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Emily Olson Owosso City Council, Owosso, MI (2026)

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month, Owosso 🌈

June is Pride Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions, history, and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in our community and across our country.

Strong communities are built when neighbors feels safe, respected, and welcome to participate fully in civic life.

As we celebrate Pride Month, I hope we continue striving to be a community where everyone feels they belong, where we treat one another with kindness, and where our differences make us stronger.

Wishing everyone a happy, joyful, and meaningful Pride Month.

🏳️‍🌈

05/01/2026

I’ve been digging into one of our city ordinances this week, and I’d love some input from the community.

Current Owosso code (Sec. 5-4) limits households to no more than three dogs and/or cats, with anything beyond that classified as a “kennel” requiring a separate license.

From what I’ve been able to find, this limit was established by a committee in the 1970s, and there’s no clear record of how that number was determined.

So I’m curious:

Does a three-pet limit reflect how people actually live today?
Does it feel reasonable, too restrictive, or about right?

I’m not advocating for a specific change at this point — just trying to understand whether this ordinance still aligns with community expectations and real-life situations.

If you have thoughts, experiences, or even examples from other communities, I’d genuinely like to hear them.

(And yes…this question came up after hearing from residents who were surprised to learn they were out of compliance.)

Let’s talk 👇

04/07/2026

Last night I brought up something that’s been sitting with me for a while, and I want to share it here because it matters beyond just one meeting.

Right now, serving on City Council pays $10 per meeting.

On paper, that might seem fine. But in reality, it creates a barrier most people don’t see.

Because for many residents, showing up to a meeting isn’t just about time. It can come with real, out-of-pocket costs.

If you’re a parent, that might mean paying for childcare.
If you’re caring for an aging parent or a family member with additional needs, that’s dependent care.
If you work an hourly job, it may mean lost wages.

When you add it up, it can cost $75–$100 (or more) just to attend a single meeting.

So the question becomes:
Who can actually afford to serve?

Not who cares enough. Not who would be good at it.
But who can afford the time, the flexibility, and sometimes the extra expense.

And that’s where this becomes a fairness issue.

Because when participation costs money, it quietly limits who is able to step forward. It favors people with financial flexibility, built-in support systems, or fewer caregiving responsibilities.

That means we’re not always getting a full picture of our community represented at the table.

This isn’t about “politicians wanting more money.”
It’s about making sure public service is actually accessible.

If we want a City Council that reflects our community, we have to look at the barriers that exist today, even the quiet ones.

So I’d love to hear from you:

Do you think serving on council should ever cost someone money out of pocket?
What would make it more realistic for more people in our community to step forward?

– Emily

03/27/2026

Owosso friends 🌱

The city is doing an amazing project—“250 Trees for 250 Years”—and residents can come pick up 125 of these free trees to plant at home.

They’ve got a great mix this time: conifers, oaks, maples, crab apples, poplar, birch, sycamore…so there’s something for just about every yard.

Pickup dates:
• April 22 (3–6pm) @ DPW Garage
• April 24 (1–4pm) @ Bentley Park

It’s first-come, first-served—and I was told we’re not limited to just one tree, so if you’ve got the space, this is a rare chance to really invest in your yard (and our city canopy long-term).

Between this + the park plantings + fall right-of-way trees, this is one of those small things that actually adds up in a big way over time.

If you’ve ever thought about adding a tree…this is your sign 🌳

01/24/2026

As one of your elected city officials, I feel a responsibility to say something plainly:

Violence against people for exercising constitutionally protected rights, peaceful protest, public observation, and documentation of government action is wrong. It should never be met with gleeful anticipation, celebration, or applause.

We can disagree deeply about policy without abandoning the basic principle that state power must be restrained, accountable, and subject to scrutiny. When harm comes to civilians in the context of protest, the appropriate response is concern and investigation but not cheering, not dehumanization, and not calls for more violence.

Normalizing or celebrating harm erodes the very civic fabric that keeps communities safe and democratic.

I believe in public safety AND civil liberties. I believe those with power must be held to a higher standard. And I believe we are capable of responding to fear and conflict without losing our moral bearings.

Owosso is not immune to the currents shaping the rest of our country, and what we choose to normalize now will determine who we are as a community.

12/16/2025

Last night during council comment time, I shared a short reflection sparked by something small but meaningful - our new Little Free Sled Library that recently went live on the hill.

What struck me wasn’t just how cute it is, but how immediately normal it felt. Like of course this exists. Of course we share sleds. Of course kids shouldn’t miss out on snow because someone didn’t have one in their garage.

That observation led me to a broader question about the difference between owning things and having access to them and what that difference can mean for a community.

This wasn’t a proposal or a request for funding. It was more of a starting point: an invitation to think about how shared access, stewardship, and mutual care have shaped communities in the past, and how they might help us become more resilient moving forward.

Across Michigan, libraries and neighborhoods are already experimenting with “libraries of things,” tool lending, seed libraries, and repair days, not as charity, but as shared resources that reduce waste, lower barriers, and strengthen connection.

We also got a glimpse during COVID of how important this kind of local resilience can be. Communities that could lean on each other were simply better positioned to weather disruption.

I shared this reflection because council meetings usually have a very small audience, but the ideas discussed there belong to everyone. If shared access is something we value - not as a program tonight, but as a lens we carry forward that can quietly shape future decisions when opportunities arise.

To me, community isn’t a collection of locked garages filled with rarely used stuff.
Community is what we share, what we care for, and what we organize together.

If you have thoughts on this, or examples of shared resources you’ve seen work well, I’d love to hear them here. Conversations like this are often where good civic ideas begin.

10/21/2025

Tree Canopy Equity: A Starting Point

Last night during council comment time, I shared a short reflection on tree canopy equity - the idea that every neighborhood deserves its fair share of shade, cleaner air, and cooler streets.

It wasn’t a policy proposal, just a starting point - a way to bring attention to how we plan and replace trees across the city, and what that means for fairness and livability long-term.

A 2023 study from Michigan State University found that in smaller cities like ours, the summer temperature difference between areas with dense tree cover and those with little or none can reach 7 to 10 degrees. That’s the difference between a comfortable walk and a heat advisory.

Here in Owosso, tree cover isn’t evenly distributed. The older rental corridors and southern neighborhoods have fewer mature trees, while the west side and river-adjacent blocks have more. That pattern often reflects household income and investment history.

The encouraging part is that we’re already taking steps in the right direction - this week the City planted 33 new trees with help from Nash Nurseries and Consumers Energy. The next step could be to look at where those plantings go and how we make sure that every neighborhood benefits.

The mayor suggested following up with Amy Fuller, who oversees our tree program, to talk about how we might create a more intentional plan for replacement and equity.

It’s a small conversation, but that’s how good civic ideas usually begin - with a starting point, a shared question, and the space to let it grow.

If you have thoughts on this, or on other long-term, forward-looking ideas for how Owosso can grow more equitably and sustainably, I’d love to hear them here. Let’s keep the conversation going.

Owosso becomes what we imagine and build together so, let’s keep imagining boldly and building fairly.

10/07/2025

It’s okay to be heartbroken for your community.
During last night’s Council meeting, I was deeply saddened by the continued unwillingness to explore any form of assistance for residents and businesses who will struggle under the ongoing water rate increases — already 30% higher this year and scheduled to rise even further over the next five years.

It’s okay to feel disappointment when faced with apathy.
It’s okay to want more for the people we serve.

But this doesn’t have to be where the conversation ends.
There are still opportunities for thoughtful, creative solutions to help our community weather these costs — and I believe we owe it to our residents to keep that conversation open.

Council and staff said last night that there is no public demand or need for adjustments to our current system — even though countless communities have found that switching to monthly billing can be a lifeline for those facing large utility increases.
Some also reiterated that it isn’t the city’s job to help residents manage the fallout of an impossible budgeting crisis, even when that fallout comes as a direct result of our vote to fix failing infrastructure.
I disagree.

I don’t believe that reflects the reality many of our residents and small businesses are facing right now. Nor do I believe that local government is exonerated from the responsibility of creating policy that meets residents where they are — and helps when it can.

Compassionate leadership means recognizing when people are hurting — and choosing to act before devastation occurs.
We can all be part of the solution, if we lead with compassion and foresight.

As for me, I’ll keep wearing my heart on my sleeve and putting my full effort into making our community a better place for everyone.

09/15/2025

For what it’s worth: I just called the water department — our household’s upcoming bill is already at $900 for this quarter. Yes, we used more water than usual (summer), but that new 30% rate hike is brutal — and just the beginning of years of increases.

Tonight at council, the City Manager and many members of our council are going to push for a NO vote on bringing back the online usage portal. If that happens, residents will have no way to track usage in real time and no warning before a massive bill arrives every 3 months.

I’ve been fighting for two small fixes to give families some control:
• Restore the usage portal (on the agenda tonight)
• Approve monthly billing (coming up for a vote next month)

If it matters to you, please show up tonight and say something. Families in Owosso deserve at least these basic tools to help weather the rate hikes

06/06/2025

🚨 OUTRAGEOUS UPDATE 🚨
I’ve just learned that the official recommendation coming down from our city staff regarding support for our community during this water rate crisis will be: DO NOTHING. CHANGE NOTHING. JUST RAISE THE RATE WITHOUT ADDING ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS.
That’s right — despite the massive water rate increase that was just approved, the recommendation is to:
❌ NOT give residents the option of monthly billing to better manage costs
❌ NOT pause water shut-offs for struggling households
❌ NOT reinstate the usage monitoring portal so residents can track their water
This is unacceptable. Our community deserves a safety net, not silence. We were given assurances that there would be support for residents — but now it seems those promises are being quietly tossed aside.
💧If you’re as shocked and disappointed as I am, it’s time to act. Show up. Speak out. Demand that our Council reject the City's recommendations and do right by our residents.
🗓️ Next City Council Meeting:
📍 City Hall
🕡 June 16th @ 6:30 PM
Accountability is not just protecting residents from unsafe drinking water, it's making sure they aren't destroyed financially in the process too. Thousands of residents are counting on us to demand more support options and we all need to show up together to insist.

Emily Olson Owosso City Council

06/01/2026

05/01/2026

04/07/2026

03/27/2026

01/24/2026

12/16/2025

10/21/2025

10/07/2025

09/15/2025

06/06/2025

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