Financial Health Team to Hold Public Forum on City Services October 13

The Financial Health Review Team will be holding a Citizens Forum this Thursday, October 13, to hear views from residents about City services. Reviewing the costs of providing services comes in the context of growing East Lansing budget challenges due to both increased unfunded liabilities for employee pensions and high costs of replacing or repairing aging infrastructure.

The October 13 forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Hannah Community Center in Room 235. After reports by working groups on legacy costs, infrastructure, and city services, the agenda calls for presentations from three City officials: Police Chief Jeff Murphy, Fire Chief Randy Taliffaro, and City Manager George Lahanas. Lahanas will discuss possible budget reductions by other City departments.

As the Financial Health Team (FHT) continues to work on recommendations to forward to the City Council by December 15, it will hold other citizen forums, in addition to regular meetings of the full FHT and its working groups. These are all always open to the public. An up-to-date list of these meetings is maintained on the City website.

Another FHT Citizens Forum to talk about Infrastructure, Development Incentives, and Real Property is scheduled on Monday, November 14, at 6:30 pm. Others may be scheduled later.