Meet the councilmember and lifelong local slated to become Howell's next mayor

Yahoo

10-05-2025

HOWELL — Howell will get a new mayor in November, and the "who" has likely already been decided by default.
Nikolas Hertrich, a lifelong local and member of Howell City Council, was the only official candidate to file for the role. He could still be challenged by a write-in candidate; but, in the meantime, he's eager to learn all he can about the job.
Hertrich was first appointed to council in 2021 after the resignation of Michael Mulvahill. He was elected for a full term in November 2023. He graduated from Howell High School in 1998, and later attended Michigan State University, where he got a degree in physical science with a minor in mathematics.
After graduation, Hertrich worked as an environmental consultant for an oil company before leaving the private sector to work for the Underground Storage Tank Authority at the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy.
Hertrich and his wife, Brandy, are high school sweethearts. They resettled in the area post-college, and Hertrich decided he wanted to get more involved in his community.
'I grew up in Howell, I lived here my entire life, so I just wanted to be part of the planning, part of the leadership, to give back,' Hertrich told The Daily.
More: Howell City Council votes to end services to Mt. Olivet Cemetery
Hertrich first ran for council in 2013, but didn't make it on the ballot. He said he feels very proud of the work he and the other councilmembers have done, from updating the Veterans Memorial to Motorsports Gateway and the Depot Lot.
'I think we're very lucky right now with Mayor (Bob) Ellis and the current council, we work together nicely,' Hertrich said. 'We all have different opinions. We all have different views. We all bring something different to the table, and it makes a nice team when we're willing to listen to other people and take into consideration the consequences, which I really like.'
Assuming he's successful in his run for mayor, Hertrich hopes to maintain the steady growth and improvements the city has seen in recent years, while continuing to support the work of staff.
'I don't really think any of this happens without the staff — all of them are super amazing, dedicated to this community,' Hertrich said. 'I think (council's) role is to support them, because if the city staff aren't doing their job, then city residents aren't happy and the city's not happy.'
But what's next for Howell? That's a great question, Hertrich said.
'We're still looking towards the future, like, where do we want to go? What's the vision we want to have? A small town, but still grow. We don't want to be stagnant.'
Over the past year, there've been several white supremacist demonstrations in and around Howell, some of which earned national attention.
More: White supremacists return to Howell, clash with counter-protestors
Hertrich said he wants to gain a better understanding of the impact of the demonstrations and how officials should respond to them.
'I'm all about trying to understand before being understood, and I have to learn in order to do that,' Hertrich said. 'I want to make sure this community is safe for everybody. I believe it is, but that's coming from me, and so I need to hear other people's stories to confirm that's the case."
In March, the city selected Burch Branded of Holland to enact phase one of a communications plan. In June, councilmembers will decide whether to continue working with the company.
— Contact reporter Tess Ware at [e-mail].
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: What to know about Nikolas Hertrich, likely the next mayor of Howell