ESCANABA — One local business owner’s continued mission to be appointed to the Escanaba Downtown Development Authority led to strong words for the mayor and city council after another individual was appointed to the open seat on the authority board.

“Nobody is going to get rid of me. I am not going anywhere, and so I plan to be here for a long time. I plan to be here when you’re gone, and you’re gone, and you’re gone,” Kelli Van Ginhoven, owner of For the Love of Cupcakes said while pointing at Council Member Peggy O’Connell, Mayor Marc Tall, and Council Member Ralph Blasier during the final public comment period of Thursday’s regular city council meeting.

Van Ginhoven, who has been seeking a seat on the DDA since January of 2019 and said she has attended 10 of the last 12 DDA meetings, has repeatedly taken to the podium to ask why her multiple applications to the authority board have been denied by Tall. She has also repeatedly requested the reason be placed on the council’s agenda and investigated.

Prior to the final public comment period Thursday, Tall appointed Tyler Johnson to the DDA vacancy created by the resignation of Eric Swanson.

“I wish him the best. I hope he is able to succeed with the DDA. This is not a me versus him. This is a me versus Mayor Tall, and I thought I had done everything I could including thanking you for getting me more passionate about local politics and all you did tonight was slap in my face so thank you very much, have a good night,” said Van Ginhoven.