Troy City Council, mayor look ahead after election

TROY — The voters of Troy have cast their ballots, and the results are in for one heavily contested race and one uncontested.

On Nov. 7, Troy residents went to the polls and selected incumbents Theresa Brooks and Ann Erickson Gault, as well as candidate Mark Gunn, to each serve four-year terms on council. Brooks received 8,169 votes, Erickson Gault received 7,426 votes and Gunn received 5,599 votes.

They beat out challengers Hirak Chandra, who received 5,557 votes; Edward Ross, who received 4,945 votes; Dale Murrish, who received 2,533 votes; and Edward Kempen, who received 2,517 votes. An additional 33 write-in votes were cast.

Mayor Ethan Baker was reelected for another four-year term in an uncontested race. He received 10,973 votes. An additional 169 write-in votes were cast.

Brooks said she is eager to continue to work on the council and with residents.

“I’m very grateful and humble hearing that Troy residents reelected me and selected me to represent my city. I look forward to working together with the other council members to get things done for our residents. … It’s very exciting. … I took nothing for granted during this election, but I enjoyed knocking on doors and talking with residents.”

Brooks added that there is a lot to look forward to in the city in the coming years.

“I think that there’s a lot of great things to look forward to for our city,” she said. “The Big Beaver corridor is getting relandscaped, and that is very exciting. The Jeanne Stine Park is opening in the next few months, and that will be a great gathering space for our community. We will continue to listen to residents and follow through on the things they are looking for. I think one of the biggest challenges we’re looking at in the next four years is the need to address the infrastructure in our city buildings. There’s a lot of work to do and only so much in the budget.”

Erickson Gault was also thankful for the support shown to her by voters.

“I am very grateful to the voters of Troy for showing their confidence in me,” she said. “I think we have an excellent council, and the results of this election show me the voters think this council is on the right track and that they like how we are trying to keep Troy a safe and welcoming city. … I’m looking forward to working for another four years with my council colleagues.”

She cited public safety and sustainability as areas she hopes to focus on in her next term.

“My first priority is public safety and keeping the city an excellent place to live,” said Erickson Gault. “I also want to move forward on environmental sustainability. We’ve made some steps, and in 2024 I am hopeful we are going to be working on a sustainability plan for the city.”

Gunn said he hopes to better address community concerns by becoming a member of the council.

“I’m excited to go and represent residents. My thoughts are that some residents have brought issues before council in the past and they were ignored, and that was why they ran.”

He ran in 2017 as well and said he hopes to support the police and fire service in the city and help alleviate concerns over the changes to the city’s Fire Department incentive plan that were dictated by the federal government earlier this year.

“I would like to make sure that any development made has a firm plan and that when we discuss any of these plans, the community has ample opportunities to offer input,” said Gunn. “I want to ensure our city services are top notch, and we need a better plan for our Fire Department, since we’ve had so many people leave. I want to maintain the quality of service in that department as well as the police.”

Baker thanked residents for their support and added that he wants to continue several of the initiatives and goals he began working on during his tenure.

“Back in 2019, I was elected to help turn the page on the corruption and ethical issues that had plagued the city,” he wrote in an email. “I made promises to restore trust in our local government, to listen to our residents on issues ranging from development to core services, and to be a positive light for our city — celebrating its successes and relentlessly promoting the good people and news coming out of Troy. Four years later, those promises have been kept! And I have been blessed that all of us at city hall have worked very hard to turn the page from that not so distant negative past. Of course, we continue to prioritize our public safety, parks and recreation, and quality of life issues in our city at the same time as fostering an economic environment that is strong, stable, and continues to grow. I am so proud of our city — all of our residents and businesses alike, who truly are the heartbeat of Troy.”