Updated: Feb. 21, 2025, 1:29 p.m.
|Published: Feb. 21, 2025, 1:18 p.m.
Monica Sparks, the Kent County District 12 Commissioner, has announced a run for Kentwood mayor in 2025. Sparks, pictured in this MLive file photo, is the owner of Body Sculpt Better Body Bar at 3099 Broadmoor Ave. SE. (Ridley Hudson | MLive.com)Ridley Hudson | MLive.com
KENTWOOD, MI – Kent County District 12 Commissioner Monica Sparks is launching a run for Kentwood mayor.
Sparks, who is currently serving her fourth term as a county commissioner, plans to run against incumbent Mayor Stephen Kepley in Kentwood’s November mayoral election, she announced in a Feb. 18 news release.
Kepley is also planning to run for mayor again this fall, his office confirmed Feb. 20. He is currently serving his third term as Kentwood’s mayor, after first being elected to the job in 2013.
The mayor is elected to a four-year seat and supervises all city departments, serving as the city’s head administrator and presiding at city commission meetings.
As Kent County’s District 12 commissioner, Sparks serves residents in Kentwood, Grand Rapids and Wyoming. She was reelected to a fourth, four-year term in 2024.
If she won Kentwood’s mayoral race, the Kent County Board of Commissioners would have 30 days to appoint someone to the seat. The appointee will serve until a permanent successor is elected in the 2026 midterm elections.
In a statement announcing her bid for mayor, Sparks promised to “ensure that every resident of Kentwood has a voice in shaping our city’s future,” if elected.
“According to the US Census, Kentwood is now in de-population,” she said. “I am committed to fostering a safer, stronger, and more prosperous community where families and businesses can thrive. I will bring my experience, passion, and proven leadership to the office of Mayor.”
Sparks praised Kepley for his 12 years of leadership and said she could bring a “fresh vision” to the job
“I am grateful for Mayor Kepley’s years of service and commitment to our city,” she said. “I look forward to building on the foundation he helped establish while bringing a fresh vision to ignite Kentwood’s future.”
Sparks noted she would be the first woman elected as Kentwood mayor and its third African American.
No other challengers have filed to run for mayor as of Feb. 21, said city Clerk Dan Kasunic. The filing deadline is April 28.
If Sparks and Kepley are the only candidates who run for the seat, the two will face each other in the Tuesday, Nov. 4, general election, Kasunic said.
However, if a third candidate files to run for mayor, the city would hold a primary election on Aug. 5, where if one candidate got more than 50% of the vote, they would automatically win the seat. If no candidate earned more than 50% of the vote, the top two vote-getters would move on to a runoff election in November.
Prior to being elected as mayor in 2013, Kepley served as Kentwood’s director of engineering and inspections for 10 years.
Sparks said her campaign will focus on her “S.P.A.R.K.S. Plan of Action,” which is made up of the following key priorities:
- Safety: Enhancing community policing, investing in first responders, and strengthening neighborhood engagement.
- Partnership: Collaborating with businesses, nonprofits, and government leaders to drive economic growth and expand city services.
- Advocacy: Championing affordable housing, small business support, and environmental sustainability.
- Resources: Improving infrastructure, parks, and public transit to serve a growing community.
- Knowledge: Encouraging transparency, public input, and data-driven decisions.
- Servant leadership: Leading with integrity, accountability and a people-first approach.
“My campaign is about ensuring that every resident of Kentwood feels safe, supported, and empowered,” she said. “Together, we will ignite the future of Kentwood.”
Sparks is the owner of Body Sculpt Better Body Bar, a wellness spa that offers “ancient self-care techniques with modern science and technology.”
RELATED: Michigan spa’s ‘ancient self-care’ methods highlighted during National Black Business Month
She was recently honored at the 2025 Giant Awards, a ceremony dedicated to honor Black leaders in West Michigan each year.
Sparks and her sister, Kentwood City Commissioner Jessica Ann Tyson, received the Milo M. Brown Business Award this year for dedicating their careers to “empowering marginalized voices, serving as champions for community development and economic opportunity.”
Sparks said more information about her campaign can be found at www.SparksForKentwood.Com or on social media at Facebook on the Monica Sparks For Kentwood Mayor page.