Saline Election Preview: Meet Saline City Council Candidate Tramane Halsch

There are six residents running in the November election for Saline City Council. Three will be elected.

Candidate Tramane Halsch responded to the questions we sent.

Tramane Halsch

Bio

I am a system-builder, mentor, and strategist running for Saline City Council to help the city rise to meet its moment, with courage, clarity, and compassion. My leadership spans over 15 years across youth sports, technology, and civic service, grounded in one core truth: when we build systems that work for people, our communities don’t just survive, they thrive.
Born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, I learned early what it means to lead with both responsibility and imagination. Raised by a single mother in public housing, I found my first sources of strength in my faith, the classroom, and the water. I taught myself how to lead by watching my mother stretch every dollar to give her five children the best life she could.
That philosophy shaped my coaching career. As head age-group coach for one of the largest YMCA swim programs in the country, I led 40 coaches across 12 sites and helped guide hundreds of athletes to state championships, Junior Nationals, and U.S. Olympic Trials. One of my age group athletes just competed in Paris. During my coaching career, my teams regularly earned Top-10 finishes at both the North Carolina Age Group and Senior Championships. In 2017, I became the first black coach in North Carolina swimming history to coach a swimmer to an individual age group championship. Beyond the medals, it was my daily mantra that guided my career and left the deepest mark: “Be the adult I would’ve trusted as a kid.”

In 2018, I graduated from a full-time vocational coding bootcamp and moved to Michigan with nothing but a suitcase and determination, as I was homeless in the months leading up to my move to Michigan. Although I had been homeless when I arrived, I knew I would figure it out. I earned my first job as a software engineer and went on to develop tools for companies like Ford, Walmart Labs, Vroom, and Johnson & Johnson. In 2020, I launched Haus of T-Rex, a consultancy that helps entrepreneurs and small businesses scale with cutting-edge tools, operational clarity, bold strategy, and unbridled creativity.

Today, I am fully invested in Saline’s future. I serve on the city’s Economic Development Corporation and Tax Increment Finance Authority, where I advocate for smart growth, strong local businesses, and responsible fiscal planning. As a member of the Rec Center Task Force, I bring strategic vision and community empathy to tough infrastructure decisions, balancing cost, equity, and long-term impact. I also played a behind-the-scenes role in helping launch the Saline Swim School, where I now teach swimming and water safety to local youth.

What is motivating your run for council?

I am motivated to run for council because I believe in Saline. I believe that in order for Saline to
become a city for everyone that we have to have new faces and new voices at the table. I am
motivated to run because I believe that Saline has the people; Saline has the talent; Saline has
everything that we need to be the small town where everyone wants to be. And in order for us to
get there, we need to make bold choices; we need to make transparent choices; we need to
make smart choices. Together.

Tell us about one issue that has caught your attention.

I think it's one of the issues that's on a lot of people’s minds-the rec center. As a rec center
employee, I see every day the value and impact that the rec center has on our community. I see
the relationships and connections that the rec center fosters.

As a member of the Rec Center Task Force, I am honored to have the opportunity to analyze
how the rec center is meeting the needs of our community, and doing so responsibly and
sustainably. Over $2 million later, we still have not figured out how to put our rec center on the
path of self-sustainability, but I am confident that the Task force will find a path forward for the
center. I’m excited to share what I call the Rec Next plan that will redefine how the rec center
serves the community and place the rec center on a path of self-sustainability without increasing
taxes or taking on new debt, so that the rec center will be here for many generations to come.

Why should voters choose you?

Voters should choose me if they want to get off the rocking horse and make meaningful
progress in building a Saline that works for everyone. Voters should choose me if they are ready
for new voices and new perspectives in how we build a smarter, safer, and sustainable Saline.
Voters should choose me if they are ready for a leader with a servant’s heart who is ready to roll
up his sleeves and get to work in building tomorrow’s Saline today.

We hope to post an interview with Tramane Halsch this week.

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