City Commission Meeting - April 20, 2026

The meeting commenced with a formal recognition of city employees and visitors who provided life-saving CPR and AED assistance to a patient at the Lapeer City Recreation Center 7:45. Following this, the Commission engaged in a contentious discussion regarding the approval of minutes from the April 6, 2026, meeting. The debate centered on the inclusion of verbatim dialogue between Commissioner Atwood and Mayor Hing, with the Mayor defending the inclusion of the transcript as a matter of official record 17:08, while the Commission ultimately voted to strike the commentary to focus strictly on actions and outcomes 32:30.

The legislative portion of the meeting covered significant zoning and infrastructure changes. The Commission passed the second reading of Ordinance 2026-3, which allows for "by right" attached single-family dwellings in specific residential districts to maintain RRC certification 59:08. Additionally, the Commission approved a "road diet" for East Genesee Street, reducing it from four lanes to three 1:36:04, though they explicitly voted against pursuing a pedestrian traffic island 1:48:58.

The meeting also addressed long-term community planning and economic concerns. A moratorium on data center developments was approved to allow the city to study the potential impacts on utility infrastructure and shared costs 1:50:53. The session concluded with discussions on professional service contracts, including a proposal to develop an RFP for City Attorney services, which was tabled for further investigation 2:31:40.

• Zoning Amendments: Approval of Ordinance 2026-03 to permit attached single-family dwellings (townhouses) in RM1 and RM2 districts 59:08.
• East Genesee Street Infrastructure: Approval of a three-lane "road diet" for East Genesee Street 1:36:04 and rejection of a pedestrian traffic island 1:48:58.
• Data Center Moratorium: Implementation of a 12-month moratorium on data center developments to evaluate impacts on the electrical grid and water usage 1:50:53.
• Meeting Transparency: Debate over the inclusion of verbatim dialogue and personal commentary in official meeting minutes 14:46.
• Professional Services: Discussion regarding the review and bidding process for the City Attorney contract 2:08:25.

• Jeramy Hing: Mayor of Lapeer; presided over the meeting and defended the inclusion of transcript commentary 17:08.
• Mike Womack: City Manager; provided administrative reports and addressed infrastructure and personnel concerns 2:03:26.
• Joshua C. Atwood: Commissioner; raised concerns regarding the accuracy and context of meeting minutes 14:46.
• Melissa Petrie: Commissioner Mayor Pro-Tem; proposed a compromise for the minutes and supported the road diet 29:43.
• Stefan Brady: Commissioner; moved to amend the minutes to strike commentary 30:27 and supported the road diet 1:36:04.
• Linda Glisman: Commissioner; supported various motions including the approval of the consent agenda 13:30.
• Lynne McCarthy: Commissioner; raised questions regarding zoning "red lines" 1:00:32 and advocated for quarterly educational workshops 2:32:54.
• Jason Minor: Sergeant, Lapeer Police Department; honored during a retirement proclamation 48:43.
• Chief Powell: Lapeer Police Chief; presented the retirement proclamation for Sergeant Minor 48:43.
• Francis: City Attorney; addressed the legality of the City Attorney's indefinite contract and the power of the Commission to seek bids 2:18:41.

• Approval of Minutes: The Commission approved the April 6, 2026, minutes with a friendly amendment to strike verbatim commentary 32:30.
• Ordinance 2026-03: Passed the second reading of the zoning amendment for attached single-family residential units 1:11:02.
• Road Diet Decision: Approved the transition of East Genesee Street from four lanes to three lanes 1:36:04 but directed staff to stop pursuing a traffic island 1:48:58.
• Data Center Moratorium: Adopted a resolution to pause data center development for 12 months to review regulatory and financial impacts 2:02:19.
• Personnel Change: The Commission granted unanimous consent for Police Chief How to serve as acting manager during Mike Womack's upcoming vacation 2:05:19.

• April 6, 2026: Date of the special meeting minutes discussed during the session 13:30.
• April 20, 2026: Date of the current City Commission meeting [Meeting Info].
• May 10–16, 2026: Period during which the Police Chief will serve as acting City Manager 2:05:19.
• May 1, 2026: Deadline for grant applications regarding pedestrian signals and islands 1:45:18.
• July 18, 2026: Expiration date of the current City Attorney contract 2:23:48.

• Lapeer, Michigan: Jurisdiction of the meeting [Meeting Info].
• East Genesee Street: Location of the proposed road diet and pedestrian safety changes 1:15:18.
• Lapeer City Recreation Center: Site of the medical emergency that prompted the opening recognition 8:32.

• RRC Certification: The zoning changes were proposed to meet requirements for the city's RRC certification 1:02:45.
• Infrastructure Protection: The data center moratorium was initiated to ensure new developments do not cause unforeseen spikes in utility costs or strain the electrical grid 1:52:42.
• Safety and Traffic Flow: The road diet was intended to slow traffic speeds and improve safety, despite concerns about increased congestion 1:26:49.
• Official Record Integrity: The Mayor insisted on including certain dialogue in the minutes to ensure any perceived threats were documented as part of the public record 17:08.

• Mayor Jeramy Hing: Acted as Chair; focused on maintaining the integrity of the public record and defended the administration's approach to threats and transparency 17:08, 3:14:10.
• Commissioner Atwood: Acted as a primary interlocutor regarding the minutes and the legitimacy of the road diet; expressed concern for the impact of traffic changes 14:46, 1:17:15.
• Commissioner Brady: Focused on procedural correctness, Robert's Rules, and the functional aspects of the road diet and the attorney contract 30:27, 2:16:12.
• Commissioner McCarthy: Advocated for greater transparency, better information in meeting packets, and the implementation of quarterly educational workshops 1:00:32, 2:32:54.
• City Manager Mike Womack: Provided administrative updates, including the budget, personnel coverage, and the implementation of infrastructure projects 2:03:26.

• Motion to amend minutes: Approved with an amendment to strike commentary 32:30.
• Ordinance 2026-03: Passed on second reading 1:11:02.
• Lapeer Car Cruise: Approved the special event for the specified dates 1:13:21.
• Road Diet: Approved the three-lane configuration for East Genesee Street 1:36:04.
• Traffic Island: Directed staff to stop pursuing the pedestrian traffic island 1:48:58.
• Data Center Moratorium: Adopted the resolution for a 12-month moratorium 2:02:19.
• Acting Manager: Approved the appointment of the Police Chief as acting manager for May 10–16 2:05:19.

• Minutes Commentary: A heated debate regarding whether the minutes should reflect only actions or include the context of the dialogue that led to those actions 14:46.
• Zoning "By Right": Discussion regarding whether "by right" zoning bypasses the Planning Commission's ability to negotiate infrastructure upgrades 1:05:30.
• Economic Impact of Developers: Public debate regarding the profitability and subsidy implications of the Brookwood development plan 39:23.
• Professional Service Bidding: Debate over whether the city should implement a standard 3-to-5-year RFP cycle for all professional services, including the City Attorney 2:08:25.
• Traffic Safety vs. Congestion: A debate between the benefits of a "road diet" for pedestrian safety and the potential for increased traffic congestion and frustration 1:21:07, 1:37:18.

• Attorney RFP Research: The City Manager is directed to research the implementation of an RFP process for professional services and add the topic to a future agenda 2:31:40.
• Car Cruise Coordination: City staff are authorized to work with event organizers to coordinate the location of the Car Cruise during ongoing construction 1:13:21.
• Workshop Planning: The City Manager is directed to look into scheduling quarterly educational workshops 2:34:51.

Overall Sentiment

The overall sentiment is negative and critical. Viewers expressed frustration regarding Mayor Hing's personality and behavior, as well as dissatisfaction with the length of speeches and the inclusion of prayers during the meeting.

Recurring Themes

• Criticism of Mayor Hing's character and leadership style
• Opposition to the use of prayers during official proceedings
• Frustration with the verbosity of speakers during the meeting

Notable Comments

"The victim mentality. Classic narcissist... Someone like this plays dirty." — @Initia333, 5 likes

"Stop the ridiculous prayers." — @RANDYLAWRENCE-p3h, 3 likes

"King Hing loves to hear himself speak..." — @kellynolan6437