Get to know Ferrysburg council candidate Timothy O'Donnell - Grand Haven Tribune

Tim O'Donnell has an associate's degree in criminal justice. He is the vice president of his church's Deacon Board.

Tim is an emergency medical technician (EMT). He also served on the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary for 15 years as a flotilla commander.

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Tim previously served on the Ferrysburg City Council. He previously ran in the Republican primary for the Ottawa County Board’s 10th District seat in 2012 but did not win. 

Supports developing the Core Commercial Area to increase city revenue.

Supports developing the city's commercial businesses to increase city revenue.

- Supports developing the city's commercial businesses to increase city revenue.

Economy

Housing & Urban Development

As of June 5, 2025, Tim O'Donnell did not have a website or any information online.

Public Safety

Healthcare

Public Services

Energy & the Environment

Transportation & Infrastructure

Education

Tim O'Donnell

Tim O’Donnell is currently Mayor Pro Tem of Ferrysburg, serving on the City Council. He previously sought the Republican nomination for the Ottawa County Board’s 10th District seat in 2012 but was defeated in the primary. O’Donnell is now one of three candidates challenging incumbent Richard Carlson for the at-large, nonpartisan Ferrysburg mayor’s seat in the upcoming election.

As of June 13, 2025, Tim O'Donnell did not have a website or any information online.

Tim O’Donnell is currently Mayor Pro Tem representing Ferrysburg on the City Council. He serves as a councilman in Ferrysburg. Previously, in 2012, he ran in the Republican primary for the 10th District seat on the Ottawa County Board but was not elected.

As of June 12, 2025, Tim O'Donnell did not have a website or any information online.

Buket Urgen

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Jerry Sias was raised in Ferrysburg and has children.

Jerry is a retired electrician and small business owner.

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Jerry is a current city council member for the City of Ferrysburg.

As of June 5, 2025, Jerry Sias did not have a website or any information online.

Grand Haven Tribune

Wants to address the lack of senior services in Ferrysburg, including a medical center, adult daycare, and senior center.

Said, "I believe our new ethics ordinance is a good start, but it can be improved. One thing we need to do is create an Ethics Committee that can weed out all the personal or frivolous complaints before they cost the city attorney fees. Out of all the ethics complaints filed not one was viable."

Supports the city forming "an Ethics Committee that can weed out all the personal or frivolous complaints before they cost the city attorney fees."

Wants to create a Ferrysburg Arts Council to spotlight local artists.

Wants to create a Ferrysburg Arts Council to spotlight local artists and offer residents more access to the waterfront.

- Wants to address the lack of senior services in Ferrysburg, including a medical center, adult daycare, and senior center.
- Supports the city forming "an Ethics Committee that can weed out all the personal or frivolous complaints before they cost the city attorney fees."
- Wants to create a Ferrysburg Arts Council to spotlight local artists and offer residents more access to the waterfront.

Opposes the closure of Smith's Bridge, saying it affected local businesses and emergency vehicles.

Opposed the closure of Smith's Bridge, saying it affected local businesses and emergency vehicles.

- Opposed the closure of Smith's Bridge, saying it affected local businesses and emergency vehicles.

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Jerry Sias

Jerry is a Ferrysburg City Council member for the City of Ferrysburg’s local government. He participates in council meetings to make decisions on infrastructure and policy. For example, he voted to reopen the Smiths Bridge after engineers deemed it safe, citing its impact on emergency response times and local businesses. He also spoke against recent changes to the city’s ethics ordinance, arguing that the previous version offered stronger protections for the community.

Jerry Sias is currently a member of the Ferrysburg City Council. As a councilmember, he cast one of the votes in favor of reopening the bridge at the Jan. 6 meeting and opposed an ethics ordinance amendment, calling it “total garbage” and “rubbish.” He is challenging incumbent Richard Carlson alongside Tim O'Donnell in the race for Ferrysburg Mayor.

As of June 13, 2025, Jerry Sias did not have a website or any information online.

Jerry Sias is a City Council Member for the City of Ferrysburg, where he votes on local projects, public works and city regulations. In his role, he supported reopening Smith’s Bridge after engineers deemed it safe and argued that residents deserved access to the crossing that connects the north and south sides of town. He evaluated inspection reports and backed funding repairs through a city millage or state grants. Sias also debated amendments to the city’s ethics ordinance, publicly opposing changes he considered unnecessary.

Jerry Sias is currently a member of the Ferrysburg City Council. He was elected to that position and has participated in key municipal votes, including supporting the reopening of the Smiths Bridge at a January meeting and expressing opposition to changes in the city’s ethics ordinance.

Jerry Sias is a current city council member for the City of Ferrysburg.

- Opposed the closure of Smith's Bridge, saying it affected local businesses and delayed emergency vehicles.

As of June 12, 2025, Jerry Sias did not have a website or any information online.

Jerry Sias is currently a member of the Ferrysburg City Council representing an at-large, nonpartisan seat that carries a two-year term. He is running for Ferrysburg Mayor in the fall 2025 election, challenging incumbent Richard Carlson.

Opposes the closure of Smith's Bridge, saying it delays emergency vehicles.

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Richard Carlson attended Lake Superior State University and North Central Michigan College. 

Richard worked in technical sales for Donald Engineering Corp.

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Richard Carlson is the current mayor of Ferrysburg. He was first elected as mayor in 2023 and is currently serving his first term. He previously served on the Ferrysburg City Council from 2017 to 2023.

Promises to improve infrastructure while keeping property taxes low.

Said, "To stimulate economic development in Ferrysburg, I will develop a strategic plan to attract new businesses and industries. We can all work together to support our local entrepreneurs and small businesses."

Plans to work with the Grand Haven Area Chamber of Commerce and regional organizations to attract more businesses to Ferrysburg.

- Promises to improve infrastructure while keeping property taxes low.
- Said, "To stimulate economic development in Ferrysburg, I will develop a strategic plan to attract new businesses and industries. We can all work together to support our local entrepreneurs and small businesses."
- Plans to work with the Grand Haven Area Chamber of Commerce and regional organizations to attract more businesses to Ferrysburg.

Promises to maintain the lowest property taxes in the Tri-Cities while improving roads and bridges.

- Promises to maintain the lowest property taxes in the Tri-Cities while improving roads and bridges.

As of June 5, 2025, Richard Carlson did not have a website or any information online.

Supports transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in city government.

- Supports transparency, accountability, and responsiveness in city government.

Supports preserving the natural beauty of the community and prioritizing nature conservation.

- Supports preserving the natural beauty of the community and prioritizing nature conservation.

Supports a long-term maintenance plan prioritizing the worst roads first.

- Supports a long-term maintenance plan prioritizing the worst roads first.

Richard Carlson

As of June 12, 2025, Richard Carlson did not have a website or any information online.

Richard Carlson is from Ferrysburg, Michigan. He attended Lake Superior State University and North Central Michigan College. He works in technical sales for Donald Engineering Corp. Carlson, 62, is a member of the Ferrysburg City Council, having been first elected in 2017.

Richard Carlson is the incumbent Mayor of Ferrysburg and a longtime local officeholder. He has served on the Ferrysburg City Council after being first elected in 2017 and is now seeking re-election as mayor in the Nov. 7 election. The position he holds and is campaigning for is an at-large, nonpartisan two-year term, and he faces challengers Tim O'Donnell and Jerry Sias in his bid to retain the office.

As of June 12, 2025, Richard Carlson’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Richard Carlson is from Ferrysburg, Michigan. He attended North Central Michigan College and Lake Superior State University. Carlson works in technical sales for Donald Engineering Corp. He has served as a member of the Ferrysburg City Council since 2017. He resides in Ferrysburg.

As of June 5, 2025, Richard Carlson’s website did not contain information on this issue.

- A mayor’s job can be different in each city, but they usually make sure city laws are followed, help create and manage the city’s budget, appoint people to boards and committees, and oversee city services like police, fire departments, parks, and public transportation.
- The mayor works with the city council and sometimes helps make decisions by voting.
- They may be elected in partisan elections or nonpartisan elections, depending on the city. 
- They are elected to a two- or four-year term, depending on the city.