Ryan Deel — with his wife, Melinda, and their twin sons, Jack and Brennan — will continue serving as president of the Rochester Hills City Council over the next year.
By: Mary Beth Almond | Rochester Post | Published January 10, 2024
ROCHESTER HILLS — Rochester Hills City Council President Ryan Deel will continue to lead the council for another year.
Each year, the Rochester Hills City Council elects members to one-year terms for the president and vice president positions.
Deel, an attorney for Oakland County Probate Court, was unanimously elected to retain his position by his peers Dec. 4.
“Thank you very much, everyone. I really appreciate it,” Deel said during the meeting. “I certainly hope to serve the citizens of the city of Rochester Hills and I certainly hope to ably represent this body for another year.”
Deel and his wife, Melinda, and their twin sons, Jack and Brennan, have lived in the city since 2003. He was first elected to the council as the city’s District 4 representative in 2017, and he has served as council president since 2019.
Deel said in an email that he is thrilled to serve as the president of the council.
“My family and I love living in Rochester Hills and it has been a privilege to give back to our community,” he said in an emailed statement, adding that he is honored and humbled. “I hope I represent the council well and meet the expectations of my … colleagues and the residents of Rochester Hills in fulfilling my duties.”
Looking ahead, Deel said he plans to focus on two themes this year.
“The first will be environmental cleanup under the $75 million grant awarded by the state of Michigan last year. The city is charged with the administration of these funds, and residents can expect to see movement on this in 2024. The second will be continued investments in our parks and green spaces. I am really excited about both of these going into 2024.”
The council, also by a unanimous vote, named David Walker as council vice president.
Walker, who was nominated by Deel, has served on the council as an at-large representative since 2018.
“Dave is a very active member of our community and is a tremendous asset on council,” Deel said.
Walker said he’s honored to have been nominated and unanimously elected to serve as the vice president.
“It is a pleasure to serve the residents of Rochester Hills, and I look forward to the future as we continue to collectively work on providing a preeminent place to live, work and raise our families,” Walker said in an email.
Walker, a Realtor since 2007, has lived in the city for 35 years. He volunteers and is a member of the Rochester Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Older Persons’ Commission governing board, the Paint Creek Trailways Commission, and various other boards and commissions.
Rochester Hills City Council meetings are held inside the auditorium of City Hall, 1000 Rochester Hills Drive, at 7 p.m., typically on the second and fourth Mondays of every month. Council meetings can be seen live on Rochester Hills Television or via streaming on the city’s website.
For more information, including a meeting schedule, visit www.rochesterhills.org.