City commission government

The people are here.

Abilene just needs somebody who's willing to come in and learn the community, learn the organization, work with the city commission.

It's a team effort.

You're not coming into this community as a one-man team or as a one-man show.

When I first came back, I learned you have the token young person that doesn't know how to say no yet.

And so I got very involved in the community within a lot of different organizations, not just as an elected official.

So it kind of seemed like a natural fit to run for the city commission in 2019.

It was always something I always preface this because it sounds cheesy or corny or however you want to say it, but it was true.

The city would pay using revenue from inspections and building fees.

The contract will go before the full City Commission at its next meeting.

As the Kiwanis Club of St. Joseph, Benton Harbor begins its 105th year, it's trying a new fundraising effort that offers cash and other prizes.

President-elect Jay Wojcik says the Care for Kids Raffle will support the club's activities throughout the community.

I recently had a conversation with Jennifer, our city clerk, and something she told me really caught my attention.

She's been using artificial intelligence to help prepare city commission meeting minutes for about three years.

Think about that.

While everybody else has been debating whether AI is going to replace jobs, Jennifer has been quietly figuring out how to use it to do her job better.

A resolution before the committee in accepting the grant says the funds will be used for training and incident command, firefighter accountability, mayday management, and fire ground safety.

The committee advanced the grant approval onto the full City Commission.

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Um, Item B is to approve the agenda.

The City Commission reserves the right-

Agenda

... to amend, supplement, reorder the agenda.

I'm gonna read, um, a little summary of the relationship and then, um, the mayor will speak from Hiratsuka, and then we'll do a proclamation.

Lawrence and Hiratsuka formally established their sister city relationship on September 21st, 1990, when Lawrence Mayor Shirley Martin Smith and Hiratsuka Mayor Kyoichi Ishikawa, Kawa signed an agreement affirming a shared commitment to international friendship, cultural understanding, and educational exchange.

The partnership grew from efforts begun by the Lawrence City Commission in 1986 to establish a sister city relationship in Japan with connections between the University of Kansas and Kanagawa University, helping bring Lawrence and Hiratsuka together.

Over the past 35 years, through the dedicated work of our Sister Cities Lawrence Board and many volunteers and others, the relationship has developed into an endearing people-to-people partnership.

Harbor Shores is seeking a planned unit development designation for the property.

The Planning Commission advanced the matter to the full City Commission.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is inviting communities around the state to join the Tree City USA program as 2026 marks its 50th anniversary.

The Arbor Day Foundation, which started the program, says Tree City USA took root in 1976 as a movement to inspire communities to prioritize planting and caring for trees.

I know.

This was a pretty contentious meeting at the City Commission on Monday.

These were new prowling and trespassing laws that were being considered by the City Commission.

This really has come up in the wake of several incidents at Hole Park.

Yeah.

After refusing.

After refusing to do that.

He is also saying that city commissioners pressured the city manager to fire him or take employment action against him.