City of Lapeer - City Commission Meeting - Janauary 5, 2026

The meeting was primarily dominated by public testimony regarding the City of Lapes's decision not to renew the business licenses for SDRK/Grow Up Farms 11:04. Representatives from the company and its employees argued that the decision would devastate local families and highlighted their significant investments in odor mitigation technology 11:50, 12:57. While some residents supported the business, others testified to the persistent and disruptive nature of the cannabis odor in the community 30:04.

The latter half of the meeting devolved into a series of high-tension procedural disputes between Mayor Jeramy Hing and Commissioner Stefan Brady. The debate centered on the "editorialized" nature of recent meeting minutes 27:09, the limits of the Mayor's power to preside over the commission 1:25:44, and the legality of the Mayor "naming" a member as an offender during a breach of order 1:18:10. The meeting concluded with various appointments and a motion to postpone the approval of past minutes until they could be revised to reflect actions only 1:00:23.

• The non-renewal of business licenses for SDRK/Grow Up Farms due to odor ordinance concerns 11:04.
• Disputes regarding the content and "narrative" style of official meeting minutes 27:09.
• Procedural confrontations regarding the Mayor's presiding authority and the use of points of order 1:05:07.
• Opposition to the implementation of the Flock LPR camera system due to privacy concerns 27:21.
• Reappointments to various city boards and commissions.

• Jeramy Hing: Mayor and presiding officer 0:00.
• Mike Womack: City Manager, who defended city staff and expressed concern over the commission's "toxic" atmosphere 2:03:09.
• Francis: City Attorney, who provided legal guidance on parliamentary procedure and the Mayor's authority 52:55.
• Andy Shango: Co-owner of SDRK, representing the business's interest in maintaining operations 12:11.
• Rick Thornton: Manager/Founder of SDRK, who warned about the erosion of trust caused by subjective enforcement 39:20.
• Melissa Petrie: Mayor Pro-Tem and Commissioner, who moved to revise the minutes to an "actions only" format 59:52.
• Stefan Brady: Commissioner, involved in significant procedural disputes and "naming" of an offender 1:18:10.
• Linda Glisman: Commissioner 50:44.
• Lynne McCarthy: Commissioner 51:05.
• Joshua C. Atwood: Commissioner 51:15.

• License Renewal Denial: The City of Lapeer declined to renew the licenses for SDRK/Grow Up Farms, leading to an ongoing appeal process 52:37.
• Minutes Revision: The Commission voted to postpone the approval of the December 1 and December 15 meeting minutes 59:52 to allow for the removal of narrative summaries and commentary 1:00:23.
• Appointments: The Commission successfully moved to reappoint Chief Howe 55:07, Ramona Sanchez 56:28, T. Allen Francis 57:54, and Timothy Mayor 58:35.
• Bill Approval: The Commission approved the bill listing for January 5, 2026, in the amount of $1,889,893.18 50:44.

• December 1 and December 15, 2025: The dates of the meetings whose minutes were subject to revision 59:52.
• January 5, 2026: The date of the current City Commission meeting 50:44.
• February 2026: The anticipated timeframe for the SDRK appeal hearing 52:37.

• City of Lapeer, Michigan: The jurisdiction and location of the meeting and the business in question 11:04.

• Odor Issues: The primary driver for the business license non-renewal was the ongoing concern regarding cannabis odors affecting residents 30:04.
• Minutes Controversy: The push to change the minutes was motivated by the belief that recent records had become too "editorialized" and contained personal opinions rather than just actions 27:09, 1:28:20.
• Procedural Friction: The tension between the Mayor and Commissioner Brady was fueled by disagreements over the interpretation of Robert's Rules of Order and the limits of the Chair's authority to regulate conduct 1:05:07, 1:18:10.

• Mayor Jeramy Hing: Acted as the presiding officer, strictly enforcing rules of procedure and attempting to limit discussion to the items on the agenda 1:11:14. He notably used his authority to "name" Commissioner Brady as an offender 1:18:10.
• Mike Womack (City Manager): Defended the integrity of the city staff and expressed deep concern that the commission's aggressive and "chaotic" behavior is discouraging new businesses from entering the city 2:09:39.
• Andy Shango (SDRK Co-owner): Argued that the city's decision is extreme and would result in the loss of jobs and significant economic investment 11:28.
• Rick Thornton (SDRK Manager): Highlighted the dangers of using subjective, unmeasurable standards for enforcement, which can lead to the misuse of the complaint process 39:20.
• Commissioner Stefan Brady: Challenged the Mayor's rulings and the propriety of the Mayor's conduct, arguing that the Chair's actions were infringing upon the rights of the commissioners 1:03:07, 1:38:10.
• Commissioner Melissa Petrie: Provided a motion to reform the meeting minutes to ensure they adhere to standard parliamentary practices of recording only actions 59:52.

• The economic, social, and health implications of the cannabis industry within Lapeer 47:08, 48:52.
• The privacy implications and potential Fourth Amendment violations related to the Flock LPR camera system 27:21.
• The appropriate scope and style of official meeting minutes (narrative vs. action-only) 1:28:20.
• The boundaries of the presiding officer's authority to regulate the behavior of commissioners 1:05:07.

• Minutes Revision: The City Clerk is tasked with revising the December 1 and December 15 minutes to remove narrative summaries and commentary, focusing on recorded actions only 1:00:23.
• SDRK Appeal: The city is preparing to host an appeal hearing for SDRK, tentatively scheduled for February 52:37.

Overall Sentiment

The sentiment is overwhelmingly negative and critical. Viewers expressed significant frustration with Mayor Hing's leadership, accusing him of being a bully, acting on a "power trip," and failing to follow proper rules and procedures.

Recurring Themes

• Perceived misuse of authority and "power trips" by the Mayor
• Concerns regarding the Mayor's adherence to Robert's Rules of Order
• Discontent with the behavior and conduct of officials during the meeting
• Concerns regarding the implementation of Flock cameras and surveillance

Notable Comments

"This is WHOS MEETING?????? Your job is to the people. you work for the people." — @AlexDaeling, 10 likes

"this mayor is going to get the city sued" — @mundanethings8515, 10 likes

"That mayor is a bully and not following the rules." — @LisaPeterson227, 6 likes

"Never seen a guy on such a huge power trip in my life." — @SenatorJonOssoff, 1 like

Questions Raised

• Did the commission make a formal ruling regarding Robert's Rules?

Dissent / Disagreement

One viewer offered a positive perspective, stating it was the "Best meeting so far" for the new board and mayor.

Overall Sentiment

The audience sentiment is largely critical and hostile toward the Mayor's leadership. Viewers expressed significant dissatisfaction, voicing concerns about legal liabilities and the Mayor's impact on the city's governance.

Chat Timeline

[66:45 – 74:26] Viewers express initial dissatisfaction and warnings of potential legal repercussions for the city.

[74:26 – 119:39] The conversation shifts toward specific criticisms of Mayor Hing's leadership style and grievances regarding procedural errors in recent meetings.

Notable Messages

1:06:45 "weak" — @mundanethings8515

1:14:26 "This mayor is going to get the city sued" — @mundanethings8515

1:18:40 "Lapeer is being poorly served by Jeremy Hing. This city has more important business than his petty need for power and control." — @SusanHough-f5o

[119:39] "the mayor should learn how to follow the law last meeting they did that prayer without calling a cermimonial section" — @AlexDaeling

Community Sentiment on Key Moments

• The community expressed serious concern regarding the Mayor's adherence to legal protocols, specifically citing an error regarding the ceremonial section for prayers.
• There was a shared sentiment that the Mayor's personal leadership approach is a distraction from essential city business.