Council - Special Meeting

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Okay, great. This is the East Lansing City Council special meeting of June 30th, 2026. The meeting will come to order. Could we have the roll call, please?

Councilmember Singh? Here. Councilmember Whalen?

Here.

Mayor Pro Tem Grigsby?

Here.

Mayor Altman?

Here.

Councilmember Meadows.

I would entertain a motion to excuse Councilmember Meadows' absence. Moved by Whalen, seconded by Grigsby. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? That motion carries. Councilmember Meadows is excused. I would entertain a motion to approve the agenda.

Move for approval of agenda.

Moved by Singh, seconded by Whalen. Any discussion of the agenda? All those in favor of approval, please say aye. Aye. Any opposed? Motion carries. Agenda is approved. Is there a motion concerning closed session? I have a motion concerning closed session. I move to enter closed session to discuss and consult with the city's attorneys regarding the following. One, privileged and confidential attorney-client legal correspondence that is exempt from disclosure by state law under MCL 15.243 sub 1 sub G as allowed under subsection 8 sub 1 sub H of the Michigan Open Meetings Act and two, consult with the city's labor attorney regarding collective bargaining negotiations as allowed under subsection 8 sub 1 sub c of the michigan open meetings act that is my motion second motion by altman second by grigsby uh can we have a roll call vote please second by whalen sorry second by will council member singh yes council member whalen yes mayor pro tem grigsby Mayor Altman yes motion carries unanimously we are adjourned to closed session thank you We are back in open session. Do we have any motions? We are now on item 3.1, return to open session. Do we have any motions?

Yeah, I'll make a motion. I'm going to make a motion to authorize Mayor Allman to proceed in the manner recommended by the city attorney in closed session via attorney-client legal memo dated June 29, 2026, to retain the services of Tim Foran and Cummings, McClory, Davis, Ocho, PLC, litigation defense counsel in the state of court lawsuit line smith and mason woods versus john newman and the city of east lansing case number 26-3081-8w and other pertinent matters necessary to protect the city's legal position and depending and or future legal proceedings arising from the matters referenced in the state court lawsuit motion by gregsby is there a second second

second by Whalen all those in favor say aye aye any opposed motion carries and that uh course of action is authorized any further motions okay um that brings us to the next item on our agenda which is communication from the public I have two slips uh first is uh Kayla Gomez

Good evening.

Parting Ways with City Manager Robert Bellman was the right call and appropriate for Council making that move on behalf of our community. But our work isn't finished. There's more that needs to be done to restore accountability and trust in our city leadership. Tonight I'm asking you to take that next step in the right direction. It is time to fire Police Chief Jennifer Brown. Under her leadership, the department has shown a pattern of racist policing that has harmed residents and eroded trust between our police force and the communities it has supported and is supposed to serve. This isn't just about individual incidents, but it's about culture that has been built and allowed to persist within the department.

One that does not reflect the values this...

I'm not saying you're serious about a whole year.

and representatives to reverse course on both fronts, restore the Human Rights Commission's powers, and remove Chief Brown. Thank you.

Thank you. Robin Etchison.

Robin Etchison, resided at 5292 Barrel Lake Drive, East Lansing, Michigan.

To the City Council, it appears to me there's a lot of these amazing things by some here in the county are outdated. This I shall continue to remind you of. This is 2026, and this is especially regarding policing. From my observation, the East Lansing Police Department and the way they believe are not the main problem. The way they are being led is the problem. And East Lansing City Council, some of your actions and your complacencies reinforce some of the East Lansing Police Department's questionable The East Lansing Police Department is responding the way that they are being led. There is data that shows that East Lansing Police Department's questionable conduct, and I want to remind you, the data is there if you would like to see it, that shows that the East Lansing Police Department's questionable conduct in most cases, or a lot of cases, is racially motivated and bias also towards lower class whites, the LGBTQ plus community, and that they are incentive individuals in mental and emotional crisis. From the privacy. It's not five now, but I'm sure the others will see the rhythm I hold. From the bottom, someone has to start being the voice of people.

But what about men? You take purely these things in the equation.

i'll never forget it and i'll never let the city hospital again thank you thank you is

And I feel like that's kind of a problem that you care about around people, right?

Uh, so that's like all the reasons to put that in there. Just so that formative, but you're being like, uh, trying to represent that you care about black and brown people and then totally not delivering justice. There's an insane thing that happens to a young black man who had a really bright future. He was only 21 years old. I'm a substitute teacher in my entry. and i know that a 24 year old like a kid a young man and his life was stolen from him his outrageous words maybe he's just shot over 20 times right 20 over 20 rounds for his liver and it's one body doesn't say so

Thank you very much. But there will be a care. Celebration. On.

. . . .

You know, they don't tell me or pray. You're in love. You know, we all know the Brown said, we know, we are planning her home. She decided to meet with me. We also know that the video footage. I'm very different. Don't you? Thank you. That was one example of the example I hear. While bad. And. And.

. .

. . . Thank you.

Thank you very much, and . OK. That concludes the hearing.

I agree to say aye. Aye. I'm opposed.

We are adjourned.