encourage community engagement in local resolutions.

Victoria Araj joins Southgate City Council

Victoria is a lifelong Southgate resident. She received a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University and a master's degree in public administration from the University of Michigan. She has served on the Southgate Historical Commission, and as the president of her neighborhood’s homeowner’s association. She is a member of St. Pius parish, where she has served as a lector, on the parish council, as a catechist, and on the financial committee.

Victoria is the senior director and managing editor for Freedom Mortgage and owns a small business. She previously worked at Quicken Loans/Rocket Mortgage for 19 years.

Southgate City Council

Victoria is currently a member of the Southgate City Council. She was appointed in 2024 and is serving her first term.

As of August 12, 2025, Victoria Araj did not have a website or any information online.

Supports the Code Red community notification program, which provides alerts and safety information via text or email.

- Supports the Southgate Fire Department.
- Supports the Code Red community notification program, which provides alerts and safety information via text or email.

Encouraged residents to complete the City of Southgate Master Plan survey, which includes traffic and transit.

Emphasized resident input for the City of Southgate Master Plan survey, which includes traffic and transit.

- Emphasized resident input for the City of Southgate Master Plan survey, which includes traffic and transit.

Victoria Araj

Victoria is currently a member of the Southgate City Council. 

Zoey is a lifelong resident of Southgate and attended Southgate Anderson High School. She has a bachelor’s degree and master's degree from Ferris State University. 

Zoey works as an information security analyst at Belle Tire.

Zoey is currently the president of the Southgate City Council. She was elected in 2021 and is serving her first term.

As of August 12, 2025, Zoey Kuspa did not have a website or any information online.

Supports strong enforcement of property maintenance rules to protect neighborhoods, business districts, and property values.

- Supports strong enforcement of property maintenance rules to protect neighborhoods, business districts, and property values.

Supports efforts to maintain a balanced budget.

- Supports efforts to maintain a balanced budget.

Zoey Kuspa

Zoey is a lifelong resident of Southgate. She has a bachelor’s degree in information security and intelligence from Ferris State University. She attended Southgate Anderson High School.

Supports stronger enforcement of city ordinances and better education for residents and business owners on property maintenance to improve neighborhood quality and property values.

- 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.