Another candidate has entered the race to become the next Mayor of Ypsilanti. Former Ypsilanti City Councilwoman Anne Brown becomes the second to announce a bid to succeed current and outgoing Mayor Amanda Edmonds. Democratic 2nd Ward city councilwoman Beth Bashert announced her candidacy prior to Edmonds announcing her decision not to seek a second term in office.

Brown was appointed to City Council in December of 2014 after councilwoman Susan Moeller resigned. She served until the end of the term in 2016. Brown then ran for the 54th district seat in the State House of Representatives in 2016 but lost in the primary to fellow Democrat, Ronnie Peterson.

In her campaign announcement, Brown listed several priorities if elected Mayor. Among them, developing the Water Street property, enhancing relations with Eastern Michigan University, getting the Amtrak station up and running in depot town and highlighting Ypsilanti’s leadership as Michigan’s Solar Power City.

The Primary election is scheduled for August 7th, and the winner of the democratic primary is likely to be unopposed in the November general election.

The Press Release From Anne Brown:

ANNE BROWN ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR MAYOR OF YPSILANTI

Today, I am pleased to announce that I am running for Mayor of the City of Ypsilanti, because I believe leadership and representation matter. The pillars of representative government are transparency, accountability, responsibility and growth for the community. As a former Ypsilanti councilmember, I gained the knowledge and experience to understand the complexities of local government and the need for community voices at the table. Residents and business owners are stakeholders and partners in everything in which the city engages.

The City of Ypsilanti is a gem we all treasure, but it requires actionable leadership. Leadership that will promote shared goals and values that will establish momentum for several key projects:

Activating the Amtrak station in Depot Town and working to improve regional transit and mobility

Establishing policies with renters, landlords and property managers that enable affordable and safe housing

Creating partnerships across community and government agencies to make our parks and public spaces safer and more family friendly

Developing the Water Street opportunity for the benefit of all residents

Enhancing the relationship with Eastern Michigan University by working on collaborative projects to improve the quality of life

Highlighting Ypsilanti’s leadership as Michigan’s Solar Power City

Working with the County, State and Federal Government to put the City of Ypsilanti on a firmer financial footing

As Mayor, I will work to ensure all funds, are used appropriately, including recent mileages, to address critical issues in our city. I have a strong track record of advocating for and positioning our City as a model for progressive initiatives. As a councilperson I championed and wrote legislation for trail towns, established the sustainability commission, garnered nearly $35,000 from the Michigan Parks and Recreation Association for the, “Come Out and Play Program,” and initiated the sub- committee on Community and Police Relations.

We have a unique opportunity to position Ypsilanti for success and I ask for your support of my candidacy. I will be hosting community conversations for each ward over the next few months. I look forward to meeting with and hearing from you.

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— David Fair is the WEMU News Director and host of Morning Edition on WEMU. You can contact David at 734.487.3363, on twitter @DavidFairWEMU, or email him at dfair@emich.edu