OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Grand Rapids Committee on Appointments Meeting - August 25, 2026

Meeting PortalTuesday, August 25, 2026
BodyGrand Rapids, Michigan
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, August 25, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 7:26

Transcript — Verbatim
0:03

Okay, good morning.

0:04

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

0:08

We have two items on our agenda this morning.

0:11

First, a resolution approving the city commission's appointment of Raina Watanabe as an alternate to the utility advisory board.

0:20

So moved.

0:21

Moved and supported.

0:22

Comments on this uh resolution, colleagues.

0:27

Yes, Miss Bosker.

0:28

I'll just mention that Raina is a city staff member who's recommended by uh the director of utilities to fill this role.

0:35

Wonderful.

0:35

Thank you, Miss Bosker.

0:37

Anything further?

0:39

Seeing none, all those in favor?

0:41

Aye.

0:42

Aye.

0:42

Those opposed.

0:44

Motion carries.

0:45

And now, Miss Bosker, if you could lead us through a discussion on the current board and commission vacancy list.

0:50

We're still a little bit in the space that we were at the last meeting, still waiting for a couple of vetting to wrap up and appointment decisions.

0:59

Um hoping to move forward with land bank soon and fill in the last space on the housing appeal board.

1:07

Um, and then we're still keeping on the radar, the local officers compensation commission, which will be down a couple members soon next month.

1:16

Um, and then working on just sort of moving forward and making progress towards the end of the year, getting everything in a row.

1:25

The members, current members will receive their regular um re reapply notification in the next few weeks, and then we'll power through the vetting and receive feedback from liaisons and be prepared for that end of year meeting in December.

1:42

Wonderful.

1:43

I did have a great discussion with the mayor yesterday on a lot of these appointments, uh, such as the possible four uh folks rolling off of mobile GR uh for the local officers compensation.

1:55

I highlighted uh Commissioner Isasi that we need a war second warder uh for that.

2:01

And uh he also is in conversation about the land bank authority as well that has an appointment coming up.

2:09

So we have several bodies uh that will have some uh some pivoting and and shifting, but it is good to see that we have uh most of them are full.

2:19

So that thank you, Miss Bosker and the clerk's office and everyone here on this committee for your work on this.

2:24

Any comments regarding our current vacancies, Commissioner?

2:28

Yes.

2:29

Thank you, Mr.

2:30

Chair.

2:30

Thanks for this overview, Miss Bosker.

2:32

Um so we just got done with the primary election, and uh November seems like a far time away, and it's not, and we know the election really starts at the end of September when those absentee ballots go out.

2:44

Do we want to put uh for this committee um, you know, and city clerk and Miss Bosker, you let me know uh what you all think in terms of what should be the expectations of this body as we move into this general election.

2:58

And you know, Miss Bosker, you talked about you know sending out those reminders to individuals, getting those things together.

3:04

Um and you know, we I think we've been doing it earlier, and especially since you've been here.

3:10

I think the process has been greatly improved.

3:12

Um and also people don't respond.

3:15

So do we want to put some parameters or some timelines?

3:18

Do you think that's necessary, city clerk?

3:20

Of there's a bit of a uh period where you know we can't expect that we're gonna move forward with an appointment because we've got this or that, and if we there are some bodies who we know, like there's gonna be three that roll off.

3:33

We need to really make sure we connect with them.

3:35

Others that are not, no are concerned.

3:37

So just looking for a little bit of prioritization and direction.

3:40

Um, so then our expectations can be clear as well as liaison's expectations about what is realistic from the clerk's office.

3:47

Thank you.

3:52

Well, I think a couple things.

3:53

I think we can keep doing what our normal even though it's election year, we're busy.

3:58

Um it's it's changed a little bit with um with the pre-processing of absentee bills that it really took the pressure off.

4:06

I mean, we're we're busy during it, but there's times where things are happening where we can do other things while we're doing it.

4:11

Well whether whereas when we were doing abstees all at one time, it was like there's we couldn't focus hardly on anything, but now we have we have some there's some space, which which is helpful.

4:21

I don't want to talk for you, but um but I I think we can keep moving through our normal process.

4:29

Um, and I think you said you're gonna move it up just a little bit to like the renewal or just so we're just so we can start the process a little earlier.

4:37

Yes, yeah.

4:37

I think that the like our system, I think it's 90 days before the end of the term, which is the end of December.

4:43

So then I was gonna move it up and probably send it next week or maybe right after the Labor Day holiday, send the email.

4:52

So move it up by two or three weeks.

4:55

Um hoping to just give more time for a remindal reminder and to get those reappointments in or the requests for reappointment.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Personnel Matters█████████████████████████████████████████████55%
Voter Engagement█████████████████████████████████████45%
Summary of Proceedings

Grand Rapids Committee on Appointments Meeting - August 25, 2026

The Committee on Appointments met on August 25, 2026, at 8:00 a.m. to consider a resolution appointing a member to the Utility Advisory Board and to discuss the current status of board and commission vacancies. The meeting adjourned at 8:07 a.m.

Consent Calendar

  • The committee approved a resolution appointing Raina Watanabe as an alternate to the Utility Advisory Board. Commissioner Bosker noted that Watanabe is a city staff member recommended by the director of utilities. The motion carried unanimously by voice vote.

Discussion Items

  • The committee reviewed the current board and commission vacancy list. Commissioner Bosker reported that the committee is still awaiting vetting and appointment decisions for several bodies, including the Land Bank Authority and the Housing Appeal Board. The Local Officers Compensation Commission will lose two members next month. The clerk's office plans to send reappointment notices earlier than usual, likely after Labor Day, to allow more time for responses. Commissioners asked about prioritizing certain committees given many vacancies; Commissioner Bosker noted that the most frequently interacted bodies like Land Bank and Mobile GR are already in motion and that she would follow up with the mayor. The city clerk clarified that the new absentee ballot processing schedule provides more flexibility, allowing staff to handle other duties during election season.

Key Outcomes

  • The resolution appointing Raina Watanabe to the Utility Advisory Board was approved unanimously.
  • The committee will send reappointment reminders two to three weeks earlier than the standard 90-day window to facilitate timely responses.
  • Ongoing vetting continues for several boards, with the Land Bank Authority and Housing Appeal Board near completion.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, good morning. We will call the committee on appointments to order at 8 a.m. We have two items on our agenda this morning. First, a resolution approving the city commission's appointment of Raina Watanabe as an alternate to the utility advisory board. So moved. Moved and supported. Comments on this uh resolution, colleagues. Yes, Miss Bosker. I'll just mention that Raina is a city staff member who's recommended by uh the director of utilities to fill this role. Wonderful. Thank you, Miss Bosker. Anything further? Seeing none, all those in favor? Aye. Aye. Those opposed. Motion carries. And now, Miss Bosker, if you could lead us through a discussion on the current board and commission vacancy list. We're still a little bit in the space that we were at the last meeting, still waiting for a couple of vetting to wrap up and appointment decisions. Um hoping to move forward with land bank soon and fill in the last space on the housing appeal board. Um, and then we're still keeping on the radar, the local officers compensation commission, which will be down a couple members soon next month. Um, and then working on just sort of moving forward and making progress towards the end of the year, getting everything in a row. The members, current members will receive their regular um re reapply notification in the next few weeks, and then we'll power through the vetting and receive feedback from liaisons and be prepared for that end of year meeting in December. Wonderful. I did have a great discussion with the mayor yesterday on a lot of these appointments, uh, such as the possible four uh folks rolling off of mobile GR uh for the local officers compensation. I highlighted uh Commissioner Isasi that we need a war second warder uh for that. And uh he also is in conversation about the land bank authority as well that has an appointment coming up. So we have several bodies uh that will have some uh some pivoting and and shifting, but it is good to see that we have uh most of them are full. So that thank you, Miss Bosker and the clerk's office and everyone here on this committee for your work on this. Any comments regarding our current vacancies, Commissioner? Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks for this overview, Miss Bosker. Um so we just got done with the primary election, and uh November seems like a far time away, and it's not, and we know the election really starts at the end of September when those absentee ballots go out. Do we want to put uh for this committee um, you know, and city clerk and Miss Bosker, you let me know uh what you all think in terms of what should be the expectations of this body as we move into this general election. And you know, Miss Bosker, you talked about you know sending out those reminders to individuals, getting those things together. Um and you know, we I think we've been doing it earlier, and especially since you've been here. I think the process has been greatly improved. Um and also people don't respond. So do we want to put some parameters or some timelines? Do you think that's necessary, city clerk? Of there's a bit of a uh period where you know we can't expect that we're gonna move forward with an appointment because we've got this or that, and if we there are some bodies who we know, like there's gonna be three that roll off. We need to really make sure we connect with them. Others that are not, no are concerned. So just looking for a little bit of prioritization and direction. Um, so then our expectations can be clear as well as liaison's expectations about what is realistic from the clerk's office. Thank you. Well, I think a couple things. I think we can keep doing what our normal even though it's election year, we're busy.

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