Plymouth Mayor Kelli Slavik Will Not Run for Re-election
Calling it a “great honor” and an “amazing opportunity,” Plymouth Mayor Kelli Slavik has decided not to run for re-election.
“My youngest will be heading off to college,” says Slavik. “It’s been 20 years and I think I’ve accomplished a couple of big things I wanted to get done and I just want to see what other opportunities are out there.”
Slavik’s 20 years of public service started in the late 1990s when she was first elected to the Plymouth City Council. She served as a council member for eight years before winning the election for mayor in 2006.
Plymouth Mayor Looks Back on Accomplishments
During Slavik’s 12 years as mayor, she pushed the state legislature to get a third lane built for I-494.
Slavik also worked to get a veterans memorial built in the city of Plymouth. Slavik says she will miss being mayor. But she says much has been accomplished thanks to a great city staff.
“The veterans memorial was something that was really important to me, but also getting that third lane on 494,” says Slavik. “We had an army of city council members, former mayors, and our city staff behind us really pushing to get that done in Plymouth.”
Slavik also cites Plymouth being named the No. 1 city in the country by Money Magazine in 2008 as a proud moment for the entire city.
Once she leaves office at the end of the year, Slavik says she’s looking forward to having more time to travel with her husband. She’s also eyeing a run in the Chicago or New York marathons in 2019.
As for the longer term future, the mayor says she does plan to stay engaged in local politics. And she says she may look for opportunities in the health and wellness or medical technology arenas.
Candidates for Mayor Surface
Meantime, names have already popped up as to whom could replace Slavik for mayor. Plymouth City Council Member Jeff Wosje announced Tuesday night he will run for the office. And Judy Johnson, a current Plymouth City Council member and former mayor, is another possibility. Johnson says she will give a run for mayor some thought as well.
