Government

Photo: Ingham County FOIA Coordinator Becky Bennett speaks at last night’s hearing.

Last night, the Ingham County Board of Commissioners heard Alice Dreger’s appeal under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). As Publisher of ELi, Dreger has been requesting records of all communications between County Clerk Barb Byrum and “the person who called himself or herself ‘Steve Meadows’.”

East Lansing’s City Council heard from City staff last night about various options for dealing with the City-owned parking garage and land under the Marriott Hotel downtown. Investors have expressed some interest in purchasing the garage and/or the land under the whole “University Place” complex, a parking garage and land which the City currently owns.

At this Tuesday’s work session of Council, the City’s Finance Director Mary Haskell will present the Fiscal Year 2015 audit, and according to a memo from Haskell attached to Tuesday’s agenda, our pension debt combined with new accounting standards are going to “change the [City’s] financial position presented on the Government-Wide, full accrual, statements dramatically.” Says Haskell in h

Above: The old white oak tree on Spartan Avenue, on the site of the proposed “White Oak Place” development.

The third and by far longest of three public hearings at this week’s City Council meeting centered on Ordinance No. 1363, the so-called tree protection ordinance. If it were to pass as proposed, it would protect certain trees within the City of East Lansing by requiring permits before anyone trims or cuts a tree that has been designated “protected.”

Mayor Mark Meadows’ handling of an appointment to Planning Commission this week is receiving sharp criticism because Meadows failed to interview all three candidates or to do so cooperatively with the Chair of the Planning Commission, as is standard practice.

Above: rental houses in the Oakwood and Bailey neighborhoods

Above: Pat Wolff of the Tamarisk Neighborhood testifying during the public hearing last night.

Last night, East Lansing’s City Council unanimously approved a change to a portion of the City’s Code pertaining to Ethics. The change aims to make more transparent when someone with active financial business before Council has made a relatively recent campaign contribution of more than $100 to a seated Councilmember deliberating on the matter.

East Lansing’s City Council met for its first work session last Tuesday, November 24. One of the topics discussed was operating procedures for the coming Council term, including changing to fewer meetings per month, with all meetings video-recorded and broadcast live.

Traditionally, each month Council has held approximately two work sessions and two regular business sessions.

Above: Ceramic items produced in the Bailey studio, courtesy City of East Lansing

The ceramics studio formerly housed and operated at Bailey Community Center (BCC) is expected to be moved to a renovated space at Hannah Community Center by September 30, 2016.

East Lansing’s City Council’s meeting this coming Tuesday night will include three public hearings that touch on “hot” issues in town: vacant, blighted buildings downtown; campaign finance disclosure; and the protection of trees.

Image courtesy Ingham County

East Lansing’s City Council voted tonight to withdraw from the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, naming as the reason the attack mailers put out by the Chamber against Councilmember Erik Altmann during the election.