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Mayor Bliss Endorses Milinda Ysasi

I am grateful to have earned the confidence and endorsement of Mayor Rosalynn Bliss. I will work hard to provide responsive public service as exemplified by Mayor Bliss, Commissioner Kelly and decades of previous Second Ward City Commissioners. 

Statement From Mayor Bliss
Today I am announcing my endorsement and support for Milinda Ysasi as our next Second Ward City Commissioner. Milinda is the best choice to serve and keep our city moving forward. 

I’ve paid close attention to the race to fill the seat that will become open when Commissioner Ruth Kelly finishes her term at the end of this year. Having served this same ward as a commissioner the Second Ward has a special place in my heart and it’s where I call home.

I have carefully weighed the options and it is clear that Milinda Ysasi will work hard and serve with the same integrity, responsiveness and reliability that Commissioner Kelly has brought to the role for the last ten years. 

Milinda Ysasi has demonstrated her commitment to our City with a long history of leadership on city boards and commissions. I have seen her dig into complex issues, ask thoughtful questions and act decisively. She works hard, does her homework and comes prepared for the work at hand. Most of all I have seen her listen thoughtfully, especially to those whose perspective is different than hers. She is open to solutions that will solve problems without considering who will get credit for the outcome. She balances the demands of being a team player with the duty of bringing her honest perspective to the table. 

Earning more votes than any other candidate in the August election, Milinda clearly has impressive grassroots support.   Her citizen-driven campaign has also attracted a broad and diverse spectrum of endorsements from community organizations ranging from Equity PAC to the Grand Rapids Chamber PAC.  This demonstrates her ability to remove politics from her work and reach across our entire community to solve problems while working to preserve the refreshingly non-partisan environment that is the Grand Rapids City Commission.

I cast my vote in the primary for Milinda Ysasi and will do so again in November. As Mayor, I strongly believe she is the best candidate to serve our city. I urge my friends and neighbors in the second ward to join me in voting for Milinda Ysasi on Nov 5.

Pair of commission newcomers vie for Grand Rapids’ Second Ward seat

MLive, Sep 23, 2019

Residents in Grand Rapids’ Second Ward will elect a newcomer to the city commission this fall. Each candidate was asked a series of questions about themselves and their policy stances. Read more here.