City Council Candidates Share Vision for Milan

Milan City has five candidates for three open spots on the Milan City Council:  Marie Gress, Connie Harrison, Jesse Nie, Council Member Christian Thompson, and Mayor Pro-Tem Shannon Wayne. As part of our 2025 election coverage, The Sun Times News invited all City Council candidates to respond to the same set of questions. All candidates responded except Council Member Christian Thompson. Answers are provided below.

1. Why are you running and what strengths and experience do you bring to this position? 

Marie Gress:  I’m running because community members I respect encouraged me, knowing what I bring to the table. I build relationships, stay curious, solve problems, advocate, and lead lean, effective teams—skills well-suited for collaborative city council work. My day job is running rural public transportation, contracting with local governments and counties while working with SEMCOG, WATS, MDOT, and other transit and road funding partners. I also chair the Washtenaw Commission on Aging, co-chair the NASW-MI Gerontology workgroup, and provide nonprofit management and grant writing consulting. These experiences give me a strong foundation to serve Milan thoughtfully and effectively.

Connie Harrison:  I am running for City Council because I want to serve the city and its residents. I would apply my 30 years of business management experience to grow and diversify our tax base by attracting the right large/medium-sized companies to open or expand in Milan. Since the Milan Ford Plant closure in 2010, our population growth rate remains stagnant today, making affordability a burden for residential taxpayers. With my partner and relationship management experience, I will collaborate across neighborhoods, townships and our region, to create a growth plan to increase the tax base across residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

Jesse Nie:  Having served four years on City Council then taking a step back once my daughter was born, I am excited for the opportunity to serve the community again. I am proud of the amount of successful projects, grants, and infrastructure repairs I helped the city work toward. Being a part of that work was extremely rewarding and I am hopeful to be able to contribute to our community again. My passion for conversation is my strength as a councilperson. Sitting down for open and honest communication, especially with those who disagree with me, is the crux of who I am.

Shannon Wayne:  My motivation for running for council four years ago was to contribute to Milan’s progress. Seeking a second term, I want to sustain that momentum. Over the past four years, we secured nearly $7 million in grants, funding major improvements to Wilson Park, the Riverbank Center, and our water treatment facility. Professionally, I bring 30 years at Ford Motor Company in strategic planning and negotiations, which taught me consensus-building and collaboration. With advanced degrees in engineering and business, I value continuous learning and problem-solving. These strengths equip me to keep delivering results and serving Milan’s residents effectively.

2. Currently, some Milan residents struggle with affordable housing, transportation and accessibility, as indicated by the master plan survey. Are there actions the city should take to meet the needs of those residents and, if so, what are those?

Marie Gress:  My next step is always to dig deeper into the data. When residents say “affordable,” what exactly does that mean to them? When 26.8% say they would use public transit regularly, for what trips, how often, and to where? For accessibility, I believe in universal design—building for those with the greatest barriers benefits everyone. The city could adopt proven frameworks such as AARP’s Livable Communities, MDOT’s Safe Streets, Smart Growth America, or HUD’s Inclusive Design with local partners like Disability Network, WATS, and SEMCOG. With thoughtful planning, we’ll grow stronger, fairer, and more connected for every age and ability.

Connie Harrison:  I support hosting town hall meetings where public comment can be given on revisions to the city master plan on all municipal services including affordable housing, transportation and accessibility. Local and regional public transportation are important for the environment and for safe, affordable alternatives to car ownership as a household requirement. Mixed use housing/retail is a vital trend that incorporates accessibility and increases walkability. I support measures that study regional transportation for Milan citizens.

Jesse Nie: A strong City Council is a group of individuals acting as one to tackle our most pressing issues. Having a successful council lies in the ability to be open to any ideas that could lead to unexpected solutions. Using the master plan as a guide and working with the residents of our community should always be the goal of the council. There will be challenges, even at the state and national level, that are out of our control as a city government. With that said, I trust that the City of Milan will always work hard to accommodate the needs of its citizens. 

Shannon Wayne:  Transportation and affordable housing remain key challenges for Milan. I’m encouraged by grassroots efforts to improve accessibility within the city and connections to surrounding communities, and I believe the city should support these initiatives by clearly defining needs and aligning resources. While new housing growth is positive, affordability remains a concern. Attracting developers for senior housing and exploring partnerships to expand affordable options will help ensure Milan meets the needs of residents at all stages of life.

3. What parts of the master plan stand out the most to you? What is your vision regarding growth for Milan? Do you support offering incentives to attract businesses and, if so, what would be the right approach to doing so?

Marie Gress:  The part of the master plan that sticks out to me most is that it is from 2010! My vision for Milan’s growth is thoughtful and balanced—supporting new businesses, housing, and amenities while preserving our small-town character. Growth should make life here more affordable, connected, and welcoming for all residents, without losing what makes Milan unique. I’d love for Milan’s residents and location to be the incentive for new businesses!

Connie Harrison:  The plan’s commercial, industrial, and residential land use stands out most to me. I support identifying neighborhoods for improvement or expansion to increase affordable housing. The best approaches for commerce is to identify geographic business development zones, such as the Dexter corridor. I support property tax reduction abatements. My long-term vision is that Milan becomes a depot town around our abundant railways with a connection to North-South Ann Arbor Amtrak passenger line and further envisioning regional passenger transit for the East-West railroad line. We need regional collaboration with townships, greater Milan, and SE Michigan to develop solutions for unmet needs to grow our population, mobility and commerce. 

Jesse Nie:  The master plan is a wonderful tool as well as a living document. It gives each council a roadmap that we can continue to work toward. The recent survey helped give us insight of what the residents of Milan are looking to achieve and helps set our goals for the future as we balance projects versus responsible growth. We have had success in recent years diversifying our tax base with more work to be done. Balancing our infrastructure needs with community goals is the core of the City Council’s job. 

Shannon Wayne:  The Master Plan still highlights unmet needs in senior housing, transportation, and traffic flow. At the same time, Milan’s downtown is a clear strength. As a City Council member and Chair of the Downtown Development Authority, I’ve helped strengthen downtown by supporting local businesses and expanding community events that draw visitors and boost revenue. I do not support direct financial incentives but favor connecting small businesses with Michigan Economic Development Corporation resources and creating opportunities that naturally attract investment while sustaining Milan’s strong community core.

4. What do you see as the financial challenges Milan faces and how would you ensure that Milan is in a good fiscal position? 

Marie Gress:  Residents frequently request improvements to our roads and water infrastructure, but theseare among the most costly aspects to manage. Road projects can cost up to a million dollars per mile, while Milan’s charter allocates $250,000 annually for this purpose and MDOT’s small urban fund provides $420,000 every other year. To maintain a healthy fiscal position, we will need to explore partnerships and grants to help cover these expenses, we may say “not yet” to expensive projects, and hire a treasurer to assist our city administrator with grant writing and financial tasks.

Connie Harrison:  The financial challenges Milan faces are finding property tax growth while also improving affordability by diversifying our tax base through enacting business redevelopment plans and making use of MEDC funds and grants. In addition to managing the city budget, I would ensure that Milan is in a good fiscal position while addressing services it delivers are managed using a balanced scorecard to measure and identify deliverable services at a good price, maintaining sound financial positions, and that funding mechanisms are identified to be applied responsibly. 

Jesse Nie: From when I started on Council, Milan’s financial position has improved greatly. As stewards of the City’s funds coming out of the pandemic, we not only survived as a city, but are thriving. Because of careful decisions and willingness to think outside the box, we were able to come up with creative and responsible solutions to any challenges we faced. In the past few years alone, we have gone for and received over 8 million dollars in grants to complete vital projects at no expense to the residents. Aggression towards grants will negate the need to lean on incentives to attract businesses and growth.

Shannon Wayne:  I’m proud that Milan has maintained a balanced budget while finding ways to do more with fewer resources. Over the past four years, we secured $7M in grants and funding, allowing us to improve parks, facilities, and infrastructure without raising the millage rate. My experience on council has strengthened my financial discipline and deepened my understanding of the responsibility that comes with managing tax dollars. I will continue to ensure Milan maintains a balanced budget and healthy reserves to protect against future challenges.

5. How many years have you lived in Milan? 

Marie Gress:  9 years.

Connie Harrison:  I am a lifelong, and third generation Milan resident. I grew up on a farm in Milan Township. As an adult, I’ve lived in Platt area, York Township, and Milan Crossing neighborhoods of Milan. My grandparents and parents were blue collar workers for Ford Motor Company and farmers in Monroe County, Milan. I raised my two sons in Milan, and we all attended Milan Area Schools. One of my first jobs as a late teenager was sales associate at Dancer’s Fashions; now the site of Graceful Dental.

Jesse Nie:  I have called Milan home for roughly 30 years. I grew up in this community and left for Colorado after high school. I returned home a few years later where I met my wife, also a lifelong resident of Milan, got married and had our daughter. In the interim, I was lucky enough to be elected to the Milan City Council and give back to the community that has given me so much. We own a beautiful, historic home in the heart of town and could not be happier with our decision to lay down roots in the community we know and love.

Shannon Wayne:  21 years

6. Anything else you would like to add?

Marie Gress:  One of my top priorities is helping the city develop new and stronger partnerships, relationships matter! There are several funding opportunities from the counties and state delayed because we are not at the open table. There are several local groups, like the schools, that would be mutually beneficial to coordinate programs and development plans – making Milan more attractive not only as a place to live, but as a place to learn.

Connie Harrison:  As a candidate for city council, I will strive to protect the smalltown character of Milan, preserve its agricultural heritage, and continue to promote its historic “place” in history as a Ford Industry Village. I look forward to participating in the revitalization for Milan’s district zones in both Washtenaw and Monroe counties. I am attending training hosted by the MEDC Redevelopment Ready Communities (RRC) program to support the movement toward economic expansion and to attract new companies and developers’ investments in Milan. I believe this is the key to attracting new housing for new residents that will increase the population and encourage more people to work, study, live and play in Milan.

Jesse Nie: N/A

Shannon Wayne:  My husband Kevin and I moved to Milan to raise our family. Our son, Flannery, attends the University of Michigan and serves in ROTC and the Army National Guard; Mary-Kate is a senior at Milan High, and Kevin is in 8th grade. Continuing education is important to me. I hold a BS in Industrial Management, an MS in Industrial Operations (Lawrence Technological University), an MS in Manufacturing Engineering, and a PhD in Industrial Engineering (Wayne State University), and I am currently completing my MBA. This background prepares me with leadership and problem-solving skills as we move Milan into the future.

Learn more about the candidates at the Oct. 23 Meet the Candidates Forum at city hall, sponsored by the Milan Chamber of Commerce.