Lansing, MI — The Lansing City Council ushered in the new year by selecting new leadership for 2025 during their first meeting of the year. After several rounds of voting, Ryan Kost was elected as the new President of the Council, while Tamera Carter was chosen as Vice President.
Kost, who has served on the council since 2022, expressed his pride in being selected for the role, especially considering his family’s history of having no elected officials. “Coming from a family that has never had anyone in elected office, I am very proud. Proud of the folks that have put their faith in me, and I can say their faith has not been misplaced and the work will continue,” Kost said. “I look forward to things in 2025.”
The path to leadership was not without its challenges. The council held multiple rounds of voting, and neither Kost nor Carter were initially nominated for the top roles. Several other members were put forward as candidates for the President position, including former Vice President Adam Hussain, Peter Spadafore, and Jeffery Brown. Hussain, however, nominated Kost, citing his consistent presence and leadership over the past two years.
“I’m going to nominate Ryan Kost and I’m going to tell you why. Nobody at this desk including myself has been more present for these past 2 years, nobody has been more prepared, nobody has been more authentic in representation, nobody has been more responsive, nobody has been more responsive to the media,” Hussain stated in support of Kost’s candidacy.
In a statement following his election, Kost emphasized his commitment to the role and the city, promising to hit the ground running alongside Vice President Carter. “I’ve already had a conversation with the Vice President, and she’s a hit-the-ground-running type of person,” Kost said. “No disruption is what you’ll see, and you’ll continue seeing me out in the community being aggressive and fighting for every citizen in this city.”
The leadership change comes as the council looks ahead to a busy year, with both Kost and Carter committed to serving the residents of Lansing. Kost’s term on the council will run through 2027, having been re-elected in 2023 after a partial term in 2022. Carter, who was also elected in 2023, will serve her first full term.
The former council President, Jeremy Garza, declined to seek the presidency for another term, as his current term will end this year.
The new leadership of Kost and Carter signals a fresh chapter for the Lansing City Council, with both members dedicated to bringing positive change to the community in the coming year.