Lansing City Council approves Parks and Recreation coaching hires and tables several other matters pending the gathering of more information

by Julie Berg-Raymond

During its regular meeting Monday, April 3, the Lansing City Council approved several hiring recommendations from the Lansing Department of Parks and Recreation for the 2023 summer recreation season, pending background checks and drug testing. Those hirings included Harvey Ekern as head softball coach at $14.75/hour; an assistant tee ball coach, when hired, at $11.75/hour; Claire Chandler as assistant softball coach at $11/hour; a head tee ball coach, when hired, at $14/hour; and Randy Zipse as head baseball coach at $14.50/hour.

TABLED ITEMS
Several other items were tabled until more information could be gathered for the council’s consideration. The first was a request by Teresa Severson that the City run water to two properties at the end of Wall Street. The water department will get a bid on the project and report to the council on the cost.

The second agenda item tabled pending more information involved the possibility, introduced during the March 20 regular city council meeting by council member Ian Zahren as part of his report from Main Street Lansing’s Economic Vitality Committee, of instituting a tax abatement policy in Lansing as part of an effort, he said, to “grow Lansing economically, residentially, commercially and industrially.” Where tax abatements would be approved in the interest of increasing the number of long-term occupancy units and affordable single family-zoned housing stock, Zahren emphasized there would be “no impact on [the] current tax base. We’re just providing an incentive for people to build long-term housing.”

The third agenda item, also introduced by council member Zahren at the March 20 council meeting, involved the possibility of hiring Scott Gelzer, of Management Cornerstones Next Chapter LLC, to host a grant-writing workshop for representatives of various organizations in Lansing.

OTHER BUSINESS
In other business, liquor license renewals were approved for T&J Red Barn Restaurant and Quillin’s Lansing IGA. An update on the bridge-lighting fundraising website indicated that the website is almost complete.

The next regular meeting of the Lansing City Council is scheduled for Monday, April 17 at 7 p.m. at Lansing City Hall.