Candidates selected for November election during Petoskey City Convention Wednesday
The City Convention kicked off at 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 18 at Petoskey City Hall. More than 40 people were in the room representing the different wards. The main purpose of the convention is to introduce the candidates for open city council seats and to give representatives the opportunity to share concerns related to their wards and the city as a whole.
The November, three seats on Petoskey City council will be up for grabs, serving wards 2-4.
Charlie Willmott and Dan Smith were selected by delegates to serve as the candidates for Ward 2, filling the seat Derek Shiels currently fills. The open seat is for a three-year term, serving 2026-2028.
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Current Ward 3 representative Joseph T. Nachtrab will be running unopposed to complete a partial term. Nachtrab was appointed to city council in January after Brian Wagner resigned. The term runs through Dec. 31, 2026.
Lindsey Walker, the current Ward 4 representative, is running unopposed to continue serving for another 3-year term. Walker has held the position since 2018.
More: Jimmy John's closes in downtown Petoskey after notice to vacate
Another election will be held in November 2026 for a three-year terms to fill the Ward 1 and Ward 3 seats. Tina DeMoore is the current Ward 1 representative on council.
In addition to naming the candidates for city council, the different ward representatives spoke about concerns facing the city, including vacancies in downtown buildings, some of which are falling into disrepair. Mayor John Murphy and City Manager Shane Horn spoke about different processes the city is going through to try to help address the concerns, including a new ordinance that could find property owners that don't take care of the property.
— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @KarlyGrahamJrn.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Council candidates announced during 2025 Petoskey City Convention
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