During the November 17th Lansing City Council meetings the biggest issue was a requested utility easement by Consumer’s Energy for a new high pressure natural gas pipeline through Fenner Nature Center and Evergreen Cemetery - despite public pushback council approved the request. Public speakers continued to raise concerns about the city stalling on court ordered services to an encampment. Also, the council wrote a letter about supporting food rescue efforts.

Our special guest this episode is Tom Arthur. Tom is the lead pastor of Sycamore Creek Church, founder of Stage One at Sycamore Creek Eastwood, co-founder of Startup Grind Lansing, and co-founder of the long-running Northern Michigan C.S. Lewis Festival in Petoskey. He is also a startup coach with Wisdom Partners out of Silicon Valley and a creative partner for churches and non-profits. He has been married to his wife, Sarah, for 28 years and is the father of two boys, Sam and Micah, who attend Post Oak Academy and Eastern high school.

This is the Patreon for What Lansing Council, thank you!

⁠https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

Find out more about Sycamore Creek ministries here:

https://sycamorecreekchurch.org/

Here is the facebook event for the ugly sweater swing dance party at Sycamore Creek Eastwood:

https://www.facebook.com/share/17PDZCuzxf/

You can learn more about Lansing’s City Council here:

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

During the November 10, 2025 council meetings residents from Lansing with a spectrum of housing challenges spoke to council - people fighting to stay alive in an outdoor encampment the city is currently litigating, a woman working to complete her renovation vision on a historic home the city had issued a “make safe or demolish” order against, and emerging developers asking the city to aid in the process of getting local and state tax breaks to make their projects less expensive. 

Our guest Alan Fox currently serves as the Ingham County Treasurer.  He served as Chief Deputy Treasurer for 4-1/2 years before he was appointed Treasurer in April, 2022.  He has since been elected in 2022 and 2024. Alan has lived in Lansing since 2015.  He grew up in East Lansing and was the first MSU student elected to the East Lansing City Council, in 1977.

Find meeting issues maps and bingo results from the meetings on the podcast’s patreon page here:

https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

Here is the Ingham county treasurer’s office web site:

https://tr.ingham.org/departments_and_officials/treasurer/

You can learn more about Lansing’s City Council here:

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

The mayor’s road construction input form can be found here: 

https://www.lansingmi.gov/1359/Road-Construction-Input

During the October 27th Lansing City Council meetings the council heard from many citizens asking for leniency in a specific “make safe or demolish” order. Council also heard about a disturbing racially charged incident at Letts community center. Two new advisory board members were approved, and the actual timing of ordinances going into “immediate effect” was reviewed.

Our guest Annescia Dillard is a self-proclaimed "Lansing Enthusiast" who keeps her finger on the city's pulse. She regularly watches or attends public meetings for the Lansing City Council, Lansing Community College, the Capital Area Transit Authority (CATA), Lansing School District, and others whenever she finds the time.

You can learn more about Lansing’s City Council here:

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

Find meeting issues maps and bingo results from the meetings on the podcast’s patreon page here:

https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

During the October 13th meetings the Lansing City Council passed a resolution declaring Lansing an LGBTQ+ welcoming city. Many folks in attendance voiced their support for this resolution.  Organizers from a tenants union working on getting Lansing to pass a "tenants bill of rights” appealed to council - as they are being stalled by the city attorney’s office.

Our special guest Rebecca Kasen works as the executive director of the Women's Center of Greater Lansing. She has previously worked creating emergency housing, in disability services, and in social justice advocacy.

Check out all the happenings at the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing here:

https://lansingwomen.org/

You can learn more about Lansing’s City Council here:

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

Find issue maps and bingo results from the meetings on the podcast’s patreon page here:

https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

During the September 29th Lansing city council meetings the council members did some shuffling of their proposed budget priorities. A flyer sent to residents paid for by the charter commission got called out for blatant propaganda. And transgender members of the community ask council to give statements denouncing hate targeting them and to provide further protections.

Our guest this episode Kris Klein is the President and CEO of the Lansing Economic Development Corporation (LDEC) a non-profit committed to advancing Lansing's vitality and equitable economic growth. He’s a proud city of Lansing resident since 2011 and a fellow avid watcher of City Council meetings.

The full discussion with Kris was unfortunately not recorded, apologies to Kris for some butchering of his thoughtful comments in the solo re-record.

Learn more about the work of the LDEC here:

https://lansingedc.com/

And the LDEC’s small business technical assistance empower program:

https://lansingedc.com/the-empower-program

They also have some very nice story maps of the corridor projects on their website.

***

You can learn more about Lansing’s City Council here:

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

Find meeting issues maps and bingo results from the meetings on the podcast’s patreon page here:

https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

During the September 22nd 2025 council meetings - the council heard public comments, mostly in-favor, of two developers asking for tax breaks to improve properties in the city by adding and maintaining ‘affordable’ housing. Other community members urged the city government to act to help folks experiencing homelessness. A Laingsburg resident with hospitality experience was appointed to the Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority (LEPFA) Board. And, council and public members agreed that parking offenders should be punished! 

This episode’s special guest is Ben Shuldiner, our Superintendent of the Lansing Public School District. He's been with us since the summer of 2021 and previously worked as a teacher, principal, school board and educational leader in New York City and abroad.

Learn more about council here:

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

Contact our superintendent here, anytime!:

https://www.lansingschools.net/departments/superintendent/

Join the patreon community for games and maps!:

https://www.patreon.com/whatLansingCouncil

During the Sept 8th Lansing city council meeting the council heard two plans from property developers: one in north Old Town near the Turner Dodge House to build a new apartment building with 76 units using a brownfield redevelopment tax incentive plan, another in South Lansing next to the Oak Park YMCA to continue to maintain a 618 unit “village” with a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) plan. Take note! the Mayor will be in a dunk tank THIS SATURDAY, don’t miss your opportunity to dunk the Mayor!

Our special guest this episode is DeLisa Fountain, DeLisa is a proud mom of three young men, and she works as the Director of Lansing's Neighborhoods, Arts & Citizen Engagement Department. She also champions community engagement by working with various youth empowerment organizations, serving on the Capital Area Community Services Board, the Lansing Empowerment Network Board, and the Mayor’s Gun Violence Task Force.

Find more great stuff on the Patreon:
https://patreon.com/WhatLansingCouncil

Look at this for more information on the Mayor dunk tank and community fundraising event (sorry, I can only find the facebook posting about this): https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1C3vqCBPh4/

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

Information about the Neighborhoods, Arts & Citizen Engagement Department: https://www.lansingmi.gov/180/Neighborhoods-Arts-Citizen-Engagement

Information about the Neighborhood Resource Summit on October 15th: https://www.lansingmi.gov/905/Neighborhood-Resource-Summits

At the August 25th meeting the Lansing city council updated the process for deciding who gets city contracts over $15,000 dollars. Council also did some self-regulating, to update attendance and punishment rules for missed meetings. Public comments include both angry and appreciative stances on trash collection consolidation and plans for unhoused residents.

Our guest is State Senator Sarah Anthony. Senator Anthony represents Michigan’s 21st district which includes all of Eaton county and ⅔ of Ingham county, she has previously worked as an elected Ingham County commissioner and state representative, now as Senator she is the chair of the Senate appropriations committee.

Follow Senator Anthony:

https://www.instagram.com/sarahanthony517/

https://www.facebook.com/SarahAnthony517

https://x.com/sarahanthony517

Lansing City Council:

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

What Lansing Council Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/WhatLansingCouncil

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

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