McVey is Running for Mayor of Saline

Michael McVey, a longtime Saline Area Schools Board of Education member, has announced his candidacy for mayor of Saline.

McVey made the announcement Tuesday on Facebook. To date, only incumbent Mayor Brian Marl and McVey have formally announced their candidacies for the four-year term. Longtime City Council member Dean Girbach has also expressed interest in the race.

McVey was elected to the school board in 2016 and has served since 2017. Board members have selected him as president multiple times, most recently in 2025.

McVey said his priorities would include strengthening collaboration among council members and residents, increasing clarity and transparency in city operations, supporting community understanding of key issues, and ensuring responsible stewardship of public resources and assets.

He is a professor of educational technology at Eastern Michigan University and previously worked as a high school teacher.

McVey supports the Democratic Party and aligns with it on many political and cultural issues. However, he has shown a willingness to set aside partisan differences in pursuit of solutions, as he did during the recent selection of a candidate to fill a school board vacancy. Marl is also a Democrat.

In his announcement, McVey said residents had urged him to run for mayor.

McVey’s wife, Christen Mitchell, ran against Marl for mayor in 2000 in a contentious race. Mitchell and Marl also had a strained relationship when she served on the City Council. When Mitchell sought election to the council in 2023, Marl had harsh words for her.

McVey moved to the United States from Canada in 1993 and has lived in Saline since 2007.

Below is McVey's press release

SALINE, MI — Dr. Michael McVey, a ten‑year trustee on the Saline Area Schools Board of Education and a full professor in the Teacher Education Department at Eastern Michigan University, has announced his intent to run for Mayor of the City of Saline this fall's election.

McVey said his decision follows years of community service and the encouragement of residents, who urged him to bring his experience in transparent governance and collaborative leadership to Saline’s city government. He noted that his work with multiple superintendents and trustees has shaped his understanding of community‑centered leadership and the value of varied perspectives.

Throughout his career, McVey has served as a high school teacher, university professor, researcher, and community presenter. At Eastern Michigan University, in addition to his teaching, he had administrative roles as the Interim Director of the Graduate School and EMU’s first Senior International Officer. He also served six years on the Board of Directors for the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). He has received prestigious awards for his work at both the university and state levels.

If elected, McVey said his priorities would include strengthening collaboration among council members and residents, increasing clarity and transparency in city operations, supporting community understanding of key issues, and ensuring responsible stewardship of public resources and assets.

McVey began his teaching career in Ontario and moved to the United States in 1993. He earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University and has lived in Saline for nearly two decades. He is happily married and has three wonderful adult daughters.

The Saline mayoral election will take place in November.

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