While the state’s budget has not yet been finalized, ELPS Director of Finance Rich Pugh gave an update on proposed school funding.
City staff returned for the second straight week to present on budget requests, Tuesday, April 23.
The new fiscal year will start July 1, 2024.
For years, the city has struggled with its underfunded pension plan. Now, there appears to be a path forward – but there is work to do.
Some East Lansing residents have been surprised to receive notices that they may owe the city income taxes.
If approved, the “safety, security, accessibility bond” will go toward improvements at ELHS and MMS as well as a new central office building.
Despite emotional testimony from many personally impacted by the conflict, the resolution drafted by the Human Rights Commission was rejected 4-1.
During public comment, speakers requested the city support a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Cathy DeShambo replied to questions about the recreation fee structures and provided a link to the department’s budget document.
ELi catches you up on big business in the city coming this Tuesday.
There is more than meets the eye behind the costs for renovation of the Patriarche Park courts.
In other business, employee retention bonuses were unanimously approved, sidewalk repair assessments were stretched out and naming of a city art studio after a woman got support.
Weeks after being advised by Lansing’s deputy mayor that giving cash away to a local charity violates state law, East Lansing’s mayor supported another $5,000 donation by his city. And why did former city manager George Lahanas start two “nongovernmental” charities from City Hall?
ELi brings you an insider look at the City of East Lansing’s operations, revenue and spending as viewed through the lens of this year’s budget talks.
A resolution was passed recognizing and honoring the lifesaving actions of first responders and those impacted by the mass shooting on the MSU campus.
The proposed FY24 budget for ELPRA is just under $5.5 million, which is an increase of $189,330 from FY23.
The wastewater treatment plant is processing over 4 billion gallons a year…and water rates are going up. Bike lanes are coming to Coolidge and Hagadorn Roads. The Red Cedar Neighborhood will get a new water main. What else can you expect in the coming year?
The proposed city budget for next year would increase spending on trees, continue waste and recycling programs residents have come to expect and look to renewable energy.
If City Council follows the committee’s recommendations, the pie will be split many ways between public services and infrastructure projects.
Funding from MSU and the state is up while personnel services are down in the projected fire department budget. Learn more from ELi.
Get the news of what happened at East Lansing’s Council meeting this week.
The goals and objectives of the department for the coming year include working with a number of community groups and serving EL’s diverse population.
ELi’s brings you the story behind this important win for the city.
In a 4-0 vote, City Council approved a resolution to accept the funds.
What did East Lansing’s City Council decide this week?
Why was “catastrophe” looming? ELi explains and tells you what happened with the latest refinance of the Evergreen Properties debt.
The 2-2 vote to not sign the MEDC agreement means the project as proposed will not move forward.
Board of Review is no longer able to step outside Council’s guidelines.
What’s going on with the city’s pension debt, property values, the cost of staffing and the income tax? And why might a single lawsuit throw everything out of whack this year?
More units of housing, but fewer residents. And a more diverse populace. What else changed about East Lansing from 2010 to 2020?
What’s going on with the City of East Lansing’s pension funds? How much money is marijuana bringing in taxes? What’s going on with the city’s income tax? ELi follows the money and brings you this special report.
What the DDA decides this Thursday could determine not just whether River Caddis Development obtains a special deal that will exclude other developers, but also what gets built next downtown and how much longer the DDA will prolong its bond debt. ELi catches you up.
Before the bond refinance passed 3-1, Council members raised questions about why the DDA debt is barely paid off after 13 years, which taxes are being diverted to the DDA, and more.
On Tuesday, Dec. 6, East Lansing’s City Council is poised to make decisions on whether East Lansing should be declared a Sanctuary City and whether the DDA’s loan on the Evergreen Properties should be refinanced again. ELi explains how you can weigh in.
ELi brings you a special “follow the money” report. Find out how captured taxes are and aren’t being used in East Lansing today and how East Lansing homeowners are carrying the burden of public services for big new buildings downtown.
Councilmembers take on topics of key interest during Oct. 18 meeting before going into closed session to discuss City Manager George Lahanas’s job performance.
The funds for the project are coming from East Lansing’s income tax and federal dollars distributed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Councilmembers take on a wide-range of topics and issues during Sept. 20 meeting.
The mayor hopes to “really aggravate Indianapolis,” and Council is seeking a legal opinion on conflicts of interest. What else happened this Tuesday night?
The farmers market will likely get a new pavilion. What about other big changes potentially coming to that part of town?
In this edition of Ask ELi, we bring you answers on tax assessments, the sewer system, ELPD social workers, and unpaid parking tickets.
A caveat in the original development deal seemingly left Council with two options that it saw as less than ideal. The bottom line remains that affordable housing development in Valley Court is now on ice. Andrew Graham reports.
The City’s specific legal strategy is under wraps due to attorney-client privilege, but ELi’s Andrew Graham explains the franchise fee, the lawsuit, and the recent ruling.
Prices for parking at meters and City-owned ramps and lots may increase this summer. City staff is also calling for Council to consider a hike in fines for parking meter violations. Clay Oppenhuizen and Emily Joan Elliott explain why.
Andrew Graham sits down with Emily Joan Elliott to talk about the imminent return of the Albert EL Fresco. Give a listen!
Andrew is joined by ELi’s Founder, Alice Dreger, for a discussion about various projects going on downtown and around town, plus what can be done to boost a downtown. Check it out!
After a more than six-month-long process, the City of East Lansing finally has new City Attorneys. Some of the ELi team recaps the process in this episode of the pod and discusses the changes in how the City will be represented.
The Albert EL Fresco is set to reopen later this spring, but the City is still looking for someone to provide outdoor seating, shade, and lighting infrastructure for the space. Andrew Graham reports.
The MSU Broad Art Lab’s collaborative space that once welcomed makers, innovators, and lifelong learners, has shut its doors. Sarah Spohn reports.
![Ask ELi: A Fence on Campus, Basketball Hoops Unlocked, and Construction On Burcham Drive [UPDATED]](https://eastlansinginfo.news/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Schools-on-Burcham-768x429.png)
ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott brings a few pieces of news and a noteworthy PSA about construction on Burcham Drive.
The Library Board of Trustees discussed two upcoming Board vacancies and concerns about intellectual freedom in light of what the American Library Association has called a “dramatic uptick in book challenges.”
A series of Freedom of Information Act requests from ELi show how some changes in the City’s workforce mean women are more represented as the highest earners. Emily Joan Elliott reports.
During a presentation, the City Manager proposed using ARPA funds for three new projects. Council may vote next week to allocate more than $4 million of its ARPA funds. What will the money be spent on?
The contract approval comes after a months-long search for new legal representation for the City of East Lansing. Emily Joan Elliott reports.
Returns are due on or before May 2, 2022. If you worked in the City of East Lansing in 2021, you’ll likely be required to file. Find out how and more from reporter Clay Oppenhuizen.
The DDA approved a budget amendment to support the Albert EL Fresco, but some DDA members had questions about the large figure. Andrew Graham reports on that and the bat infestation at a DDA-owned property.
Council approved a contract for the Giamarco, Mullins and Horton law firm to serve as municipal legal counsel but deferred approving a contract for the prosecutorial position due to confusion over the proposed hourly rates.
Council discussed plans for marketing and development of a City-owned property in the northern tier. What might we expect to see there?
Council delegated the negotiating duties to City Manager George Lahanas, who will come back to Council for final approval on the respective contracts after negotiations. Andrew Graham reports.
![Unions Renew Push For ARPA Hazard Pay To City Employees Who Risked Covid Exposure [UPDATED]](https://eastlansinginfo.news/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/City-Hall-front-door-768x504.png)
Despite City Council approving “retention bonuses” for employees, some unions are pushing for employees who endured more Covid risks to get bonuses for that work. Al Hargrave reports.
The official dates for EL Fresco have not be set, but Council voted to approve the closure of two lanes on Albert Street from Apr. 27 to Sept. 11, despite Council member Brookover voicing concerns about the project benefiting some local businesses and not others, among other things.
Catch up with ELi on the latest in downtown East Lansing redevelopment, including potentially in Valley Court Park.
The athletic field and tennis courts at ELHS will undergo significant renovations this summer, and remaining bond money will be used to create outdoor learning spaces at the elementary schools. Al Hargrave provides a School Board round up.
At Tuesday’s Council meeting, a representative from McAlvey, Merchant & Associates updated Council on the firm’s successes advocating on behalf of the City at the State Capitol, but at least two Council members called for clearer communication between the lobbyists and Council.
After conducting the final interview for the open City Attorney position, City Council decided to postpone a discussion on selecting top candidates until its Jan. 25 meeting. The decision was made in part due to Mayor Pro Tem Jessy Gregg’s absence after she contracted Covid-19 last week.
Mopeds can’t park at bike racks anymore, as a new East Lansing law restricts their parking. And what about those e-scooters left blocking sidewalks?
Full-time employees working for the City of East Lansing on Feb. 6, 2022, will receive a $2,000 bonus, and part-time workers will receive a $1,000 bonus, with a total of about $675,000 in tax dollars to be used. The intent is to reward and retain current employees.
East Lansing’s City Council approved the use of $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to reimburse property owners for the cost of installing check valves. More information on how to obtain the reimbursement has now been issued by the City.
What happens to the deer that are culled? Have any deer had wasting disease? We answer these questions and more in this Ask ELi Grab Bag!
What’s going on when ELi seeks a public record a source has told us exists yet the City of East Lansing claims there are “no records found”?
Why is Council being told the City’s pension system is 56% funded when the State believes it’s at 51%? We go beyond the graphs presented by the City’s auditors to explain this and a whole lot more.
ELi’s mission is to bring East Lansing the news. Here’s a look at what we think we’ll be helping you to know about and understand in context in 2022.
We asked our reporters which stories that they wrote meant the most to them in 2021. They answered, passing along a varied collection of stories for this year in review.
Two East Lansing churches are looking at providing faith-based reparations to the Black community in the Greater Lansing area. The idea has recently come for discussion to East Lansing’s Human Rights Commission.
The DDA recently approved spending up to $40,000 of public money to install security cameras downtown. But even before installation, these cameras offer a look into the current state of East Lansing politics and policy on a number of issues. Alice Dreger reports.
Recently-unionized East Lansing Public Library workers and the administration have signed a contract. Meanwhile, repair costs at the library continue to skyrocket, now reaching twice the originally-accepted bid. What’s going on?
UPDATE: At last night’s meeting, Council supported a motion by Council member George Brookover asking the City Manager to look into using ARPA funds for extra pay for “all unelected part time and full time City employees.”
Yet again, the publicly-owned Evergreen Properties and their possible redevelopment formed the main topic of discussion at the latest meeting of East Lansing’s Downtown Development Authority. What happened? Only ELi brings this news.
At its first meeting since the school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, the ELPS School Board discussed student safety and a host of other issues, including finances, a new policy handbook, and curriculum changes. Al Hargrave delivers your School Board round up.
The Transportation Commission provided more details on the upcoming construction to Burcham Drive. When will it start? What will it entail?
City Manager George Lahanas provided Council with a line-item American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Draft Plan on Nov. 16. The plan prioritizes parking systems, the fire station, and the Hannah Community Center as some of the first to receive funds, but residents can complete a survey by Dec. 10 to provide feedback on how the City should spend its ARPA funds.
City Council approved a new letter agreement with the would-be developers of 2040 Merritt Rd., the former DPW headquarters property that the City quietly sold via eBay in 2019. What will be built there now?
After multiple presentations to the public from the City about water infrastructure, Chuck Grigsby and Andrew Graham talk about the ongoing sanitary and storm sewer debate in the City of East Lansing. Give a listen!
On Monday, ELi reported on the stench that residents say they’ve suffered for decades. On Tuesday night, the City Manager announced that now the City is taking immediate action.
The DDA voted in favor of funding more cameras to be used by ELPD, but not before a lively discussion about privacy and how to welcome people downtown.
The new City Council tackled a very hot problem at Tuesday night’s meeting: what to do about the City’s sewer problems. ELi’s Andrew Graham reports.
East Lansing’s City Council is set tonight to discuss the possible use of federal Covid relief dollars to help homeowners prevent basement flooding, but an ELi survey shows that community members have various ideas for how to use these funds.
Residents are still expressing concern over the aftermath of severe flooding in August and are skeptical that massive flooding will not happen again, based on conversations at a flooding town hall. The City will hold a webinar on Nov. 18 to address some concerns.
The City of East Lansing has already received half of its $12.2 million in Covid relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, but how will it spend that money? Fill out our survey to provide your input.
