Ferndale Mayor Dave Coulter hopes to "keep Ferndale moving forward" as he prepares to run for election in November. Coulter was appointed by City Council in Jan. 2011 when former Mayor Craig Covey left office to serve as County Commissioner. Coulter had formerly been the County Commissioner for four terms, but had stepped down to run for a State Senate position.
Coulter hopes to continue the work that has been happening in Ferndale over the past several years. As Mayor he formed the Mayor's Business Council to make Ferndale a more attractive place for entrepreneurs and companies to invest. He also helped create a Ferndale Clean Sweep program, a Blue Ribbon Commission on Ferndale Parks, and a major construction project along W. 9 Mile that will upgrade the water main and improve the streetscape.
His political experience includes serving as Democratic Leader in the County Commission, working on the Community Center Task Force to create the Kulick Center, volunteering on the Human Rights Ordinance Committee in 1999, and serving as a Trustee on the Ferndale Library Board from 2004-2005. Coulter was the executive director of the Michigan AIDS Fund, a board member of the Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency, and is currently Program Officer for the Children's Hospital of Michigan foundation. He is also currently the Second Vice Chair of the LGBT Caucus of the Michigan Democratic Party.
"I never dreamed, more than 20 years after discovering Ferndale, that I'd have the honor of serving as Mayor. While much has changed since then, the best things about Ferndale are exactly the same. We make newcomers feel welcome, and make neighbors feel like family," Coulter said in a statement. "I'm proud of what we've accomplished despite a tough economy – including a two-year balanced budget that trims another $900,000 in expenses and yet still preserves police and fire staffing levels and invests in the services and programs that will keep our city strong.
