By Donald Talonen
The city mayor stands as a central figure in local governance. As the elected head of a city, the mayor’s responsibilities are vast and varied, shaping the daily lives of the community they serve.
At the helm of this vibrant community is Mayor Annie Brown, a figure who embodies the spirit of leadership and dedication to public service. Mayor Brown’s journey in South Haven’s political landscape is marked by her commitment to fostering a healthy business district, robust industrial parks, strong schools, and the preservation of the city’s natural beauty with its marinas and parks.
“I was sworn in on January 2, after campaigning for almost five months. I ran because our former Mayor Scott Smith urged me to run. I campaigned door-to-door in the city of South Haven which I loved because I think it’s important to listen to people. I knocked on over 2,000 doors and everywhere I went I asked people what their biggest concern was. Most people said their biggest concerns were a lack of affordable housing and a lack of jobs.”
Mayor Brown’s tenure has seen South Haven flourish as a walkable community that welcomes residents and visitors alike to experience its charm. Her leadership style is inclusive and forward-thinking, evident in her efforts to engage with the community through various initiatives and festivals that celebrate South Haven’s history and culture.
“You can walk right to Lake Michigan, you can shop downtown and then you can get some ice cream, then you can stroll down to Lake Michigan and go to the beach so that makes us special.”
As the face of the city government, Brown spends much of her time engaging with constituents, addressing their concerns, and representing the city’s interests. She attends public events serving as the spokesperson for the local administration. Mayors often hold a legislative role, participating in city council meetings where they propose, debate, and vote on initiatives.
“I run the council meetings twice a month so that’s my main job,” Brown said, “I try to show up at every event not just because I feel that I have to but I enjoy it and I love the people so I can get a chance to hear more about the priorities of the people who live here.”
“South Haven has a city manager form of government. Our City Manager Kate Hosier is basically the CEO of our city and she does a great job running our city staff and overseeing all departments.”
Beyond her administrative duties, she embodies the spirit of their city, providing leadership during crises, celebrating community achievements, and a source of inspiration for residents.
“My goals when I ran was to increase affordable housing because that’s what I was hearing from a lot of residents when I was going door to door, so since I’ve been elected the City Council has talked about what to do with the Overton factory site, a 5 acre parcel of land that used to be a factory and they tried to work on it and develop it a year ago,” Brown explained , “They were running into problems so it sort of got put on the back burner and we are going back to the blackboard and we’ve made a lot of progress so the City Council has come to a consensus that we want to build affordable housing for teachers and firefighters and nurses and then some of it will be available to the employees of some of our manufacturing companies that are growing in South Haven and they just need more housing for their workers.”
Under Mayor Brown’s guidance, South Haven has also seen the development of new community spaces, which reflects her dedication to enhancing the city’s livability and aesthetic appeal. These projects are part of a broader strategy to ensure that South Haven remains a great place to live, work, and visit, aligning with Mayor Brown’s welcoming message to all.
“Another great thing happening in South Haven is the growth of manufacturing jobs. W.R. Grace manufactures pharmaceuticals and they are expanding the size of their building and adding more employees.”
“We’re excited that Spencer Manufacturing, a family-owned business that makes custom-made fire trucks, is also expanding and are hiring workers right now at entry-level positions.”
“The re-opening of the Palisades Nuclear Plant is huge news for South Haven and Van Buren County. South Haven’s population has been increasing since January because of the re-opening. We’re in the middle of a great time of expansion and job growth that will help South Haven families.”
“We’re proud of Lake Michigan Linen Services, a woman-owned small business that has grown into their third location and more than doubled the number of employees. Their workers collect, clean, and distribute towels, sheets and linens to lodgings in the South Haven area and it’s a booming business.”
As South Haven continues to grow and evolve, Mayor Annie Brown stands as a symbol of the city’s resilience and community spirit. Her leadership ensures that South Haven not only honors its past but also embraces a future filled with promise and opportunity.”
“We’ve received a number of grants just this year, one was from the Environmental Protection Agency and that will help us in cleaning up contamination at sites of abandoned factories that could be used for housing. Those grants will help us clean up contamination and will reduce barriers to housing development in our community.”
Two fire departments in northwestern Van Buren County have been awarded grants from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. The grants will be utilized to acquire an extra set of turnout gear for full-time career firefighters, improving their safety and preparedness as they continue to serve our communities. Covert Township Fire Department is set to receive a $20,000 grant, while South Haven Area Emergency Services will be granted $55,000.
“We just received two days ago a grant for our fire department to buy fire equipment for five firefighters,” and noted, “We also received a grant that will allow us to add electric vehicle charging stations so there’s a state project that the goal is to add electric vehicle charging stations all along the edge of Michigan along the coast as sort of a perimeter of charging stations, so we got the grant for that and that grant was requested by our director of public works.”
South Haven will be receiving over $260,000 to install four fast charging stations and one Level 2 charger.
“Our city is a well-oiled machine because we have a phenomenal city staff who work tirelessly. When people visit South Haven and look around and think ‘Wow, this is a phenomenal city,’ it’s because our city staff is working behind the scenes, every day, to ensure our city is clean, safe, and well-maintained.”
Mayor Brown has been pivotal in fostering community well-being and continued progress, making decisions that impact the local economy, infrastructure, and quality of life for constituents. Her role of mayor stands as a testament to the responsibility vested in public service.
A. Brown, Personal Communication, 8/2/24
