Kate Henson will serve as the City of Chelsea’s mayor garnering 1,391 votes defeating Julianne Chard, who had 777 votes according to unofficial totals.
Henson said in her candidate questionnaire, “my elected and appointed service has prepared me to effectively serve as the next mayor, starting day 1.”
The highest vote getter was Sam Angus who received 1,590 votes. There are 4,716 registered voters in the city, and 2,276 were ballots cast in this general election.
Re-elected was Tony Iannelli who received the second highest number of voters of all the candidates. He received 1,439 votes.
Also elected to the City Council was Felix Stump with 1,268 votes.
Candidate Bill O’Reilly received 1,096 votes.
Henson, a 30-year resident of the city, was appointed to fill an open position on the City Council about six months ago. She served as co-chair on the City’s Strategic Planning Group, which resulted in the city’s first strategic plan. In addition, she has been a member of the City Manager Transition Team as the city looks to hire a full-time city manager following the election.
She said in her questionnaire that “I’m running for mayor to be a champion for the incredible work already happening here, and to help guide Chelsea forward with steady leadership, open ears, and a collaborative heart.”
Angus, an 11-year resident of the city, was appointed to the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission in 2018 and currently serves as its vice chairman. In 2020, he was appointed to the Community Education and Recreation Collaborative (CERC), formerly the Community Center Task Force (CCTF), and serves as its chairman.
He said in his questionnaire, “having worked closely with each of the last three city managers (and city staff), I have gained valuable insight into the qualities and skills needed for this critical role. This experience, along with my legal experience, will help me make an informed and thoughtful decision when City Council selects our next city manager—and enable me to work effectively with the city manager and city staff to serve our community.”
Iannelli, a 30-year resident of Chelsea, has served on the City Council since 2017 and has been mayor pro-tem since 2021. He is also currently the chairman of the WWRA (Western Washtenaw Recycling Authority) and City Council Liaison to the Planning Commission and Chelsea Zero Waste Coalition.
“Throughout my professional career and time on council,” he said in his questionnaire, “I’ve worked with teams to collaborate and solve complex problems and deliver positive outcomes. This is a closely connected community that is very active in local government, committees, and activities. I was inspired to run for council because I’ve felt a commitment to give back to this community that exemplifies community collaboration.”
Stump, who moved to Chelsea about 4.5 years ago, is a Senior Program Manager with Maximus Federal Services, a contractor for the U.S. government that focuses on Civilian and Health and Human Services programs, according to his candidate questionnaire.
“I’m running for Chelsea City Council because I care deeply about this community and want to help shape its future in a way that honors both our shared values and our potential,” he said in his candidate questionnaire.
He said he supports the progress the city has made in recent years, from the Main Street Park project to Ordinance 188. “I want to help build on that momentum by increasing the diversity of our city and making sure every resident — regardless of background, circumstance, or sexual/gender identity — feels safe, seen, and welcome here,” he said in his candidate questionnaire.
