City of Lapeer City Commission Meeting - December 1, 2025

The City of Lapeer City Commission meeting held on December 1, 2025, was characterized by significant procedural discord and heated debate between Mayor Jeramy Hing and Commissioner Stefan Brady. The primary point of contention involved the Mayor's authority as the presiding officer to make motions and his recent attempt to reorganize the seating order on the dais to separate administrative staff from the elected body. Commissioner Brady challenged the Mayor's interpretation of the City Charter and Robert's Rules of Order, leading to a protracted debate that hindered the commission's ability to conduct business.

The meeting saw several items on the agenda postponed or amended due to disagreements over transparency and "actionability." Notably, a motion to amend the agenda to make an ordinance introduction "discussion only" was passed, and the 2026 meeting calendar was postponed to allow for further study of facility hours.

Public sentiment during the meeting was overwhelmingly critical. Residents expressed embarrassment over the visible dissension, with several commenters describing the behavior of the commissioners as "unprofessional" and "acting like kids." Despite the chaos, the commission successfully approved the city's bill listing and several contract extensions for administrative services and housing voucher programs.

• Chairperson Authority: Debate over whether the Mayor, as the presiding officer, retains the right to make motions and participate in debate on procedural rulings.
• Dais Reorganization: Conflict surrounding a directive to change the seating arrangement to clearly distinguish between elected officials and administrative staff. able
• Agenda Transparency: Discussions regarding the use of "suggested motions" on the agenda and whether they create a perception of predetermined outcomes.
• Special Event Regulation: The denial of a permit for "Steel Patriots Friday Night Bikes" due to concerns regarding downtown parking and ongoing construction.
• Commission Decorum: Significant public outcry regarding the lack of professionalism and the inability of the commission to move through the agenda.

• Jeramy Hing: Mayor (Presiding Officer)
• Stefan Brady: Commissioner (Primary challenger to procedural rulings)
• Joshua C. Atwood: Commissioner
• Melissa Petrie: Commissioner (Mayor Pro-Tem)
• Lynne McCarthy: Commissioner
• Linda Glisman: Commissioner
• Mike Womack: City Manager
• Ramona Sanchez: City Clerk

• Motion/Appeal: An appeal by Commissioner Brady regarding whether the Chair has the authority to make motions.
  • Result: Motion Denied (The Chair retains the authority to make motions).
• Motion: To amend agenda item G2 (Ordinance Introduction Procedure) to "discussion only" and postpone action to December 15.
  • Result: Motion Carried.
• Motion: To deny the "Steel Patriots Friday Night Bikes" special event application due to the impact of downtown construction on parking and streets.
  • Result: Motion Carried.
• Motion: To approve the official 2026 meeting calendar.
  • Result: Postponed to the next meeting.
• Motion: To approve the bill listing for December 1, 2025, totaling $171,151.12.
  • Result: Motion Carried.
• Motion: To approve the three-year contract with Assessment Administration Services, LLC.
  • Result: Motion Carried.
• Motion: To adopt the resolution for the 2026 Housing Choice Voucher Administration contract extension.
  • Result: Motion Carried.

• December 1, 2025: Date of the meeting.
• December 15, 2025: Date for the next scheduled meeting and follow-up on postponed items.
• January 20, 2026: Proposed date for a public hearing regarding the 425 agreement amendment.

• Procedural Conflict: The tension arose from differing interpretations of the City Charter, Robert's Rules of Order, and recent administrative directives regarding dais seating.
• Public Concern: Residents were motivated to speak out due to the visible instability and lack of focus on municipal business during the session.

• Mayor Jeramy Hing: Defended his authority to preside over the meeting and make motions; defended his recent email regarding seating as a way to provide clarity to the public.
• Commissioner Stefan Brady: Acted as the primary challenger to the Mayor’s procedural rulings; argued that the Mayor's actions were unilateral and violated the spirit of an impartial chair.
• Commissioner Lynne McCarthy: Proposed several amendments to the agenda to manage the flow of business and addressed concerns regarding the "actionability" of items.
• Commissioner Joshua Atwood: Provided support for various motions but criticized the frequency of agenda removals and the impact of postponements on getting business done.
• Commissioner Melissa Petrie: Focused on ensuring the public could understand the "actionability" of items and expressed concern regarding the lack of notice for certain agenda items.

• The "Trojan Horse" Concern: Commissioner McCarthy and others debated whether certain agenda amendments were attempts to bypass discussion or influence outcomes.
• Use of AI/ChatGPT: A brief, heated debate occurred regarding the use of ChatGPT to interpret legal or charter-related information during the meeting.
• Staff/Commission Boundary: The debate over whether the City Manager and City Attorney should be seated adjacent to the commission to clearly distinguish administrative roles from elected roles.

• Staff Negotiation: City Manager Womack and staff to negotiate with the Steel Patriots group regarding revisions to their special event application.
• Agenda Review: Commission to review the agenda template and "suggested motion" format at the next meeting.
• Calendar Research: Staff to research the impact of separating the meeting calendar from the facility hours calendar.

The community sentiment was highly negative and distressed. Residents expressed deep embarrassment and frustration, viewing the internal political battles as a distraction from the actual business of the city. There was a palpable sense of loss regarding the perceived decline in professional conduct and leadership within the commission.

• "I am embarrassed by what I saw here tonight... I think as a commission you need to work together to resolve these issues." (Resident)
• "You need a pacifier. You need to grow up." (Resident criticizing Commissioner Brady's conduct)
• "This is the two hours I'll never get back in my life. Listening to you go... You need to grow up." (Resident)

• Commissioner Brady to Mayor: Does the Mayor have the authority to assign seats on the dais?
• Commissioner Petrie to City Manager: Does the 425 agreement amendment require a public hearing on the next meeting, or can it be done sooner?
• Commissioner Atwood to City Manager: How much of the downtown parking is being impacted by the upcoming construction?

Overall Sentiment

The audience's mood transitioned from casual sports banter to palpable frustration. Viewers expressed significant irritation with the meeting's agenda, perceiving the discussion of administrative details as a distraction from more pressing city concerns.

Chat Timeline

[00:00 – 01:00] Casual conversation regarding the Detroit Lions' playoff prospects.

[02:26 – 03:20] Growing frustration and criticism regarding the meeting's focus on administrative seating arrangements, which was viewed as a trivial use of time.

Notable Messages

[47:43] "So…the Lions are toast, right? Goodbye playoffs." — @Tim_Galbraith

[193:25] "That's a lot of wasted time and BS just for assigned seats of our officials. Seems quite a petty issue when our city has many, far more important, issues." — @RobertGreenman-x8k

[194:38] "who gives a damn where you sit. Get to the issues we voted you all to fix." — @TheIsaiahPLG

Community Sentiment on Key Moments

• The chat reacted with derision toward the discussion of assigned seating, labeling it "petty" and "wasted time."
• There was a strong, unified demand for the Commission to prioritize substantive community issues over administrative logistics.