Mayor York steps down after eight years in office

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YORK, Pa. — After eight years of service, York will welcome a new mayor. The city is preparing for a transition as the current mayor, Michael Helfrich (D), steps down from his role.

Helfrich, who previously served as the city council president, made history in 2017 when he unseated two-term Mayor Kim Bracey (D) as a Republican. His tenure came with its share of challenges, but he remained steadfast in his commitment to the community. On Friday, Helfrich shared an address on the city’s Facebook page, reflecting on his time in office and the impact he hopes to leave behind.

“Over the years I have faced eight procedural and legal challenges to my holding office in York City,” Helfrich said. “Every time I was challenged, including by the city of York itself, I overcame the opposition. I continued to do the work you put me here to do.”

One of the most significant hurdles came just days before he took office in 2018. Six residents filed a complaint seeking to block him from becoming York’s 25th mayor due to his prior felony drug conviction. Helfrich emphasized the importance of forgiveness and community support during that time.

“If we don’t have a city of forgiveness, we are not bringing people back into the fold to work as a community,” Helfrich stated at the time. The challenge was eventually dropped after he took the oath of office, and he went on to make criminal justice reform and rehabilitation central to his mayoral agenda.

A Focus on Community Policing

Helfrich highlighted his approach to community policing as one of his greatest achievements. He pointed to his decision to appoint York-native Michael Muldrow as the city’s police commissioner in 2020, a move that occurred amid heightened racial tensions across the country. Helfrich called this appointment “one of, if not the best, decisions I made in my eight years.”

He described the choice as unorthodox, aiming to reduce violence, reflect the community in policing, and increase respect for law enforcement. Muldrow responded in kind, taking an equally unconventional approach.

While working on the Group Violence Intervention Initiative, Muldrow appointed Tiff Lowe, a former drug dealer and homeless woman, to lead the program. Helfrich praised her compassion and empathy, noting how her presence deeply resonated with the community, especially young people.

“The compassion and empathy that exude from Tiff Lowe are felt deeply by the community, particularly our young people who have responded to her tough love,” Helfrich said.

This initiative led to the biggest drop in violence for a three-year period, according to Helfrich.

Reflections on Leadership

Despite these accomplishments, Helfrich expressed some regrets. He admitted that he did not achieve his goal of constructing new recreational facilities for young people, which he called a failure. However, he also acknowledged the progress made during his time in office.

Helfrich had the option to run for a third term but chose not to. Instead, he initially endorsed Muldrow to succeed him. However, after Muldrow withdrew from the race, Helfrich retracted his endorsement and ultimately supported former City Council President Sandie Walker (D). Walker will take over as the city’s 26th mayor on Monday.