(Michigan City, IN) - A longtime elected official is making a run for mayor of Michigan City.

 

Mark Yagelski is early in his sixth consecutive four-year term as a member of the La Porte County Council.   He’s been a steel worker since graduating from high school and now is a longtime supervisor at the mill.

 

Yagelski says running for mayor has been on his mind for quite a while and holding the job would allow him to focus more of his energy specifically on where he grew up. 

 

“I’m from this community, born and raised here.  It’s time for me to move on to something else.  Running for mayor would be a great way to serve Michigan City residents.

 

If elected, Yagelski said his top priority will be more new housing in a city where the average age of a home is about 80-years.

 

He felt the west side with some existing space for new housing construction is “ripe for investment” and so is the lakefront where the NIPSCO generating station exists.  NIPSCO plans to close the generating station in the next three to five years to transition more to energy from the wind and sun.  Closing the generating station will open up space for construction of higher end housing once the site is demolished and cleaned up, he said. 

 

Yagelski also pointed to new housing opportunties from the double track once the South Shore Railroad commuter line project is completed in 2024.  He said new housing will help attract more young professionals with good incomes to the city by reducing travel times to and Chicago by 30 minutes in each direction. 

 

“We have to be able to help change some of our demographics in Michigan City,” he said.

 

Yagelski is seeking the Democratic Party nomination in the May primary against former mayor Ron Meer, city councilpersons Angie Nelson Deuitsch and Johnny Stimley.

 

Current mayor Duane Parry is unopposed for the Republican Party nomination.