[8] When incumbent mayor Chuck Barney decided not to run for reelection in 2018, Sipma announced his candidacy the next day.

He favored stabilizing the city's work force in order to reduce the cost of constantly replacing employees.

[11][12] In August 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Mayor Sipma and the City Council unanimously approved a resolution requiring city employees to wear face coverings when a six-foot distance cannot be maintained or when the employee is instructed to do so by their medical provider or their supervisor.

[13] In October, Mayor Sipma instituted a requirement to wear a face covering in public, without any penalty or enforcement measures.

Sipma responded, "It's been referenced a couple of times that there isn't hate or that they're not against those folks.