Melissa Georges

My name is Melissa Georges, and we bought our home in Harbor Springs 16 years ago after falling in love with the people and this charming town. Harbor Springs feeds your soul: the water, our church, the parks, the culture, our gardens. There is a deep sense of belonging.

My father was a first-generation American who raised his three children to love our country and instilled in us a strong work ethic. My brothers and I grew our small family pharmaceutical company into a national concern. At its core it remained a small family business focused on healthy mothers and babies. I did the books and I was always there, watching every penny: where it went and why.

Over the years Harbor Springs has become my cherished home. You don't count home in months. It's the place you never really leave. I'm running for everyone who calls Harbor Springs home. The measure of good government isn't how much it taxes or spends. It's whether each dollar does the best for its citizens and town. I would be honored to serve the town that has given me so much.

I currently serve on the Parks and Recreation Board and the Finance subcommittee. I volunteered for the Ice Festival, Easter Egg Hunt and the Fall Fest. I have attended meetings of the Harbor Commission, DDA, DDA Enhancement, Planning Commission and City Council Meetings. When not attending in person I watch meetings on YouTube. I have met individually with the majority of the city staff (a few more than once as there is so much to learn) and the chief of police. I hope to meet with the three principles of Public Works next. I also enjoy volunteering at our church.

Putting off hard decisions is an expensive decision to make. A 2021 engineering study outlined that a new electric substation was needed at a price of $2.75 million. By the time the project reached the city's capital plan, the price had reached $4.67 million. We are now seeking an $8 million bond to cover the new substation. The sewer pump station at Ford Park runs on 1972 equipment, and the budget is yet to include the millions it will cost to fix or upgrade. The city needs to address the water main along Bay Street. Deferred maintenance, repairs and upgrades come back on our utility bill, with interest.

For storms or emergency situations, start with the tools we already provide. Our regional 911 center's BE ALERT and Smart911 systems send emergency notices by text, email, or phone call and let dispatchers see your medical needs ahead of time. The city could sign up every household, starting with neighbors who live alone or rely on medical equipment.

Harbor Springs works best when we plan for the people who treat it as home. A 2026 study of downtown visitors shows why: the one-third who return again and again make about three-quarters of all visits. The other two-thirds come once a year. They are welcome, but the city pays for their restrooms, trash pickup, and parking in July, while our tax base barely moves and many of the jobs they support end in September. I believe we have to ask two questions of every major proposal. What does it add in February? What does it cost us in July? Then aim our downtown dollars at the off-season, when our shops and restaurants need people most.

Running a family business taught me to read a budget two ways. Does it balance this year, and does it save for the future? The city budget balances. It doesn't save. The 2026 budget cut both of the city's long-term savings lines, one for repairs and replacement and one for unfunded retirement costs. Issues like this need serious people watching them every year, not just when a bill comes due. Michigan's Headlee Amendment limits how fast property tax revenue can grow without a vote. That is a good protection, but it shifts more of the load onto utility rates and fees, which everyone pays, including neighbors on fixed incomes. Every dollar has to count for the people who call Harbor Springs home. Overfunded? In a city this small, the problem is not overspending today. It is under-saving for tomorrow.

Yes. Many people who call Harbor Springs home cannot vote here: seasonal homeowners, and township neighbors who share our 49740 zip code. They also bring talent and resources, and this community gives generously. If they can help us make better decisions that keep utility bills down, I want their help. If they can help fund better snow removal in February, I want their help. The Harbor Commission already seats members from Little Traverse and West Traverse townships, and it works. As a Parks and Recreation Board member, I would implement that model there first, since township residents use our parks and help pay for them. Where state law allows, I would open advisory seats on key boards to people who own homes here but vote elsewhere. Voters and the city council still make the final call. Advisory seats add knowledge and care, not votes. And every board and committee, however small, should post its agendas and minutes.

I do believe we are turning the page on that issue. But keep in mind - people get angry when they feel ignored. Every two weeks, residents stand up during public comment at City Council. Almost always, they hear silence. No answer, not even a follow-up question. Council cannot take up a new issue on the spot, but silence tells people their voice does not count. I think we should make note of every question people ask during public comment and give each person some type of response by the next meeting even if it's “we're still looking into it.” People will not always like the answer, but they'll know someone listened. Healing also means staying humble about our role. The City Council's job is to empower our city manager and staff to run the city well and preserve what is best about Harbor Springs.

Looking out the window at the bay, walking with our dog Bristol. We play in one of our parks twice a day, and I never tire of it. For a town of 1.3 square miles, we have a remarkable number of parks, and each has its own personality. Beyond that, it is security and belonging. This is a place where you can leave your front door unlocked, your car running at IGA during the winter while grocery shopping and count on neighbors to look out for each other. That feeling is the real infrastructure of Harbor Springs.

Keeping it that way takes effort. It would be an honor to do that work for everyone who calls Harbor Springs home.