A neighbor and lifer
I grew up on a dairy and hog farm in Pine Bluff, the youngest of a large Irish Catholic family. I’ve called Mount Horeb home for most of my life. My husband Mikel and I graduated from Mount Horeb High School together, returned after college and military service, and have lived on South 4th Street for 25 years — raising our daughters Maggie and Erin right here in this community.
I hold a B.A. in Political Science from UW-Madison and an M.S. in Organizational Behavior from Edgewood University. My career has been dedicated to higher education administration, where I worked for years as a Registrar — a role that put me in the room for Faculty Senate meetings, institutional governance decisions, and the kind of deliberate, process-driven work that good governance requires. Today I work as a Business Analyst for the UW System.
When a proposed four-story development threatened to reshape our historic Main Street, over 200 of us showed up to fight for our community. I was among those neighbors — attending meetings, speaking out, and helping organize the effort. What I learned through that process is that I want to work from the inside to more directly affect the future of our village.
“I want to help shape Mount Horeb’s future in a way that respects our past, supports our residents, and strengthens our sense of community.”— Michelle Kelley
My Priorities
Protecting
our Downtown
New Glarus, Stoughton, and Galena have built thriving economies around exactly this kind of historic identity. We are at a tipping point between capitalizing on ours or giving it away.
Transparency
in Government
Transparency is essential for trust. Our current village leadership may meet the minimum legal requirements for open government — but we deserve better. Residents shouldn’t find out about major development proposals at the 11th hour, after hundreds of hours of planning have already happened behind closed doors.
Promoting Affordability
Housing is a critical need in Mount Horeb — I believe that. We need more options, more variety, and more opportunities for all families to put down roots here and make it their long-term home. Rising costs affect everything from rent to property taxes, and the Village Board has a responsibility to take that seriously.
