GRAND RAPIDS — The Grand Rapids City Council chose a new council member Friday, Feb. 2, to fill the seat vacated by Tasha Connelly after she was appointed mayor.
Among the candidates who applied, council members selected Rick Blake to serve through the remainder of Connelly's term this year.
Blake is no stranger to the Grand Rapids City Council. He was first appointed to fill a vacant seat in 2015 after a council member resigned, and he served on the Council through December 2022.
Blake said he originally moved on because he felt he could offer better representation than others elsewhere.
“I really enjoyed serving on the City Council, and I only gave that up last year to run for the Legislature," he told council members during his interview.
Blake lost the election for Minnesota House District 6A to Republican Ben Davis.
In his City Council interview Jan. 29, Blake emphasized his work with the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities. He said lobbying the Legislature for changes in funding models could ease the financial challenges Grand Rapids and other cities face.
Blake said the three issues he will address as a council member are property taxes, funding for city streets and economic development.
“We need workers to fill the jobs currently on our radar, like the prospective jobs at Yanmar and Highway 35, LLC [the proposed cannabis cultivation and manufacturing plant]," Blake said. "In order to attract those workers, we’re going to need housing and child care.”
Blake’s term will end in December, along with Connelly’s and council member Dale Adams'. Residents will vote to fill the positions in November.