Remarks by Chuck Grigsby
67 remarks on the record, newest first · Page 2 of 3
“Thank you. Mayor Pro Tem. I echo those thoughts. A lot of what was brought here tonight and the focus of what we should be doing as a council, what I should be doing as a council member. I hear you. I am working. I'm doing everything in my capacity. to address the issues that some of that I've heard tonight and I still look forward to working with the community And getting better and moving into a better direction in regards to those issues That's all I have tonight Thank You mr. Meadows”
“I move to introduce and refer to the Planning Commission Ordinance 1582, a conditional rezoning request from the Commons Church Inc. to rezone A, 27.08 acres unaddressed vacant parcel located North of Coleman between West and Coolidge roads in front fronting on both access Coolidge park road and with PN number 19 dash 20 dash 50 dash 35 dash 100 dash one Oh four from before redistrict office business to REM 14, Lodicity, multiple families to facilitate the construction of a religious institution associated with parking with conditions offered by the applicant that would cause such rezoning…”
“So just so I understand you correctly, based on where you're at now, there's a possibility that that fine will increase based on more damage that was done. Is that correct? It's possible, yes.”
“Yeah. So for me, at the last meeting, this was one of the things I was focused on, as you know, because of just the significant jump from 20,000 to 50,000. And the comparisons really helped me be able to understand it a little bit better as far as how you looked around, so I appreciate you doing that. This is not really a hill that, you know, I'm willing to, like, you know, if the majority of council is comfortable with that number, I'm also comfortable with that number if the council feels that that's too big of a jump. They want to talk about that. But I just wanted to put my point in there…”
“Just so I'm clear on the procedure, so we're voting tonight, and then at a later date, we will be discussing that issue that Councilmember Singh is concerned about? Yep. And that would be something that we would vote again for an amendment to that?”
“And just as far as that timeline of that process, how does that work?”
“So I would support it tonight as long as we know that that's coming back to the forefront of the discussion.”
Not quoted here: it may name a member of the public. Hear it at the meeting.
“This is what it's all about. I think this is why we were elected. We have had a historical challenge in our community. We've had multiple incidents where we are here as council members as the top policymakers in the city. And I know that I respect what you're saying. I know where you're coming from. And I don't want to be in a situation where we're not letting staff do staff things and set their own priorities and mandates and being respectful of that process. But at the end of the day, you have a unique situation where we have an opportunity to have a positive impact. And really what makes…”
“Yes, thank you. I just want to announce that we do have our community conversation here on Thursday at 5.30 at the Grand Traverse Pie Company. I encourage community members to come out and have a conversation. We join with Council Member Singh. and we would be delighted to interact with you in not so formal ways, just to reconnect with you going forward here as we go into the busy season of business and making sure that we have firsthand conversations in regards to what's important to you, positive or negative. Appreciate that.”
“NO, I'M KIND OF WITH COUNCIL MEMBER WHALEN Trying to find a way to do this as a teachable And as you know from what I think I understand there the communication there was Was not as clear and I think the intent I'm getting wasn't an intent I think to disregard our ordinances or the rules in relation to the outcome and I know we have policy I know we have a Things in place for a reason here. I just I I'm struggling with I in this vacuum of this particular situation as defined being the remedy. And again, as Councilmember Whalen said, we're a little bit new to this in regards to making sure…”
“I haven't really thoroughly looked at his solutions or alternatives to really give you that direction in relation to that. So that's kind of where I'm at. And so I wouldn't want to make a decision tonight about this until I was able to at least absorb a lot more in a way that could go in that direction as far as kind of what is amenable and what makes sense.”
“Okay. So, in the meantime, what is that mean? Sorry. Uh, in the meantime, I guess, so what are, what is the process? So when we get to the six, how, what is happening in between?”
“I appreciate the attention to detail and the clarification to some of the different things that I just didn't have that in my purview and I wouldn't support deferring.”
“back to the delegated authority to approve contracts. I don't understand what's the reasoning for that? What's the mechanism for that in changing that amount from $20,000 to $50,000 and then how you land it with $50,000? for me that's a big jump and I'm just trying to understand um why we would not have anything over twenty thousand dollars not before Council for us to make an informed decision on that for the city manager”
“So, and I'm just asking, I'm learning as well, but I mean, so if we say, Okay, $50,000, no. What about $35,000 or $40,000? We have room to work with that, correct? Yeah. In regards to we'll help you be able to have a number in front of you. So the $50,000 is what you particularly would like to see, but that's necessarily you have to have, right?”
“Okay. I just wanted to get that cleared up. Thank you.”
“Does that give you a little bit of direction for kind of, what we're thinking about and uh how next time we talk about this um give you a little bit better feel kind of what direction we're going into with some of this think I'll just ask are you looking for a lower threshold across the board or the delegated authorities I can't speak for everyone else but I think I would be a little bit more comfortable with an option or two when it comes to that so that we could discuss that in a way that I think everyone can feel confident and being able to give you the the direction of support you need to…”
“No, I'm just, I'm going to be supporting a motion. I just, as Council Member Whalen was saying, since you've got on, I've kind of seen like right when you got on to who you are now, to what you've been doing from my purview, and I'm just really impressed with your leadership, your organization. You just, have your eye on the dial and I see it and respect it and so if This is going to help you be able to even be more sharper. I think this is a great investment I think we'll figure things out and you'll figure things out when it comes to the financial aspect of and I trust the fact that you…”
“So I kind of had to open any question because Councilmember Mark Meadows brought this up in relation to investing in this boulder. I know you're telling us right now that you've got to have this. I understand that. But I'm just curious, generally speaking, about City Hall and kind of really the timeline with that. And this decision tonight I think is we have to do it, but just in general, what are we doing with that? Or is there a plan? Have we talked about that? Am I missing out on kind of what that is? Because I really don't know.”
“Yeah, I just, other than, I know the previous city manager really wanted, was, you know, and I came in just in November, but I just never understood the urgency with it, so I didn't know if it was a building issue, a capacity issue, or what, but it just, the timing right now doesn't seem very good to be doing something like that in regards to where we're at financially, so I'm just trying to understand You know, I understand the investment tonight and that's what we're talking about, but I just wanted to just throw that out in the air because if that is in fact something that is an…”
“Understood. I appreciate that. And thank you for entertaining my open-ended questions about that.”
“MR. Yeah, thank you. I echo Councilmember Whalen's remarks. Although I haven't had many years of working with you and being around your organization, I did get a taste of the impact through our recent Welcome Weekend initiative, and I got a chance to meet a couple of the field guys. I have their cards, but I don't remember their names exactly, but they were very impressive. actually went out there and spent time and I felt like knowing there was another layer in the community for de-escalation and equipped to address conflict arguments for shoving fights which I saw many scenarios like that…”
“operating and of student body organizations so just really excited to continue to work with that that body uh and that's it for the evening thank you mr grigsby yes thank you um i don't have any report i do have an announcement to make on september 24th at 5 30 at the traverse pie company um council member singh and i will be doing a community conversation we encourage everyone to come down and say hello and let us know what's on your mind if you can't make it please reach out in another way but hope to see there the community especially for those who might necessarily not come to council and…”
“I just had a question about the income tax renewal initiative and just really how important that is to, um, I wouldn't say necessarily educate but inform the community about why that's important and what exactly we're doing with that money. Um, and what that money means to our future of East Lansing. I just want to emphasize, uh, I will be prioritizing that and I would like hopefully I know that you are and just really making sure that we really have a pathway forward with that communication and that information that's available for the community.”