What Lansing Council

Progress not Perfection with special guest Eva Menefee Aug 12, 2025

The audience chamber at the August 11th Lansing city council meeting was packed! Folks voiced their opinions on how the city treats people experiencing homelessness. An East Lansing city council member, Ingham county health services workers, a reverend, land owners, current shelter workers, emergency services workers, community organizers, and many others gave comments. Council approved $650,000 for a one time purchase of 50 pod units for new temporary housing.

Also the capital area transportation authority (CATA) director gave a rousing update, the Riverwalk theater wants to serve adult beverages to theater goers, and the Granger group is not impressed by plans to make the city the sole trash collector.

Our special guest is Eva Menefee works as the lead faculty advisor at Lansing Community College as well as an instructor, she has raised her family in Lansing, and she runs a food truck at pow-wows and other cultural events during the summers!

Visit the Patreon page to sign up for more perks from the show - like a map of places discussed at the meeting:

https://www.patreon.com/WhatLansingCouncil

Check out Eva’s food truck at the Pow Wow at Adado Riverfront Park hosted by The Anishinaabe Friendship Center (AFC) September 27 - 28th.

https://www.lansing.org/event/annual-dance-by-the-river-pow-wow/55245/

Learn more about city council here:

https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

Help Us Don't Sweep Us - with special guest Eric Tans Jul 30, 2025

At the July 28th City Council meeting the Mayor is raked over the coals for a city lawsuit against local property owners allowing an unhoused encampment, other comment about construction bidding rules, property redevelopment plans, and tenant / landlord rule changes pack less heat - but it was an undeniably charged night at council.

Our special guest is Eric Tans! Eric works as an Environmental Scientist Research Librarian with Michigan State University (MSU), he is a member of the Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) board, and is the top scorer for the Brew-ons at the ice cube hockey rink!

Eric’s research on the history of the Red Cedar River is beautifully presented here:

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/00bb4a7660fd4516bd813ffee5b5758a

Learn more about city council here:

https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

Visit the Patreon page here for the map of issues discussed in this meeting:

https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

We’ve Looked at Crime from Both Sides Now - with guest Jody Washington Jul 16, 2025

Here is the Podcast's Patreon Page:Patreon.com/WhatLansingCouncil

Vote on the perks for being a WLC patreon member!

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During the July 14th Lansing city council meeting the council got a slick update on Lansing airport happenings, there are continuing brownfield development plans on plans on plans, some multi-property landlords were not in-favor of proposed renter insurance ordinances changes, there was an inter-council red-tag fee quarrel, and frustration over a police commissioner board re-appointment.

Our special guest is Jody Washington. She is a former city council member, current charter commission member, and long time community activist in Lansing.

NOTES:

Jody mentions Brian Jeffries and Lori Adam Simons - they are the Chair and Vice Chair of the Charter Commission. The Michigan flyer is a bus service to and from the Detroit airport (DTW) and the Marriott in East Lansing. Sarah Anthony is our state senator for Michigan’s 21st district that includes most of Lansing and Easton county. The acronym AMI stands for Area Median Income - this metric is used to determine the affordability of housing in the context of the area.

Here is the city page for the charter commission:

https://www.lansingmi.gov/1238/Commission-Members

Learn more about city council here:

https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

Cahooting in Broad Daylight - with guest Mike Dombrowski Jun 25, 2025

During the June 23rd council meeting, Council went bonkers for some planned property redevelopments, they bailed out a community picnic, and did their best to support retired firefighters and renters. The capital area district library (CADL) gave heartwarming updates but asked for help finding a new home downtown because their building is becoming uninhabitable.

Our special guest is Mike Dombrowski, Mike is the chair of the Lansing Parks Board, and founder of Eastside Compost - a curbside food scrap collection company.

Learn more about Lansing City Council here:

www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

Learn more about the Lansing Bike and Seek event here:

bikeandseek.org

Two Wrongs Don't Make a Sustainable Health Care Plan - with guest Ryan Kost Jun 11, 2025

During the June 9, 2025 Lansing city council meeting council faced a wall of red. Firefighters in their red shirts gave comments about broken promises made to retired members, this is due to a corrected oversight by the city that will cause these retirees to pay more for their health coverage going forward. Lansing’s Juneteenth celebration committee was honored, and discussions over rental insurance ordinance changes were postponed due to clerical errors.

Our special guest is Ryan Kost, sitting Lansing city council president and first ward representative.

Learn more about the Juneteenth celebration events in Lansing this year here:

https://www.lansingjuneteenthcelebration.org/

Here is the YouTube with all the Lansing city committee meetings:

https://www.youtube.com/@lansingcitycouncil4446

Let's Make a Government - with 13 Guest Candidates Jun 04, 2025

Hello Lansing, do you know all the candidates running for city offices this year? You’ll hear some of them now! I sent an invitation to all those running and here are the 13 out of 21 who responded. The city’s primary election is on August 5th and the general will be November 4th. What are you looking for in your city representative and who do you want to be your voice on council?

Thank you to the candidates who participated in the episode!
* At-large council race: Nick Pigeon, Olivia Vaden, Jonah Stone, Tristan Walters, Julie Vandenboom, Clara Martinez, and Miles Biel
* Second ward council race (they both advance to the general election in November): Deyanira Nevarez Martinez and Erik Almquist
* Fourth ward council race: Heath Lowry and Zacharie Spurlock
* Mayoral race: Brett Brockschmidt and David Ellis

You can see a full list of candidates with some additional details here:

https://ballotpedia.org/City_elections_in_Lansing,_Michigan_(2025)

A wonderful bicycle treasure hunt around Lansing is up through the month of June. You'll need your phone and some friends, and one clue is about city council! www.bikeandseek.org

Power to the Stampede - with guest Alicia Maida May 21, 2025

During the May 19, 2025 Lansing city council meeting our power utility manager gave a harrowing storm damage repair update. For those out of towners: Lansing was hit by severe winds or a tornado (depending on who you talk to) last Thursday night. The city budget was finalized with four last minute jobs added by council, they stuck with their story regarding blocking hard liquor license transfers, and kiddo-soccer team “the Stampede” received high honors.

Our special guest is Alicia Maida, she is a Genesee neighborhood association leader, works as a speech pathologist, and is a landlord for three units.

You can learn more about Lansing city council here: https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

You Shut Your Mouth When You’re Talking to Renters - with guest Randy Watkins May 14, 2025

During the May 12, 2025 Lansing city council meeting concerns from “the rent is too damn high” advocacy group were voiced and heard, firefighter and city teamsters union reps want to see long term strategic plans for filling vacancies and increasing staff, also the Mayor gets his comments cut short by the buzzer.

Our guest is Lansing Community College’s professor Randy Watkins. Prof. Watkins was the chairman of Mayor Schor’s Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Council then the Lansing Committee on Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, and he now serves on the city’s Police Board of Commissioners.

Learn more about city council here:

https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

Learn more about the event: a salute to cowgirls and cowboys of color at the MSU pavilion here:

https://michiganheritagerodeo.ticketspice.com/michigan-heritage-rodeo

Our Hybrid Redundant Encumbrance Champions - with guest Virginia Chambers May 07, 2025

During the May 5th 2025 Lansing city council meeting the council starts a letter writing campaign: to the federal congress - please don’t tax municipal bonds - we prefer to use taxpayer dollars not to pay more taxes, to our state congress - please consider allowing red-light and speed cameras for automatic traffic enforcement, to the Mayor - give more monies to the police and fire departments. Also, the council takes action! approving new zoning rules allowing for auxiliary dwelling units (ADUs).

Our special guest is Virginia Chambers, she has worked for the city of Lansing as a communication manager, and is now doing the same for the Michigan House of Representatives.

Pickled Roads and Media Modes - with guest Sophia Saliby Apr 30, 2025

Here’s your April 28th committee of the whole review: Council heard budget presentations from three departments and one public commentor demanded action to reduce speeding along S MLK Jr Blvd. There was also one sneeze and two jokes!

Our guest is Sophia Saliby, Sophia works at our local East Lansing public media station WKAR where she produces and hosts All Things Considered. She’s covered many stories we’ve heard about at council lately including the transfer of the Ultium battery plant from GM to LG Energy and the old Eastern High school building demolition.

You can learn more about Sophia’s work with WKAR here: https://www.wkar.org/people/sophia-saliby

Here is the link to easily connect with your representatives regarding public media funding: https://protectmypublicmedia.org/urge-congress-call/

The Lansing city council meeting agendas, notes, and other materials can be found on the city webpage here: https://www.lansingmi.gov/705/City-Council-Agendas-Minutes

Starting Not At The Beginning - with guest Metro Melik Apr 23, 2025

It’s the April 21st Lansing City Council meeting, the council hears comments in support of housing densification zoning amendments, they repeal the “no restroom use for the opposite sex” ordinance, and some departmental budget updates lead to swooning.

Our guest Metro Melik is a radio DJ for Stacks 92.1, he has been working in the Lansing media landscape since the 90’s producing shows for public access, he’s an entrepreneur founding Lansing Made, me2u photography and videography services, he serves as the relationship manager for the women’s center of greater Lansing, and he was appointed to the Lansing Public Media Authority at the council meeting!

You can learn more about Metro Melik from his website: www.metromelik.com/

One of his projects with the women’s center is 517 Day: www.517day.com/

*Correction: EPA stands for the Environmental Protection Agency not “Authority”

** Episode art photo credit: Darryl Evans of Pure Enchantment Photography

Bizzaro World of Bathrooms and Budgets with guest Julie Vandenboom Apr 09, 2025

At the April 7th 2025 Lansing city council meetings the strip-club Centerfolds had their business licenses revoked, general and departmental budgets were dissected, and restroom feelings were shared. There is some mention of violent crimes and sex crimes in this episode.

Our guest Julie Vandenboom works for the State of Michigan’s Health and Human Services Department, she serves on the Capital Area District Libraries' board, and she is running for an at-large city council seat this year.

You can learn more about Julie’s campaign here: https://julievandenboom.com/

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Some episode fact checking:

One public commenter said, “Lansing is the 17th most violent city in America”. Here is where I think they found this figure: https://worldpopulationreview.com/us-city-rankings/most-violent-cities-in-america

This website does list Lansing as #17 - but when I looked into the source, 2018 data from the FBI, I’m seeing data by metropolitan area - and Lansing comes in at 108th for violent crimes per 100,000 people, where violent crimes include murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

Another public comment sited a study that, “one in eleven jobs promised by developers in Michigan materialize”: https://www.mackinac.org/pressroom/2024/michigans-corporate-welfare-failure-only-1-in-11-jobs-promised-were-created
Council member Hussain mentioned sidewalk maintenance best practice is 25 year replacement: https://nacto.org/wp-content/uploads/nchrp_rpt_713_thompson.pdf
Multiple folks reference Michigan’s open carry laws for licensed concealed firearms, they are prohibited on the following premises: “A tavern where the primary source of income is the sale of alcoholic liquor by the glass consumed on the premises.” https://www.michigan.gov/msp/services/ccw/prohibited-premises

Late in the episode your host is miss-quoting “Wilhoit’s Law” which is often miss-attributed: https://slate.com/business/2022/06/wilhoits-law-conservatives-frank-wilhoit.html

Warm Potatoes Passed Unanimously - with guest Loretta Stanaway Mar 28, 2025

It's the March 24th Lansing City Council meeting recap! The Council adopted an ordinance change making it illegal to park unregistered vehicles on city roads, they gave a tribute to a group honoring Cesar E. Chavez, and began discussions to revise a historic ordinance criminalizing the individual use of bathrooms designated for the sex different from the sex assigned at birth, and more!

Our guest Loretta Stanaway is the owner of Memorial Minders a personalized grave site beautification service, president of The Friends of Lansing's Historic Cemeteries group, she is also a frequent Lansing City Council meeting attendee.

Learn more about The Friends of Lansing's Historic Cemeteries here: https://www.lansingcemfriends.org/

City of Cousins - with guest Larry Wallace Mar 12, 2025

It's the March 10th Lansing City Council meeting recap! The Council hosts LG Energy (hopeful battery manufacturing business owner), makes decisions on demolitions and liquor licenses, and they hear from property owners of unsafe buildings and Easter Highschool groupies.

Our guest Larry Wallace is a Senior Investigative Reporter for Fox 47 News - our local Lansing area TV news station.

Learn more about Larry here.

Learn more about city council here.

Learn more about the Mikey23 Foundation here.

Episode Notes:

*A cabaret license is a type of business license needed in Lansing for any live entertainment with food or refreshments served.

*Some members of the Sexton High School Boys basketball team were recording at the studio after us and we got high fives!

Won't You Be My Shared Use Neighbor - with guest Joan Nelson Feb 26, 2025

It's the February 24th Lansing City Council meeting recap! The council makes decisions about liquor license transfers and noise permits. They do allow advisory board appointments to go through ending the weeks-long stalemate. Many city department heads give guidance and many citizens ask for more time to “make safe” their buildings.

Our guest Joan Nelson was the executive director of the Allen Neighborhood Center for over 20 years, she currently is a contributing columnist for the City Pulse and advocates for shared use housing.

Here is one of her Pulse articles on shared use housing.

Learn more about the Allen Neighborhood Center here.

Learn more about Lansing city council here.

No Controversy we've got No Controversy - with guest Hannah Forsythe Feb 16, 2025

It's the February 10th Lansing City Council meeting recap! The Council hosts the Board of Water and Light (BWL), the Women’s Empowerment Center leader, and folks who don’t want to be living in the Lansing Earthquake Zone six days a week!

Our guest Hannah Forsythe is an Epidemiologist with The Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI), she is also a triathlete and cross country skier!

Learn more about the women's center of greater Lansing here, Lansing city council here, and the Hawk Island triathlon here.

How do I audit thee? Let me count the ways - with guest Ruelaine Stokes Jan 29, 2025

It's the January 27th Lansing City Council meeting recap! The Council hosts auditors, finance department directors, developers, and board member wannabes.
Our guest Ruelaine Stokes is Lansing's current Poet Laureate. Before recording she kindly gifted me a wonderful collection of Lansing poems: "My Secret Lansing". You can learn more about her at: https://www.ruelainestokes.com/

Learn more about city council at: https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

Spend a Dollar to Protect a Nickel - with guests Jerry and Shannon Norris Jan 15, 2025

Thanks for joining for a listen about the second Lansing City Council meeting of the year. There's joy, heartbreak, evasion, and hair drama in the council chambers this January 13th. As well as discussions on sewer upgrades, human resources, MLK group recognition, belabored trash fee debate, and diverse criticisms of Downtown Lansing Inc.

Our guests Jerry and Shannon operate the fantastic eastside Lansing community resource center - the Fledge - learn more at: https://thefledge.com/

Learn more about city council at: https://www.lansingmi.gov/186/City-Council

Covid Killed the Bow Tie - with guest Chris Swope Jan 09, 2025

Thanks for joining for a listen about the first Lansing City Council meeting of the new year! There’s an internal council election with several rounds of voting, seven public comments, and our best dressed guest yet - Clerk Chris Swope!

New Vision Now - with guest MC Rothhorn Dec 18, 2024

T’was the last Lansing City Council meeting of the year! Special guest MC Rothhorn, a member of the Michigan Redistricting Commission, provides his perspective on development plans for Lansing. We have a good time trying to find common ground between current council happenings and the wobbly world of Harry Potter. Thank you Lansing Public Media Center for allowing us to record at your studio, and thank you for listening!

Lansing City Council website: https://www.lansingmi.gov/1212/Council-Committee-Meetings

Lansing Public Media Center: https://lansingmedia.myturn.com/library/

New Vision Lansing: https://www.gentilozzi.com/new-vision (not updated to include all five properties)

Lansing State Journal article about it: https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2024/12/16/new-vision-brownfield-funding-downtown-lansing-skyscraper-council/77036257007/

Simtob developers: https://simtob.co/

Shared Senator Birthdays - with guest Bob Peña Dec 05, 2024

Join us for a recapturing of the excitement at the Lansing Michigan City Council Meeting on Monday, December 2nd, 2024. Special guest Bob Peña, Ingham County Commissioner, discusses some differences between the way the city and the county are governed. Housing, transportation, and budgets, oh my! Thanks for listening!

Teeth for signs - with guest Mike Dombrowski Nov 19, 2024

Join us for a recapturing of the excitement at the Lansing Michigan City Council Meeting on Monday, November 18th, 2024. Special guest Mike Dombrowski, president of the Parks and Rec. Advisory Board, discusses his love of the river trail and wonders how proposed developments will help the city. Debate around increased punishment for signs in the right-of-way is spirited, and guess how many dogs are at the meeting! Thanks for listening!

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