Good morning, everyone.

We will call the committee on appointments to order at 8 a.m.

We have a few items on our agenda starting with the resolution confirming Mayor LeGram's appointment of Danielle Daniel Savage to the Grand Rapids Police Civilian Appeal Board.

So moved.

Moved and supported.

Comments on this appointment, colleagues.

Seeing none, all those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Those opposed, motion carries.

Brings us to our second resolution recognizing Commissioner Knight's appointment of Ronisha Harden to the Grand Rapids Police Civilian Appeal Board.

So moved.

Support.

Moved and supported.

Comments, colleagues.

Seeing none, all those in favor?

Aye.

Aye.

Those opposed, motion carries.

Brings us to our third resolution confirming City Manager Washington's reappointment to of Monica App to the Grand Rapids Housing Commission.

So moved.

Support.

Moved and support it.

Comments, colleagues.

Yeah, I'll make a couple of comments.

Commissioner.

Thank you.

Um I really appreciate the work that the Housing Commission does and that Monica App has been on that for a while.

Um I'm happy to reappoint her, and I I like the work that we are doing with that.

But I do think that that commission as a whole has some opportunities to expand and do some more interesting things.

So I'm looking forward down the line to um discussing with Monica and others how we can bring more housing for our lower income folks.

And I do have some small concerns that uh Rockford hasn't necessarily been so on board with some of that.

Um not because they're not interested in it, but I think because of the market rate pressures that we have in our city.

I have uh unfortunately not had the opportunity to meet with Rockford and talk with them at this point.

Um schedules are being what they are.

So um I again I'm happy to continue her work and what she's doing.

I like her.

I like uh that we have developers like Rockford that want to be involved, but I do have uh some overall concerns that we continue to really evaluate who we are uh having move this work forward.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Any further comment?

Seeing none, all those in favor?

Aye aye, those opposed, motion carries.

Brings us to our fourth resolution confirming City Manager Washington's appointment of Joshua Lunger to the Grand Rapids Housing Commission.

Support.

Moved and supported comments on this, colleagues.

I'll begin.

Uh I believe um I will not be supporting uh this appointment.

Um I have several concerns with uh the Grand Rapids Chamber um and their work.

Um our housing commission is our housing authority uh pushing forward imperative work to our city, uh really uh spearheading and and being in the weeds with some of the most important work, uh such as supporting our frontline communities, such as those who are unhoused or those who need access to affordable housing.

The Grand Rapids Chamber has uh strategically and for many years opposed uh legislation at the state level that would be directly uh effective to help some of our most pressing housing needs, but I want to take it locally since that's what we're dealing with.

The Grand Rapids Chamber uh was a part of a few groups uh and organizations who helped basically um criminalize being unhoused here in downtown Grand Rapids.

I believe that passed like five to two on the city commission years back.

I believe that was considered our nuisance ordinance where they drafted language that uh folks like the ACLU uh stood against and said was in violation of human rights.

So I can know in no way in good faith uh support someone who is representing an organization that does not consistently uh do positive work for our most frontline communities.

I want to thank the chamber uh for their work with 10 and 100.

I think the city manager said they surpassed uh the amount, the 100 that they were looking towards housing.

I am so thankful for their work there.

Uh but that's one, right?

That's that's one initiative uh that is successful and people focused, um, but then continuing to advocate against uh those folks' very needs at the state level, local level, in addition, they continue to spread misinformation um and unsupported claims about our climate action and adaptation plan that is meant to help owner homeowners.

They continue to say that we are going to uh charge homeowners an extreme amount uh in addition to already rising cost, and they will not support these claims.

They had a text message campaign, they had a web page about this, and it is dangerous, especially in our times of media and social media.

We need to be appointing people that are upholding the highest standard of integrity of truth, and this organization does not do that.

So for those reasons, I uh also encourage my colleagues to not support this appointment, and I will not be.

Any further comment?

May I, Chair?

Yes, Commissioner.

Unless um Commissioner Yassi Sasi, you want to go first?

Okay.

Um I really applaud you for being brave enough to say those things.

I think that some of those things are necessary to be said, and that it's good that we have a body and a public way to bring those ideas forward.

I um personally have some concerns about punishing, so to speak, people for the past uh without giving them an opportunity to show that they're making new strides and new directions.

I think that this conversation about clearing up what uh because I agree with you, there were some misinformation and um definitely a campaign against the potentially the costs of what housing would be with um the cap, and I think that there it's important that we get aligned and get shared shared information in the correct way.

And the best way to do that in some ways is to work together and not create uh unnecessary friction.

I think that we set a des uh a potential precedent here uh that would be maybe for the long-term detriment over the short-term benefit.

Um so I I think that all your comments are valid and necessary to be said.

Um but again, back to what I was saying about the other uh appointment that the housing commission does have an awful lot of opportunity for some really great work that there we do need people who are gonna be pushing ahead um and aggressively looking at how we can create more affordable housing in our city.

Uh and Josh has uh at this time proven that he is working on those those issues and has a deep level of expertise that I think we do need.

Um so I'm open to continuing to the conversation with the chamber and trying to figure out where uh we can be more aligned, more strategic and more progressive in making real change happen.

And in the meantime, I do know there's been some strong support for uh the work that's been done.

And let's just keep moving forward on that and honor the the folks who are recommending Joshua Longer at this time.

Sure.

Thanks for your comments, Commissioner.

Commissioner Sasi.

Thank you.

Um, sorry.

Uh thank you.

Thanks for the conversation.

And um, you know, I think that I've said before in this body, you know, pretty much I've had people that I've appointed, I've disagreed with them.

I've had people that I know and haven't appointed.

Um, I don't really want to talk too much about that because I believe everybody's allowed their vote.

Um so I'll be voting to support Mr.

Lunger.

Um, but Commissioner, I feel like I do need to set the record about what you said about the public nuisance.

We didn't criminalize it.

So I was part of that vote.

I led that effort because I was very concerned that we would be criminalizing people for sitting in line on this on the street.

Um so we work together to find a better solution.

Because quite honestly, there probably was enough votes to go sort of what I'll say all the way.

Um there was a number of us, even those that didn't vote to support, I would say, were to really trying to find a common ground.

So um, I you know, I always say I won't disagree with people's opinions about other people because we all have different experiences with people, quite honestly, right?

Um, but I do feel like I need to set the record for that.

I did not vote to criminalize um homelessness.

So that was a five-three vote to carve out a very specific ordinance for a very specific issue that we're facing.

Um, and I'm proud of that work.

I'm proud of that vote.

So I want to set their that's my record.

Um, and I was on the commission at that time.

That was 2023, I believe.

So I just feel like that is necessary to say.

Thank you.

Sure.

Thank you for your comments, colleagues.

All right, all those in favor.

Aye.

All those opposed, nay.

Motion carries, but will not be on our consent agenda.

That moves us to our fifth resolution recognizing Grand Rapids Public Schools reappointment of Jordan Eatment to the Smart Zone Local Development Finance Authority.

So moved.

Support.

Moved and supported comments on this appointment, colleagues.

I know that Jordan has done some great work in the community, and I look forward to seeing what more will be done.

And um I think it would be good that we continue to share with folks what the Smart Zone Local Development Finance Authority does.

Uh, I don't think that people understand what smart what we what it means to develop in a smart zone and and what that does.

So that's my comment.

I will say I see a couple of folks from our economic development department um here in the back of the room.

And I surround that body, I do agree with the comments about Mr.

Eatman.

Glad to see him reappointed.

And we do have a page that you can follow as well on LinkedIn and a lot of socials.

We're working with a local marketing agency, the one the same one that we use for economic development to really highlight it.

It's I don't want to say it's a niche because it's development in our city.

Um but we have some we're working with amazing partners like Start Garden, um excuse me, and MSU to be able to support um those high-tech high growth um innovators and entrepreneurs, and um sometimes I don't know all the things that they're working on, but they're working in spaces of med tech, they're working in spaces of um just safety for patients, they're working and trying to find solutions to save individuals money and stay in their homes.

So I would um not that you haven't, but I would say check out the page because there's some really good stories that are featuring individuals and quite honestly who are getting investments from even like globally, where people are coming in and different firms and um that smart zone might be that first investment or you know, part of a capital stack, but then really trying to bring in people around um the country and the world to invest in this technology that is happening just like down the street and in our city.

Thanks.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Uh, and thank you for your service on that board.

It is very positive work, uh, as of all our boards and commissions.

So uh seeing no further comment, all those in favor, aye, those opposed, motion carries.

Before we move on to a discussion on our current board and commission uh vacancy list, I'd like uh to lead us through a short conversation on the uh first word appointment, uh first uh round interviews, those will take place Friday here in uh city commission chambers.

Uh and I am looking forward to all of our neighbors who uh put their name out there and uh a very public process to uh further serve uh their community.

Uh the uh the format of this meeting uh for the these interviews, they're 15 minutes each.

Um as the chair, I have proposed that each uh committee member gets their own question that they will ask to all ten uh applicants in addition to closing comments uh by uh the applicant.

Uh very looking forward to that uh this Friday.

And we and then after uh we uh have been able to for a few weeks now thoroughly review uh the applications, resumes, online presence um of these applicants, and then we will then from there pick the top three to move on to the final round.

Um so just so the public is in step with us as we do this very important process.

Uh colleagues, any comments or concerns.

Oh, Mr.

Clerk.

So following this follows closely what we did in the last time in the in 2024 for the uh third ward vacancy.

Um and we'll we'll run with the time.

I'll be up here with the timer as well to make sure that um everybody answering questions knows what what their time frame is and doing like that, and then I will have a um kind of a ballot sheet too, so we can compile um so we we'll have verbal deliberation, but we'll also have scoring where we if we see true consensus that way first that might help us too.

So we'll have a a rank uh a ranking system too of the of the ten.

Awesome, thank you.

Commissioner Isassi.

When would you like those questions um sent to this that group?

So the three of us, and then I'm guessing the city clerk, just so we can make sure that we're not like asking, you know, a similar question or super similar question.

I don't believe in 2024 we were sent questions before you mean just to this committee.

Just to this committee, yeah, for us so we can coordinate if there is, yeah.

Yeah, uh, could we get those by Wednesday?

Okay.

Yeah, does that give us a yeah?

Tomorrow would be fine.

Um what's uh one moment here?

Is that your only concern, Commissioner?

Yeah, I just wanted to make sure that I didn't, you know, I'm not asking the same question that Commissioner Belchak is asking.

So thank you so much, Commissioner.

Yeah, thank you for that.

Um yeah, I wasn't sure if we were gonna be need to be prepared today to discuss the questions that we this is again for the 15-minute interview before the the to select those final few that will go in front of the full commission for uh interview.

Um I think though, just for transparency sake, my question is going to be something along the lines of that or do you not want to talk about it?

We I want to stay consistent, right?

Okay, fair that's fair.

Yeah, that's true.

We are so let's continue to uh make this process fair to all.

Um I don't remember receiving I was a part of the last process, and I want to make sure we're being as fair as possible.

Yeah, I really appreciate your experience on that.

Uh Commissioner I was on there as well.

Um no, I'll say just one thing.

I just to the point about confirming.

So everybody has confirmed their appointment, everybody knows where they're going, everybody knows how much time each interview will be.

Everybody knows where they're going, everybody knows how much time each interview will be.

Like so we feel good that all the applicants have that.

So this was this was the smoothest ever slotting 10 people.

I it just all worked.

I never had that.

So I'm very thankful for that.

Grateful, thankful, whatever for that.

Okay.

Um, so that they all know the times.

So I was gonna wait to see, I was gonna get wait till we're closer, but then I'll go I already gave them a lot of details, but we're I'll give a remote details of the process and let them know that there will be a clock too.

Got it.

Okay, I just want to make sure that we say on the record here, you know, what we've done to communicate to people, because if somebody comes, you know, um and says that they didn't, I want that on the record.

It's also been like over a week ago.

So yes, and it was spring break, so I yeah, I think do that reconfirmation, let's make sure.

And you know, we're all plan to be here.

I know we it's also the same day as kids speak, but I mean it's just an it's an not just, but it's an appointment um body, not our full commission.

And then um the next meeting with um commissioner or Mr.

Chair, you said with the three that we'll select that will go to next week Wednesday, April 22nd, with the full body interviewing those three candidates.

Yes, okay.

Yep, yeah.

It'll be at 10, it'll be at 10 o'clock because we because you have Brownfield before that.

Sorry.

We'll be following that.

And so, and though, and the group knows that that is if they make it to that round, that's what they should be prepared for.

Got it.

Yeah, everybody everybody's got the process.

So one right, thank you.

Thank you so much, Commissioner Isasi.

Yes, we want to continue to make this process as transparent as possible.

It is the people's process for uh uh choosing someone who will stand in as their representative for the West Side.

All right.

Uh now, if Miss Bosker, if you could lead us through a discussion on the current board and commission vacancy list as of April 14th, 2026.

Sure.

Uh we've got as you can see, lots of appointments today.

So we're moving forward, filling in vacancies.

Um I did want to highlight for you all the civil service board.

There are two terms that are up for reappointment that our commissioner appointment, and I will send that information again.

Um so I just need from you all a consensus on reappointing or moving forward with somebody else for those two civil service board terms.

Um and then the urban agriculture, there was another resignation that letter that we received this week.

That'll be on the next agenda.

So I'll send that information around again because there's quite a few vacancies on urban ag now just uh bring it back to the top of the list.

Um and then the others were just moving forward, applications coming in, and I keep I'll got a list that I'll be passing over to the mayor uh this week.

Awesome.

Thank you, Miss Bosker, and thank you to the clerk's office and all your staff's work on uh our boards and commissions in addition to this appointment process.

I know things are going to be busy.

Um and we've got elections soon, so that'll be fun.

Uh any further, uh, and especially I've been very happy, colleagues, to see uh the um Grand Rapids Police Civilian Appeal Board.

There's a lot of conversation with that in community, and it's good to see that we're having new folks um added to this board.

Any further comments or concerns, colleagues?

I just I just got one just one thing.

Um a policy survey or report came out.

I'll I'll share that with you that talked about cities and cities and local municipalities having trouble finding members of serve on boards and commissions.

And I'm very thankful that we haven't that hasn't been an issue here that we've been able to um when we really want need someone to fill, we've been able to fill fill our positions in citizens have been stepping up.

I know we're a bit a bigger city, so we have a bigger pool, but um, I mean some of the some of these smaller townships right there are even having hard times filling their elected officials positions.

So um, so I'm thankful that we can be able to fill um these citizen boards and commissions that we have still a lot of interest in in applications coming in of people that want to serve.

Yeah, I agree, Mr.

Clerk.

That is um it's certainly a privilege that we have, and even if we don't vote on folks uh for their appointments, I certainly thank them for their their willingness to serve.

All right, seeing no further comment or concerns, we will adjourn the committee on appointments at 8 19 a.m.

Have a good morning.