City Commission Meeting - May 4, 2026

The May 4, 2026, meeting of the Lapeer City Commission was dominated by a heated debate over a revised performance evaluation instrument for City Manager Mike Womack. The conflict arose when Mayor Jeramy Hing presented a new, metric-heavy evaluation form based on the International City and County Management Association (ICMA) framework. Commissioners Joshua Atwood and Stefan Brady challenged the legitimacy of the process, questioning whether the Mayor had the authority to unilaterally rewrite the evaluation tool and arguing that the new Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were designed to facilitate the termination of the City Manager.

Mayor Hing defended the new format as a professional, data-driven necessity to replace the previous "pass/fail" system, which he argued was too subjective. While some commissioners, such as Melissa Petrie and Linda Glisman, supported the move toward higher accountability and professional standards, others viewed the sudden introduction of the form as an attempt to undermine the City Manager or bypass commission-wide consensus. The meeting concluded with the formal adoption of the new evaluation tool, though the tension between the chair and the commission remained evident during public comments and closing remarks.

• City Manager Performance Evaluation: Debate over a new metric-based scoring system (Likert scale) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Administrative Authority: Discussions regarding the Mayor's power to propose changes to evaluation tools versus the Commission's collective authority.
• Budget and Capital Improvement: Setting of public hearings for the 2026-2027 budget and 2027-2032 capital improvement plan.
• Zoning and Land Use: Decisions regarding rezoning requests for Davison Road and South Main Street.
• Public Governance: Debates on accountability, transparency, and the role of the City Charter.

• Jeramy Hing: Mayor
• Mike Womack: City Manager
• Melissa Petrie: Commissioner / Mayor Pro-Tem
• Joshua C. Atwood: Commissioner
• Stefan Brady: Commissioner
• Linda Glisman: Commissioner
• Lynne McCarthy: Commissioner
• Kimberly Hodge: Retiring City employee
• Ms. Sanchez: City Clerk
• Mr. Francis: City Attorney

• Consent Agenda Approval: The commission moved to approve the consent agenda 31:29.
• Bill Listing Approval: The commission moved to approve the bill listing in the amount of $433,397.79 32:18.
• Retirement Proclamation: The commission adopted a proclamation honoring Kimberly Hodge for 35 years of service 36:36.
• Budget Hearing Setting: A public hearing was set for May 18, 2026, regarding the FY 2026-2027 budget and the 2027-2032 capital improvement plan 37:43.
• Fireworks Permit: The 2026 application for fireworks by ACE Pyro LLC was approved 38:33.
• Zoning Denials:
  • A request to rezone 3301 Davison Road from B2 to I1 was denied 39:17.
  • A request to rezone 1134 and 1146 South Main Street to PUD was denied 40:22.
• Performance Evaluation Dispute: A motion to use the old evaluation form was defeated 1:10:45, resulting in the adoption of the new revised form 1:20:13.

• May 18, 2026 (6:30 p.m.): Scheduled public hearing for the City of Lapeer budget and capital improvement plan 37:43.
• May 6, 2026: The internal deadline provided by the Clerk for completing the new evaluation 1:34:47.
• June 20, 2026: Scheduled event/concert for the America 250 celebration 1:45:37.
• July 11, 2026: Scheduled fireworks event 1:47:21.

• Reasoning for New Evaluation Form: Mayor Hing argued the new tool provides an empirically validated, metric-based standard (Likert scale) to ensure accountability and track performance trends 47:44.
• Reasoning for Denying Old Form: Commissioner Atwood argued that nearly 50% of the questions were new or altered, making it an unfair "ex post facto" change to the manager's criteria 1:06:37.
• Reasoning for Rejecting the "Pass/Fail" System: Commissioner Petrie and Mayor Hing argued the previous system was too subjective and lacked the nuance required for professional management 51:40.

• Approval of Consent Agenda: Motion by Petrie, second by Glisman. Passed 31:29.
• Approval of Bill Listing: Motion by Petrie. Passed 32:18.
• Adoption of Kimberly Hodge Proclamation: Motion by Petrie, second by McCarthy. Passed 36:36.
• Setting of Budget Public Hearing: Motion by Brady, second by Glisman. Passed 37:43.
• Approval of Fireworks Permit: Motion by Petrie, second by Glisman. Passed 38:33.
• Denial of 3301 Davison Road Rezoning: Motion by Brady, second by Petrie. Passed 39:17.
• Denial of South Main Street Rezoning: Motion by Petrie, second by Glisman. Passed 40:22.
• Motion to use the previous (2022-2025) evaluation form: Motion by Atwood. Failed 1:10:45.
  • Roll Call: Atwood (Yes), Brady (No), Glisman (No), McCarthy (No), Petrie (No).
• Adoption of the revised (new) evaluation tool: Motion by Petrie, second by Gliseman. Passed 1:20:13.
  • Roll Call: Atwood (No), Brady (No), Glisman (Yes), McCarthy (Yes), Petrie (Yes).

• Public Hearing: The commission is tasked with holding the budget and capital improvement hearing on May 18 37:23.
• Workshops: The commission will proceed with scheduled workshops on June 8, September 14, and December 14 1:48:32.
• Evaluations: Commissioners are expected to complete the individual evaluation forms by the specified timeframe 1:03:11.

Overall Sentiment

The overall tone of the comments is critical and dissatisfied. Viewers expressed frustration regarding the conduct of the meeting, specifically targeting the intersection of religious practices and official government business.

Recurring Themes

• Religious content in government meetings: Multiple viewers expressed discomfort with prayers and sermons being included in the city commission proceedings.
• Disdain for local leadership: Some commenters expressed a negative view of the city's management and the conduct of the officials involved.

Notable Comments

"calling out the public as ignorant is an interesting mayoral move" — @mundanethings8515, 5 likes

"What the hell is going on with all the prayer, I thought this was a city council meeting not church." — @jaybruns7771, 1 like

"glad I dont live in this town." — @BRAINTREE507, 1 like

Dissent / Disagreement

A portion of the audience expressed direct pushback against the religious elements of the meeting, suggesting that prayers and sermons are inappropriate for a municipal setting.

Overall Sentiment

The audience sentiment is largely critical and observational, with many viewers expressing skepticism toward the Mayor's leadership. While there are brief moments of celebration regarding retirement, much of the chat is focused on perceived political friction, procedural irregularities, and tension between the commission and the city manager.

Chat Timeline

[06:44 – 35:57] The meeting begins with procedural discussions and brief moments of celebration for Kim's retirement.

[59:46 – 92:19] The chat reacts to procedural shifts regarding the gavel and questions about local political events, such as a meet and greet with Senator Daley.

[99:30 – 140:49] Tension rises as viewers debate the relationship between the Mayor and the City Manager, with commenters noting the Mayor's perceived dismissiveness during public comments.

[147:02 – 167:30] The conversation turns toward future elections and heated closing comments, with viewers commenting on the "bully pulpit" and the emotional tone of the meeting's conclusion.

Notable Messages

35:57 "Kim is a Lapeer LEGEND" — KrystleHolla

[116:00] "how the mayor drives away a great manager - 101" — mundanethings8515

[123:20] "If the public comment is anything the Mayor does not like....he never look up from what ever he is writing. never makes eye contact" — joey322534

[162:04] "Bully pulpit time." — Tim_Galbraith

[167:30] "Someone grab a violin. That sounded heartfelt." — Tim_Galbraith

Community Sentiment on Key Moments

• Leadership Dynamics: Many viewers expressed concern over the relationship between the Mayor and the City Manager, suggesting that the Mayor's behavior is detrimental to management.
• Procedural Integrity: Comments regarding the use of the gavel and the consistency of applause for awards led to accusations of viewpoint discrimination.
• Public Comment Etiquette: A notable portion of the chat criticized the Mayor for his body language and lack of eye contact during public comments.