Robert Belleman to Serve as Next City Manager of East Lansing as Council Approves Contract

By Lucas Day

Concluding a drawn out saga that stretches back to early August, the East Lansing City Council voted 4-1 Tuesday (Sept. 19) in favor of approving a contract for Robert Belleman to serve as the next city manager.

Belleman comes to East Lansing following a recent controversy. He was removed from his previous position as Saginaw County controller following accusations he created a toxic workplace environment. Despite his past, Council members welcomed Belleman to the city ranks after the final vote and wished him well in his new position.

In addition to comments from Council, the public and Interim City Manager Randy Talifarro, a longtime city employee also stepped up to the podium to ask for professionalism in the workplace following the approval of Belleman’s contract.

Council welcomes Belleman and hopes the community keeps an open mind.

After Council voted to approve Belleman’s contract, Mayor Ron Bacon offered some advice to the new city manager.

“I would caution, as myself someone from the private sector, working with the public,” Bacon said. “I think public work and the public sector isn’t the place where education was… I’m seeing really the blood sport of this stuff and the political elements bleeding into this side of the actual work that’s done day to day. It’s fearful for me as we’re looking to attract younger people as we look around this room to who’s going to be next in these roles and positions. I think that the tenor and the political nature of some of this stuff and, even through this process, has been unhealthy.”

Bacon said he trusts Belleman will do his best to be inclusive and allow all voices to be heard in his work.

All Council members, including George Brookover and Jessy Gregg, who both voted against his appointment during an Aug. 13 special Sunday meeting, wished Belleman well in his new role.

“For the sake of the city, I hope you’re successful, Mr. Belleman,” Brookover said.

“I think that he [Belleman] should have every opportunity to have success in this position,” Gregg said, indicating she would be in favor of giving a contract that is longer than the two years agreed upon.

Interim Human Resources Director Emily Kenney said much of Belleman’s contract is based on industry standards and the contract of former City Manager George Lahanas.

The lone vote against approving Belleman’s contract came from Brookover. He emphasized this was not a vote against Belleman – who was voted to be city manager more than a month ago – but against the contract that was being offered. Brookover highlighted several issues he saw in the contract.

Brookover said he heard much criticism about the separation with former City Manager George Lahanas because of the large severance package he received. Lahanas was removed from the position in January.

Belleman will receive 12 months of pay, as Lahanas did, if he is terminated or not offered a similar contract after the current one expires. Brookover said paying out severance if the contract expires effectively makes this a three-year deal. He added these severance provisions are unfair to other employees who do not have similar clauses in their contracts.

Brookover also took issue with a clause increasing the city manager’s salary based on other employee’s salary increases. He said he does not know the impact that recent and future salary increases will have on taxpayers.

Among other highlights, Belleman’s contract will span two years and start at $180,000 annually. He will officially take over Monday (Sept. 25). More details about the contract can be found here.

A former Lansing Firefighter who faced discrimination gives Council a powerful anecdote about working in a hostile environment.

Lansing resident and former firefighter Michael Lynn addressed the decision to hire Belleman during public comment.

Lynn said he’s from Lansing and apologized for going “out of bounds” to speak in an East Lansing meeting. But, he said, he would be found “anywhere there’s racism or a hostile work environment.”

Lynn shared his story of joining the Lansing Fire Department eager to make a positive impact on his community. However, he was met with contention from other firefighters. This included coworkers leaving when he would sit near them and colleagues watching Fox News and placing blame on Black teenager Trayvon Martin for his killing.

“I thought what was really interesting is that when I made a complaint about this stuff, I was always hushed,” Lynn said. “[I was] made to feel like going to HR was like the absolute worst thing you could possibly do.”

Lynn finally went to HR after a banana was placed on his and another Black firefighter’s rig. He said after about a year of the HR department working through the complaint, new Mayor Andy Schor took office and “swiped out” much of the HR department.

“That’s when I found out really what a hostile work environment could be like,” Lynn said.

Lynn said it seemed perpetrators of racist behavior were emboldened. Schor, he said, was making statements about there just being “one unhappy person,” which is similar to what Belleman told the media after he was accused of fostering a toxic work environment in Saginaw County.

A federal court eventually ruled in Lynn’s favor and he was awarded $1 million in a lawsuit regarding the hostile work environment at the Lansing Fire Department.

Now, he worries East Lansing City Council is ignoring warning signs surrounding Belleman and city employees could find themselves in a toxic workplace.

Belleman tells Council he is looking to start fresh in East Lansing.

Belleman opened a statement addressing those at the meeting by showing enthusiasm to begin his new job.

“I am excited to start as your next city manager,” Belleman said. “I’m excited to work with you, city staff, the various boards and commissions in your continued efforts to address residents’ concerns.”

Belleman continued to say he hopes the community keeps an open mind after his rocky departure from his last position.

“I ask that you please take the time to get to know me,” Belleman said. “I know there was a lot written about me, I know there were a lot of comments made about me, so I ask that you take the time to get to know me. I believe that is the cornerstone of this community.”

Belleman closed his remarks by thanking Talifarro for returning to East Lansing and providing leadership during a difficult period.

Longtime city employee Annette Irwin asks for professionalism in the workplace.

As Council was preparing to enter a closed session to discuss the lawsuit against Country Mill Farms, longtime city employee Annette Irwin came to the podium and asked to address Council and Belleman.

Irwin welcomed Belleman to the community and said she would like to speak on behalf of herself – not her department, which is Planning, Building and Development.

Irwin said she has had “tough times” working for the city recently and no one has really spoken to her about what is going on. She said she believes she and her coworkers will be supportive of the new city manager.

“We are a staff of professionals,” Irwin said. “We will continue to be a staff of professionals. I would like to be treated as such.”

Irwin also mentioned talks of an “in-group” and an “out-group” among city staff as the type of behavior that needs to end.