Calls to Dial Down Rhetoric After Contentious City Manager Hiring Process

Despite one member of the East Lansing City Council earlier in the day floating the idea of Council  reversing its controversial decision to name Robert Belleman as the next city manager, comments at the Aug. 15 City Council meeting did not center on revisiting the hire. 

Instead, there was a focus on the type of rhetoric that has been prevalent in discourse regarding the city. 

During the public comment portion of the meeting, recently appointed Human Rights Commission member and City Council candidate Rebecca Kasen said discourse in the city has “devolved.” Kasen went on to say she was satisfied with Belleman’s answers in his interview and that residents need to let officials do the job they were elected to. 

“If we want the best and brightest to work in public service, we need to recognize they are human and the people they work with are human,” Kasen said. “The hiring managers, City Council, spoke to people who work with Mr. Belleman, listened to Mr. Belleman, and decided he is the best person for the job.”

ELi reported Sunday that others running for Council are split on the issue.

No one else spoke at public comment last night about the issue.

Following public comment, Councilmember Dana Watson addressed remarks she has heard since joining Mayor Ron Bacon and Councilmember Noel Garcia in voting to appoint Belleman. 

“I don’t mind dissent,” she said. “I do mind certain temperatures of it.” 

Watson went on to say that she likes to communicate with people in a “human” way and that she tries to be thoughtful of other people’s “points, opinions and thoughts” instead of being fiery and argumentative. 

Bacon also took time to address his perspective. He said residents that attend council meetings are very visible to the public, but he hears from a range of voices that are not as publicly vocal. 

“From this position, you must consider many opinions,” he said. 

Bacon encouraged unity within the city, even when disagreements arise.

“At a certain point, we have to come back together, reconvene, welcome people to our community and show that…everything in East Lansing is not always predetermined,” Bacon said. “We have hard debates and at the end of those hard debates we come back together.” 

Interim City Manager Randy Talifarro more directly addressed the city manager search during his comments by laying out the remaining steps that need to be taken before Belleman officially assumes his new position. 

Talifarro said that background checks are being conducted currently and that there will still be a negotiation period where Belleman and the Council will need to agree to terms of employment. It is unclear what the background check will entail. Approval of at least a majority of Council (3 of 5) will be required to approve a contract.

Talifarro encouraged the community to keep an open mind. 

“I would hope that he [Belleman] would be given an opportunity to come in, form relationships and be judged by the merits of his work,” he said. 

Much of the controversy around Council’s selection of Belleman revolves around him being recently removed from his position as Saginaw County Controller amid allegations that he created a toxic workplace environment. ELi reported yesterday that, although Belleman had vocal supporters in Saginaw, a Saginaw County Commissioner said the county’s entire IT department was ready to quit if Belleman’s contract was not terminated.

Belleman’s appointment comes while East Lansing is struggling with the loss of many top level employees. An independent investigator is presently looking into claims of overreaches of power that an anonymous complaint letter said is explained by those alleged overreaches. 

Belleman’s selection comes despite overwhelming public support from the community and staff for naming Tim Dempsey as the next city manager. Dempsey worked for the city for 15 years, including as Deputy City Manager, and has worked as Interim Director of Planning, Building and Development since March. 

Neither Mayor Pro Tem Jessy Gregg – who earlier in the day suggested Council could revisit the decision – nor Councilmember George Brookover spoke on the matter of the city manager hire last night. 

Gregg and Brookover voted against hiring Belleman (and for hiring Dempsey), and so under parliamentary rules, they do not have the power to bring the matter forward for reconsideration. Only Bacon, Watson and Garcia can do that. 

Garcia, running to keep his seat on Council this year, also made no comment on the matter.

Council also heard two presentations, approved a lengthy consent agenda, and went into closed session on undisclosed matters. You can find the full agenda and video here.