Richard Carlson Announces Candidacy for Mayor of Ferrysburg
April 26, 2023
Richard Carlson, current Ferrysburg City Council Member, today announced his candidacy for Mayor of Ferrysburg. Carlson is a community leader with a proven track record of fiscal responsibility, engaging with citizens to help solve problems, and nature conservation.
“I am running for Mayor because I believe Ferrysburg is
a wonderful place to live,” said Carlson. “I have had the honor of serving on Ferrysburg City Council since 2017, and during that time, I have worked hard to make our city government function more effectively, efficiently, and transparently while listening to the desires of our citizens.”
Carlson’s experience on Ferrysburg City Council includes serving as the council liaison to Kitchel-Lindquist Dunes, a vital natural area in the city. As the current council representative on the Planning Commission, he has been instrumental in shaping Ferrysburg’s future, working closely with city staff and community members to develop sound land-use policies that balance growth and preservation. Carlson was inspired to run for City Council in 2017 after becoming involved in the “Save Our Parks” citizens group. He was instrumental in the grassroots ballot initiative that safeguarded the sale of city parks, which passed by an overwhelming 81%. At the time, the “Save Our Parks” citizens group clashed with an uncooperative City Council because the City Council refused to comply with citizens’ requests to put the parks proposal on the ballot. As a City Council member, Carlson collaborated with the Ferrysburg City Manager, bridge engineers and the grassroots group “Citizens to Save Smith’s Bridge” (a group he would join himself) to get a second bridge inspection which resulted in the successful reopening of Smith’s Bridge. Carlson also recently supported an ethics ordinance brought to the council at the request of citizens. Prior City Council members had ignored citizens’ requests to create and implement a similar policy.
“I believe that Ferrysburg’s future is bright, but we need to work together to make it happen,” said Carlson. “As Mayor, I will be a strong community liaison, building bridges between city hall and our neighborhoods and businesses. I will strive to create a transparent city government that is accessible and responsive to citizens. I will also be a responsible steward of our natural resources, protecting our natural areas and parks, ensuring that future generations can enjoy them as we do today.”
Carlson’s campaign will focus on uniting Ferrysburg around common goals, such as maintaining city infrastructure and spending money on the priorities of the people, all while maintaining the lowest property taxes in the Tri-Cities.
“I am excited to launch my campaign for Mayor of Ferrysburg and look forward to meeting with residents, business owners, and community leaders to listen to their concerns and ideas,” said Carlson. “With your support, we can build a Ferryburg government that is responsive to the people and focuses on the priorities of our citizens.”
