MUSKEGON, Mich. — This November, Muskegon neighbors will elect their next mayor. Incumbent Ken Johnson is running against newcomer Bob Garretson.
Whoever is made mayor of Muskegon will help chart the path forward for the city.
I had long conversations with both candidates, highlighting their vision and priorities if elected. Both full length interviews are linked in this article.
“I’m very eager to continue the work that we've been doing," said Ken Johnson. "We've been making really great progress in recent years, but we've got so much more potential to achieve and opportunities to pursue, as well as challenges to overcome.”
“I love Muskegon," said Bob Garretson. "And I know that's an easy answer, but it's a love affair that actually started kind of right here in McLaughlin Park about 18 years ago.”
WATCH: Meet the candidates running for Muskegon mayor
I asked both candidates: What do you see as the most pressing issues facing the city right now, and what would you do to address them?
Johnson: “The city had conducted a housing needs assessment in 2022 which revealed that we needed nearly 3,000 more housing units in the next five years at all price points, from low income to luxury and everything in between, both owner occupied as well as rentals.”
Johnson adds: “We need to look at our natural resources here, locally, particularly surrounding the water, Muskegon Lake, and the waterfront.”
Garretson: “When I talk to the firefighters and the police officers in Muskegon, they feel very stressed just from not having the proper personnel, not being able to feel safe when they go out to make their calls…”
Garretson adds: “When I listen to folks, when I go and sit in their living rooms or sit on their porches, there's a feeling that we've been concentrating on low income housing and the lake, and I think what we need to do is broaden that out.”
Closing out our conversations, I asked Garretson and Johnson, if elected, how would you want to leave your mark on Muskegon?
Garretson: “I would like them to say, first of all, that I listened, you know, I don't know that we're doing enough of that right now. Like when I go out and talk to a lot of folks, they don't feel like they have voice, they don't feel like they have agency. And that's how we're going to make progress on the things that we've talked about today.”
Johnson: “I would hope that they would see me as having served them well, having someone who cared, someone who was accessible, someone who was available, and worked diligently and earnestly on their behalf in everything.”
Muskegon neighbors — remember to vote for who you want to see as your next mayor on November 4.
Mayoral Candidate Interview: Ken Johnson
Mayoral Candidate Interview: Bob Garretson
