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CITY OF MUSKEGON
LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE
MEETING
February 25, 2026 @ 5:30 PM
CITY OF MUSKEGON, ROOM 204
933 TERRACE STREET, MUSKEGON, MI 49440
☐ CALL TO ORDER:
☐ ROLL CALL:
☐ APPROVAL OF MINUTES:
A. Approval of Minutes Manager's Office
☐ OLD BUSINESS:
A. City Commission Handbook Manager's Office
☐ NEW BUSINESS:
A. MGT Final Workplace Culture Report Manager's Office
B. Clarifying Charter Amendment Language Manager's Office
C. State & Federal Legislative Update Manager's Office
D. RxKids Community Champions & Financial Support Manager's Office
E. Citizen's Request to Speak Form City Clerk
☐ ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
☐ PUBLIC COMMENT:
☐ ADJOURNMENT:
AMERICAN DISABILITY ACT POLICY FOR ACCESS TO OPEN MEETINGS OF THE CITY OF
MUSKEGON AND ANY OF ITS COMMITTEES OR SUBCOMMITTEES
To give comment on a live-streamed meeting the city will provide a call-in telephone
number to the public to be able to call and give comment. For a public meeting that is
not live-streamed, and which a citizen would like to watch and give comment, they
must contact the City Clerk’s Office with at least a two-business day notice. The
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participant will then receive a zoom link which will allow them to watch live and give
comment. Contact information is below. For more details, please
visit: www.shorelinecity.com
The City of Muskegon will provide necessary reasonable auxiliary aids and services, such
as signers for the hearing impaired and audio tapes of printed materials being
considered at the meeting, to individuals with disabilities who want to attend the
meeting with twenty-four (24) hours’ notice to the City of Muskegon. Individuals with
disabilities requiring auxiliary aids or services should contact the City of Muskegon by
writing or by calling the following:
Ann Marie Meisch, MMC. City Clerk. 933 Terrace St. Muskegon, MI 49440. (231)724-6705.
[email protected]
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Agenda Item Review Form
Muskegon Legislative Policy Committee
Commission Meeting Date: February 25, 2026 Title: Approval of Minutes
Submitted by: Kimberly Young, Administrative Department: Manager's Office
Assistant to the City Manager
Brief Summary:
Approve the minutes of the December 1, 2026 Legislative Policy Committee Meeting.
Detailed Summary & Background:
Goal/Action Item:
Is this a repeat item?:
Explain what change has been made to justify bringing it back to Commission:
Amount Requested: Budgeted Item:
Yes No N/A x
Fund(s) or Account(s): Budget Amendment Needed:
Yes No N/A x
Recommended Motion:
Approve the minutes.
Approvals: Name the Policy/Ordinance Followed:
Immediate Division
Head
Information
Technology
Other Division Heads
Communication
Legal Review
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CITY OF MUSKEGON
LEGISLATIVE POLICY COMMITTEE
MEETING
December 1, 2025 @ 5:30 PM
MUSKEGON CITY COMMISSION CHAMBERS
933 TERRACE STREET, MUSKEGON, MI 49440
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER
ROLL CALL
Present: Mayor Ken Johnson, Vice Mayor Rebecca St. Clair, Commissioners
Katrina Kochin, Jay Kilgo, and Rachel Gorman. City Manager Jonathan
Seyferth, and City Clerk Ann Marie Meisch.
Absent: Commissioner Destinee Keener and Commissioner Willie German.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. Approval of Minutes City Clerk
Motion by Commissioner Gorman, second by Commissioner Kochin, to
approve the minutes of August 19, 2025.
ROLL VOTE: Ayes: Gorman, Kochin, St. Clair, Johnson, and Kilgo.
Nays: None
MOTION PASSES
OLD BUSINESS
Commissioners reviewed the proposed contracts for SafeBuilt and McKenna. Muskegon
County also submitted a bid but it was not considered at this time because of lack of experience
in this area.
SafeBuilt currently has the contract. McKenna appears that it may pay more to the City.
The City Manager indicated that building department revenue needs to be kept in the building
revenue department and cannot be used in other areas.
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The item will be brought back to the Commission on December 9th to award the contract.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Mobile Food Vending Manager's Office
Discussion took place regarding food trucks and events.
City Commission will be asked to consider an ordinance amendment in the
future indicating any non-food vending business that operates mobile food
vending as a regular part of their business is exempt from the ordinance if the
food truck is there a certain amount of days. Staff is currently suggesting ten
days.
This request will be placed on a future Commission Meeting.
B. Support of Unhoused Manager's Office
LeighAnn Mikesell, Deputy Director, has been attending the Continuum of Care
meetings as well as a large variety of organizations around Muskegon County.
The organization is focused on long-term housing solutions. They also have an
outreach for encampments. Unhoused individuals self reported that: 34% suffer
from mental health issues, 33% suffer from physical disabilities, and 6% have
substance abuse issues. It is reported that 84% are single adults. There is a large
gap in services for youth (especially boys) trying to escape abusive situations.
According to a recent study, we need 385 units under $550 per month but this is
not feasible for builders. Rooming houses are currently being studied.
More discussion will take place at the February Worksession.
C. Early Voting City Clerk
Staff has been very pleased with early voting. Early voting allows voters to
place their ballot directly into the tabulator to be sure it counts before Election
Day. Currently the State has been reimbursing the cost of Election Inspectors so
the cost has been minimal.
The remaining items were removed because of increment weather and the meeting was
adjourned.
D. 2026 Meeting Calendar - REMOVED Manager's Office
E. Resolutions and Proclamations - REMOVED Manager's Office
F. Quarterly Legislative Report - REMOVED Manager's Office
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ANY OTHER BUSINESS
PUBLIC COMMENT
ADJOURNMENT
Respectfully Submitted,
Ann Marie Meisch, MMC City Clerk
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Agenda Item Review Form
Muskegon Legislative Policy Committee
Commission Meeting Date: February 25, 2026 Title: City Commission Handbook
Submitted by: LeighAnn Mikesell, Deputy City Department: Manager's Office
Manager
Brief Summary:
Staff is requesting guidance on the new commission handbook and the associated policies.
Detailed Summary & Background:
Staff has gathered various rules, procedures, and policies that apply to the commissioners to develop
a handbook that can easily be referenced. Some changes have been made to the information
gathered to better match current practices or make common sense adjustments. A new
attendance policy has been included based on the work of the committee established to set that
policy. Travel costs have been updated, and spending limits have been modified in the purchasing
policy.
Staff recommends this handbook be reviewed annually to ensure commissioners are aware of the
policies included.
Goal/Action Item:
Administrative Action
Is this a repeat item?:
Explain what change has been made to justify bringing it back to Commission:
Notes have been added to show where changes have been proposed.
Amount Requested: Budgeted Item:
N/A Yes No N/A X
Fund(s) or Account(s): Budget Amendment Needed:
N/A Yes No N/A X
Recommended Motion:
discussion only
Approvals: Name the Policy/Ordinance Followed:
Immediate Division
Head
Information
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Technology
Other Division Heads
Communication
Legal Review X
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CITY COMMISSION
HANDBOOK
DATE: NOVEMBER 5, 2025
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CONTENTS
RULES
A. Regular & Special Meetings
B. Meeting Procedures
C. Closed Meetings
D. Voting & Discussion
E. Citizen Participation
F. Virtual Public Participation
G. Agenda
H. Consent Agenda
I. Recording of Commission Meeting
J. Miscellaneous
K. Committee Assignments
L. City Manager Evaluation Process
M. Items Requiring City Commission Approval
N. Attendance
O. Travel
P. Political Signs on City Owned Property
Q. Proclamations
GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCT
A. Public Relations
B. City Commission Relations with City Staff
C. City Commission Relations with Appointed City Commissions and Committees &
Commission Member Representation to other Agencies and Groups
D. Code of Ethics
E. Computer Usage
F. Social Media Use
G. Communications
H. Commission Appointment Interview Questions
I. Potential Candidate Considerations
CITY POLICY INFORMATION
A. Purchasing Policy
B. Emergency Procedures
ACRONYMS
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RULES OF THE CITY COMMISSION
A. REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETINGS:
1. REGULAR MEETINGS
Regular meetings of the City Commission will be held on the second and fourth
Tuesday of each month beginning at 5:30 p.m., local prevailing time, at the City Hall,
933 Terrace Street, Muskegon. Regular meetings may be rescheduled to other times
by a vote of the Commission.
2. SPECIAL MEETINGS
A special meeting may be called by the mayor or any of two (2) or more members-of
Commission and upon at least eighteen (18) hours-notice to each member.
3. BUSINESS AT SPECIAL MEETINGS
No business shall be transacted at any special meeting of the Commission unless the
same has been stated in the required notice of such meeting.
4. WORK SESSION MEETINGS
The Work Session meetings will be held on the Monday preceding the second
Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall, 933 Terrace Street.
5. REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETING NOTICE (POSTING) REQUIREMENTS.
a. For regular meetings of the Commission, the Clerk shall post at the City Hall, within
three (3) days after the first meeting of the Commission in each calendar year, a
public notice stating the dates, times, and places of its regular meeting for the year.
b. For a rescheduled regular or a special meeting, of the Commission, a public notice
stating the date, time, place and reason of the meeting shall be posted in City Hall
at least 18 hours before the meeting.
c. However, such notice, as described in 5a and b above, is not required for a meeting
of the Commission in emergency session in the event of a widespread natural
disaster or a severe and imminent threat to the health, safety or welfare of the
public when two-thirds of the members of the Commission determine that delay
would be detrimental to the city’s efforts in responding to the threat.
d. Upon written request, the Clerk shall provide a copy of such notices of meetings to
any newspaper published in the City of Muskegon and to any radio and television
station located in Muskegon County free of charge.
6. SHARING OF MEETING AGENDAS AND PACKETS Commented [AM1]: Language was updated
City Clerk shall upload every regular City Commission meeting packet to the city’s removing payment to mail agendas because they are
website at least 84 hours prior to the start of the meeting. available online.
7. MINUTES OF REGULAR AND SPECIAL MEETINGS
a. A journal of the proceedings of each regular and special meeting will be kept in
the English language by the Clerk and shall be signed by the City Clerk, upon
approval of Commission.
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b. Unapproved minutes of regular or special meetings will be available for public
inspection not more than eight business days after such meeting.
c. Approved minutes will be available for public inspection not later than five
business days after the meeting at which the minutes were approved.
B. MEETING PROCEDURES:
1. MEETINGS TO BE PUBLIC
All regular and special meetings of the City Commission shall be open to the public
and citizens shall have a reasonable opportunity to be heard under such rules and
regulations as the Commission may prescribe.
2. ORDER OF BUSINESS Commented [LM2]: Updated to match our current
An agenda for each Regular Commission meeting shall be prepared by the City agenda format
Manager in conjunction with the City Clerk in accordance with the following order of
business:
a. Call Meeting to Order/Welcome
b. Prayer
c. Pledge of Allegiance
d. Roll Call
e. Honors, Awards, and Presentations
f. Public Hearings
g. Federal/State/County Officials Update
h. Public Comment on Agenda Items
i. Consent Agenda
j. Unfinished Business
k. New Business
l. Any Other Business
m. General Public Comment
n. Closed Session
o. Adjournment
3. QUORUM
Four (4) members of the Commission in office at the time shall be a quorum for the
transaction of business.
4. PRESIDING OFFICER
The presiding officer shall be responsible for enforcing the Rules of the City
Commission, contained herein, as well as the Code of Conduct. The mayor shall be the
presiding officer of the Commission. In the absence of or disability of the mayor, the
vice-mayor shall be the presiding Officer of the Commission. In the absence or disability
of both, the Commission may designate another of its members to serve as presiding
officer during such absence or disability.
C. CLOSED MEETINGS:
1. PURPOSE
The City Commission may only meet in closed session for purposes defined in the
Michigan Open meetings Act as follows:
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a. To consider the dismissal, suspension, or disciplining of, or to hear complaints or
charges brought against, a public officer, employee, staff member, or individual
agent, when the named person requests a closed hearing.
b. For strategy and negotiation sessions connected with the negotiation of a collective
bargaining agreement or related issues when either negotiating party requests a
closed herein
c. To consider the purchase or lease of real property up to the time an option to
purchase or lease that real property is obtained. This does not include the sale,
lease or other conveyance of city property to others.
d. To consult with its attorney regarding trial or settlement strategy in connection with
specific pending litigation, but only when an open meeting would have a
detrimental financial effect on the litigating or settlement position of the
Commission.
e. To review the specific contents of an application for employment or appointment to
a public office when the candidate requests that the application remain confidential.
All interviews by a public body for employment or appointment to a public office
shall be held in an open meeting pursuant to this act.
f. To consider material exempt from discussion or disclosure by state or federal
statute.
2. CALLING CLOSED SESSIONS:
A two-thirds roll call vote of the Commission members elected and serving shall be
required, except under Sections (a) and (b) above. The roll call vote shall be taken at
an open meeting and the purpose for calling the closed session shall be entered into
the minutes of the meeting at which the vote is taken.
3. MINUTES OF CLOSED MEETINGS
A separate set of minutes shall be taken by the Clerk or the designated Secretary at
the closed session. These minutes will be retained by the Clerk of the Commission,
shall not be available to the public, and shall be disclosed if required by a civil action.
These minutes shall be kept for a period of one year and one day from the date of the
closed meeting.
4. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CLOSED MEETING INFORMATION
A City Commission member shall not divulge to an unauthorized person confidential
information discussed in an executive session in advance of the time prescribed for
ifs authorized release to the public by the City Commission. Commission members
shall honor the confidentiality of the debate, discussion, and preliminary action taken
in executive session, and be aware of the potential financial liability and/or harm to the
reputation of the city by premature disclosure.
D. VOTING AND DISCUSSION:
1. ROLL CALL
In all call votes, the names of the members of the Commission shall be called. A vote
upon all ordinance enactments, rezoning issues, and liquor license requests shall be
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taken by a roll call vote and entered upon the records.
2. RESULTS OF VOTING
In all cases where a vote is taken, the Chair or Clerk shall declare the
result.
3. DUTY TO VOTE
Whenever a question is put before the Chair, every member shall vote, provided
however, that no member shall be required to vote if:
a. That member shall have a conflict of interest and shall state his/her conflict of
interest, or
b. That member shall state that he/she has inadequate information upon which to base
a reasonably informed vote and shall state the particulars of the information desired
before a reasonable informed vote can be cast.
Absence from a prior meeting shall not constitute the basis of the lack of
information referred to above
If a member is precluded from voting pursuant to a conflict of interest, that member shall
refrain from participating in the discussion on the issue.
4. CONDUCT OF DISCUSSION Commented [LM3]: Slight change in the way a vote
The maker of the motion shall speak first, and the supporter of the motion shall speak is handled when the question is called – roll call rather
second. During Commission discussion and debate, no member shall speak until than show of hands
recognized for the purpose by the Chair. After such recognition the member shall
confine discussion to the question at hand. Personal comments about other individuals
should be avoided. When addressing other members of the Commission they should
be addressed by title and/or last name but not by first name. No member should request
to speak a second time on a motion as long as another is requesting recognition to
speak for a first time. After every member of the Commission has had the opportunity
to speak on an item for the first time, the mayor may ask if any member of the
Commission would like to make a motion to call the question. If a motion is made and
seconded, debate shall stop immediately and the mayor will take a vote on the motion
to call the question by a roll call vote; if 2/3 of the present Commissioners agree to end
the debate, the Clerk shall immediately take a roll call vote on the underlying motion.
If the motion to call the question fails to garner the support of 2/3 of the present
Commissioners, debate will continue; once every member has had an opportunity to
speak on the item for a second time, the mayor may ask if any member of the
Commission would like to make a motion to call the question, and the process
described above will repeat itself.
5. COMMISSION MEMBER REQUESTS FOR POSTPONEMENTS
Requests for postponements on agenda items from members of Commission requires
approval by a majority of Commission present.
6. RULES OF PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE
The rules of parliamentary practice as contained in Robert's Rules of Order, most
recent edition, shall govern the Commission in all cases to which they are applicable,
provided they are not in conflict with these Rules or with the Ordinances and Charter
of the City of Muskegon.
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7. RECONSIDERATION OF MOTIONS
When a question has been decided, it shall be in order for any Commission member
who voted on the prevailing side of the question to move the reconsideration at the
same meeting or at the next regularly scheduled meeting provided no action has been
taken as a result of the previous vote.
8. GENERAL CONSENSUS
General consent or consensus may be used to give direction and the minutes
should indicate that a majority consented.
E. CITIZEN PARTICIPATION:
1. GENERAL
Each Commission meeting agenda shall provide for reserve time for audience
participation, as requested,
2. REQUESTS TO SPEAK, LENGTH OF PRESENTATION - PUBLIC HEARINGS AND
PARTICIPATION Commented [AM4]: As approved previously, group
Members of the public at the meeting shall not speak unless recognized by the chair. speaking for 10 minutes was removed.
Members of the public shall be limited to speaking for a maximum of three (3) minutes
during any public hearing or public comment.
3. PERSONS ADDRESSING THE COMMISSION Commented [LM5]: Included reference to the
Prior to addressing Commission, members of the public shall complete the public participation form and a requirement that the
comment form including their name and address and submit the form to the Clerk. member of the public must first be recognized by the
Once recognized by the chair, members of the public step up to the chair before going to the podium
microphone/podium. The Commission may in its discretion limit public comments to
new information or matters not fully addressed at any previous meeting regarding the
agenda item at issue.
4. REQUESTS TO SPEAK ON AN AGENDA ITEM Commented [AM6]: As approved by Commission,
Prior to the start of the meeting, any member of the public may submit a written request added comment on agenda items and second
form to the City Clerk requesting to speak on an agenda item. All written requests will comment period on general items
be honored under either the Item H – Public Comment on Agenda Items or M – General
Public Comment. All comments shall be directed to the chair; Commissioners shall
not engage in dialogue, debate, or negotiation with commenters.
5. REQUESTS TO SPEAK DURING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.
a. Any person who wishes to speak on a subject not on the printed agenda may
speak at this time. All rules of conduct still apply.
b. Candidates or any person(s) working for a candidate shall not be allowed to use
public participation time for campaigning.
6. DISORDERLY CONDUCT AT MEETINGS.
Persons addressing the Commission shall make responsible comments and shall
refrain from making personal, impertinent, slanderous or profane remarks. The
Chairperson may call to order any person who is being disorderly by speaking when
not recognized by the chair or otherwise disrupting the proceeding by failing to be
germane, by speaking longer than the allotted time, or by speaking vulgarities. Such
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persons shall thereupon be seated until the Chair shall have determined whether the
person is in order. If a person so engaged in presentation shall be called out of order,
he or she shall not be permitted to speak at the same meeting, except upon special
leave by the Commission. If the person shall continue to be disorderly and disrupt the
meeting, the chair may order the Police Department to remove the person from the
meeting.
F. VIRTUAL CITIZEN PARTICIPATION: Commented [AM7]: This is a new addition agreed
to by Commission.
1. GENERAL
A staff member of the City Clerk’s Office will be at all meetings requiring virtual participation
unless staff indicates they do not need assistance.
2. LIVE MEETINGS
For live meetings broadcast on television and/or streamed on social media, a telephone
number will be assigned to give the ability for the public to call in and provide three minutes
of comment.
3. ALL OTHER MEETINGS Commented [LM8]: Updated to reflect changes
For all other meetings subject to the Open Meetings Act, a citizen must send a request to after COVID pandemic, specifically that the request to
the City Clerk’s Office at least two business days in advance of the meeting. Request for participate virtually is only granted for ADA
virtual participation will only be granted in the case of ADA accommodation or active-duty accommodation or for active-duty military personnel.
military personnel. The City Clerk will provide a zoom link to each individual who requests
it. Those participating by zoom will be muted until the public comment period. Information
detailing how a request can be made will be placed on the city’s website, meeting notice,
and social media.
G. AGENDA
1. PREPARATION Commented [LM9]: requests from mayor are
The City Manager and City Clerk shall prepare an agenda for each regular or special included, requests from other members require 3
meeting of the City Commission. The deadline for submitting items for Commission commissioners in total to support the additional item
agenda is 4:00 pm on the Monday eight days prior to the Commission meeting.
Agenda items from Commission members should be submitted in writing by this same
time to the City Manager. Items submitted by the Mayor will be included upon request, and
items submitted by any other Commissioner will require at least 2 additional Commissioners
to support the addition of the item. Requested items will appear on a meeting agenda
within three meetings after the request is made as long as all necessary documents
are included.
2. DISTRIBUTION Commented [LM10]: added allowance for changes
Agendas, ordinances and all related background material will be delivered to City to the schedule for holidays and extenuating
Commission members, via email, the Tuesday before the scheduled regular meeting, circumstances
or at least 12 hours before a scheduled special meeting. Agendas will be made
available to the public on the Wednesday before the scheduled regular meeting.
Adjustments in this schedule are allowed due to holidays or extenuating
circumstances which must be disclosed when schedules are modified.
3. AGENDA MATERIAL Commented [LM11]: former rules required a
Department Heads, staff, and City Commissioners shall submit written requests for different time frame for presentation materials.
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inclusion on the agenda to the City Clerk with a cover sheet and necessary supporting
documents. Presentations shall be submitted by noon on the Monday eight days prior
to the Commission meeting for circulation with agendas. Agenda requests could be
delayed to a later meeting if related information is not received by the City Clerk in a
timely manner.
H. CONSENT AGENDA:
1. PURPOSE.
Consent agenda will be used to allow the City Commission to act on many items at one
time.
2. AGENDA ITEMS.
A consent agenda will be developed by the City Clerk and/or City Manager prior to the
regular meeting items. Any action items not requiring a formal public hearing may be
included in the Consent Agenda. Any member of the Commission may request that an
item be removed from the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda for
discussion.
I. RECORDING OF COMMISSION MEETINGS:
1. MEETINGS MAY BE RECORDED Commented [LM12]: Removed requirement to
All regular or special meetings of the City Commission may be recorded through the give each commissioner an audio copy
use of audio/visual electronic devices. Such recordings will be under the control and
supervision of the City Clerk.
2. RETENTION OF RECORDS Commented [LM13]: Removed 2 year requirement
Any recordings from Commission meetings may be retained by the City Clerk until the for work session meeting recordings
meeting minutes are approved.
J. MISCELLANEOUS:
1. AMENDMENTS TO RULES
The rules of the City Commission may be altered or amended by a majority vote of
two-thirds of the entire Commission.
2. SUSPENSION OF RULES
The rules of the City Commission may be suspended for good cause for a specified
portion of a meeting by a two-thirds majority of the entire Commission.
3. CONTROLLING AUTHORITY
These rules shall control, unless preempted by City Charter, State laws or the Court.
4. REVIEW OF CONSULTANTS
City Commission shall make an annual internal evaluation of consultants at the time of
review of the city budget to determine if the services being provided are satisfactory and
if judged to be inappropriate, will move to proceed with establishing a more formal
review process. Commented [LM14]: Updated to reflect current
process of approving at commission meetings, not
5. RESOLUTIONS OF RECOGNITION CRC meetings
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Written requests for resolutions shall be submitted to the City Clerk with necessary
supporting data for inclusion on the agenda. The deadline for submitting items for
Commission agenda is noon on the Monday preceding the week of the Commission
meeting. Resolutions will be acted on at regular Commission meetings, and the mayor
will sign resolutions voted on and approved. The mayor has authority to sign any other
resolutions.
K. COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS:
1. ASSIGNMENTS
The mayor may assign Commission members to any committee as is deemed
necessary, with approval of the City Commission.
2. RESPONSIBILITIES
Commission member's responsibilities as committee members will be generally
limited to policy and not the administration of a department or appointed organization.
L. CITY MANAGER EVALUATION PROCESS:
The City Manager will be evaluated by the members of the City Commission before July 1st
each year. Forms and materials will be sent out by the City Clerk and all completed forms
will be returned to the City Clerk for compiling. A report will be generated by the City Clerk
with the results of the evaluations. A meeting with the City Manager and City Commissioners
will be scheduled to review the evaluations.
M. ITEMS REQUIRING CITY COMMISSION APPROVAL:
The City Commission authorizes the City Clerk, City Manager, and Division/Department
Heads to exercise discretion when determining which items require formal City
Commission approval and must be included on a City Commission Agenda. Regardless
of such discretion, the following items must be presented to the City Commission for formal
action:
1. All items in which City Charter, State, or Federal rules/regulations require
legislative body approval.
2. The annual operating budget and amendments thereto.
3. All formal City Commission policies and procedures and amendments thereto.
4. All Ordinances and amendments thereto.
5. All purchases over $25,000 for which an appropriation has been not previously
established as part of the adopted or amended annual budget.
6. The purchase or sale of real property.
7. Borrowing of funds.
8. All formal agreements between the c ity and another party that extend beyond
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one year in duration or result in expenses to the city in excess of $25,000 annually.
N. ATTENDANCE: Commented [LM15]: Original policy from 1984
1. GENERAL
Election to the City Commission is a privilege freely sought by the nominee. It carries with
it the responsibility to participate in commission activities and represent the citizens of the
city. Attendance at commission meetings is critical to fulfilling this responsibility.
2. COMMISSION MEETINGS
a. Each commissioner is expected to inform the City Manager and City Clerk by email,
text, or phone if they are unable to attend a regular commission meeting. The
mayor may excuse absences for cause. Commented [LM16]: Original requires notification
by phone
b. If a commissioner has more than three consecutive absences for regular
commission meetings, the Commission, at the motion of any Commissioner, may
pass a resolution of reprimand. Commented [LM17]: Original allows City Manager
to send a letter to a commissioner whose attendance
c. If the Commissioner’s absences continue for more than three additional is unsatisfactory. We felt this responsibility should lie
consecutive regular meetings of the Commission, the Commission, at the motion of with the commission.
any Commissioner, may enact a resolution of censure or request the
commissioner’s resignation or both. Commented [LM18]: In the original policy, the City
Manager would add it to a commission agenda at a
3. COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS regular meeting.
City Commission Committees are intended to enhance communication between City
Commission and City Management at early phases of development of significant items
affecting public policy. As such, Committee participation is a fundamental duty of City
Commissioners.
a. A Commissioner unable to attend a committee meeting must inform the chair by
email, text, or phone. Commented [LM19]: Original requires notification
by phone.
b. The chair may, when deemed appropriate, send a letter to the mayor to report lack
of attendance of the assigned Commissioner.
Commented [LM20]: Original has letter sent to the
commissioner whose attendance is unsatisfactory and
c. If a commissioner misses more than three consecutive monthly Committee report to the City Manager.
meetings, the Committee Chair may request the mayor remove and replace the
Commissioner. For committees that meet quarterly or less frequently, the
Committee Chair may make the same request if a commissioner misses more than
one meeting. For Committees that meet only once per year, the assigned
Commented [LM21]: Original requires an agenda
Commissioner must provide sufficient advance notice to the mayor if they are
item at a regular commission meeting
unable to attend so a replacement can be appointed. Should the Mayor decide to
remove and replace a commissioner, a motion of removal and a nomination for
replacement will be presented to the City Commission. Commented [LM22]: From updated financial
policies
O. TRAVEL: Approved amounts for lodging, meals, etc. have been
updated
1. AUTHORIZED TRAVEL
In the normal course of conducting city business, Commissioners are required to travel for Commented [LM23]: Amounts for commissioners
purposes of work-related meetings, training opportunities, professional conferences, or added and updated per LOCC decision on October 23,
other business purposes. As part of the annual budget process, a dollar amount is set 2025
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aside for travel purposes for the coming year. In fiscal year 2025/26, the Mayor has $2,000
budgeted, and each commissioner has $1,000 budgeted.
2. TRAVEL COSTS
The city recognizes that its commissioners are responsible adults who take the same care
in incurring travel expenses while on city business as when traveling on personal
business. Accordingly, this policy does not establish rigid cost limits for lodging, meals, or
other travel costs. Instead, the following general guidelines are offered while recognizing
that special circumstances may dictate that employees incur costs beyond these
guidelines:
a. Lodging – Lodging costs should generally range between $100.00 - $250.00 per
night depending on location (based on single occupancy and including local taxes
from which the city is not exempt.
Commissioners are relied upon to use their good judgment in selecting safe
and economical accommodations.
Two important factors to remember when making hotel reservations: 1) always
ask for special "government" rates that are typically deeply discounted
from regular rates and, 2) identify the travel as official city business exempt
from state sales tax and inquire as to any specific documentation
requirements the hotel may have.
Costs for in-room movies, exercise rooms, or other hotel services not included
in the basic room rate are not reimbursable by the city.
b. Meals – Meal costs should generally not exceed $62.00 per person for each full
day of travel (including gratuities and taxes). For partial day travel or individual meal
reimbursements, the following limits will apply:
Breakfast $15.00 Travel Before 8:00 AM
Lunch $17.00 Travel Before 12:00
Noon
Dinner $30.00 Travel Before 6:00 PM
Individual meal limits will apply regardless of whether or not reimbursement is sought
for other meals during the day. For example, it is not permissible to “skip” breakfast
and lunch in order to be reimbursed $62.00 for a dinner; instead, the dinner will only
be reimbursed up to the $30.00 limit specified above. Often lunch or other meals are
included in the registration price of a seminar or conference. It is expected that
employees attending these functions will partake in these meals. The city will not
reimburse meal costs if the employee chooses to forgo the conference meal and dine
elsewhere.
c. Transportation – Vehicle travel may be by either city vehicle or the Commissioner's
private vehicle. If a private vehicle is used, reimbursement will be based on the
number of miles traveled times the allowable IRS business mileage rate in effect at
that time. Air travel is generally used for destinations more than 300 miles away.
Commissioners are encouraged to take advantage of discounted airfares and
should utilize the Muskegon County Airport whenever possible.
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Commissioners may elect to use private vehicles for travel to destinations more
than 300 miles away and will be reimbursed based on the current IRS mileage rate
or equivalent round trip coach airfare for that destination, whichever is less.
However, no reimbursement will be made for added lodging or meal costs incurred
because of the extra travel time.
Commissioners who elect to use their own vehicle should be aware that under the
laws of the State of Michigan, every vehicle owner is required purchase insurance
that is the primary coverage for that vehicle. While using a private vehicle for city
travel, any automobile liability insurance coverage in force for the city is excess
coverage only for the Commissioner/vehicle owner.
d. Other Costs – Other incidental costs (such as parking, ground transport, phone
calls), should not exceed an average of $50.00 per day. Rental car costs generally
will not be reimbursed by the city as it is expected that Commissioners will utilize
lodging in close proximity to the conference or other event. In extraordinary
circumstances where the Commissioner deems it necessary to rent a car,
reimbursement will only be made with the written authorization of the City Manager.
e. Traveling with Spouse – There is no objection to Commissioners inviting their
spouse to travel along on city business. However, the city will pay for none of the
spouse’s travel expenses and care should be taken to maintain separate records
of the Commissioner's reimbursable travel costs.
3. PAYING FOR TRAVEL COSTS
Methods available for employees to pay travel costs include the following:
a. City Credit Card – The Executive Assistant in the City Manager’s office is
designated to use their card to pay for commissioners’ travel costs that can be
readily handled in advance (e.g., airline tickets, conference registration, hotel, etc.).
b. Personal Credit Card – Commissioners who pay travel costs on their own personal
credit card will receive cash reimbursement from the city.
c. Petty Cash Advance – Commissioners traveling on city business may receive a
petty cash travel advance of up to $300.00 from the City Treasurer’s Office to be
used for travel purposes. The City Manager must approve travel advances. Cash
advances of more than $300.00 are discouraged.
In order to distinguish travel advance requests from expense reporting, while
simplifying the process to the extent possible, there is a separate form for that
purpose. Please note that with the Request for Petty Cash Travel Advance form,
the requesting party must acknowledge that receipts and any money owed the City
must be returned within ten days of return from travel. If the money and/or expense
documentation is not returned, the Commissioner authorizes the full amount of the
travel advance to be deducted from their paycheck along with a $5.00 processing
fee. The Request for Petty Cash Travel Advance forms are available through the
City Treasurer’s Office.
4. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR TRAVEL EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT
Travel expense reporting has been simplified to the greatest extent possible. The
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following guidelines apply to travel expense reporting:
a. Reimbursable travel expenses are to be reported on the Travel Expense Reporting
Form available from the City Manager’s office as soon as possible upon returning
from travel.
b. Only expenses for which cash reimbursement is sought by the commissioner need
to be reported. Expenses paid in advance on a city credit card should not be
included on the Travel Expense Reporting Form.
c. Expenses must always be supported by receipts or other documentation.
d. If total expenses to be reimbursed are $300.00 or less, commissioners may obtain
immediate reimbursement from the City Treasurer's Office.
e. If total expenses to be reimbursed are more than $300.00, they will be reimbursed
as a separately itemized, non-taxable category on the Commissioner’s regular bi-
weekly paycheck. Accordingly, travel expense report forms must be submitted to
the Finance Office with all necessary approvals no later than 5:00PM on the
Thursday in the week prior to payday for reimbursement on that paycheck.
5. DOUBLE DIPPING
It should go without saying that city expects honest and ethical behavior from its
commissioners in handling travel expense matters. Travel expenses that are partially or
fully paid by outside parties (such as federal agencies) are not to also be submitted for
reimbursement from the city. Any Commissioner found to be deliberately misreporting
travel expenses will be subject to disciplinary action as well as potential prosecution.
6. LOCAL BUSINESS EXPENSES
In addition to travel expenses, it is sometimes appropriate for City Commissioners to incur
costs on behalf of boards or committees or in the course of entertaining visiting guests.
The City Manager has full authority to approve such costs (within budgetary limits) and
the same general guidelines as outlined above for Commissioner travel expenses should
be followed.
P. POLITICAL SIGNS ON CITY OWNED PROPERTY:
The City of Muskegon maintains a nonbiased status in all matters of political affiliation and
strives to prevent accusations of unfair advantage by certain candidates.
1. CITY EMPLOYEES
a. City employees should report any political signs on city property to their
supervisors.
b. City employees are authorized to remove any political signs found on city
property.
Commented [LM24]: Old policy mentioned fines of
c. City employees will inform any person found placing political signs that the signs $10 per sign and allowed the Police Department to
are not allowed on city property. ticket individuals violating the policy
Current practice is to alert the candidate, and if the
2. CANDIDATES signs are not removed within 10 days, city staff
When a candidate registers for an elected position, they should be informed that remove them
political signs are not allowed on city property and informed of repercussions for signs
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found on city property. Examples of city property include the grassy area between a
curb and sidewalk along a street and city parks.
Q. PROCLAMATIONS:
1. ACCEPTABLE PROCLAMATIONS
a. Special Days – Proclamations that originate from the City of Muskegon for express
purpose of declaring a special day or week for residents of Muskegon.
b. City Involved Events – Proclamations for activities or events for which the city is
directly involved.
c. Elected Officials – Proclamations requested by organizations and ask that an
elected official present the proclamation to a group at an event or activity.
d. Awareness Activities – Proclamations requested by organizations that offer to
provide awareness activities for the benefit of the local community and attend a City
Commission meeting to accept the proclamation.
e. Other Local Governments – Proclamation of support passed in conjunction with
other local governmental units.
f. Benefactors – Proclamations honoring a person whose actions have benefited the
local community to a significant degree.
2. PROCESSING PROCLAMATIONS
a. City Commissioners – City Commissioners should indicate support for a given
cause or proclamation and send to the City Clerk. Commented [LM25]: Old policy required
commissioners to send to the mayor for review
b. Lobby – The city should continue to post in the lobby at City Hall those This language better aligns with current practice.
proclamations that are passed by the commission.
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GUIDELINES FOR CONDUCT
A. PUBLIC RELATIONS:
Members of Commission should refrain from argument with a member of the public or staff
at Commission meetings since these arguments seldom resolve concerns and many times
inflame feelings at a public meeting. Any concerns by a member of Commission over the
behavior or work of a city employee during a Commission meeting should be directed to the
City Manager to ensure the concern is addressed.
B. CITY COMMISSION RELATIONS WITH CITY STAFF:
1. RESPECT
There shall be mutual respect from both Staff and Commissioners of their respective
roles and responsibilities when and if expressing criticism in public session.
2. REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION
Requests for information or questions by the City Commission shall be directed to the
City Manager or the appropriate Division/Department Head. All non-routine requests Commented [LM26]: Added
should be submitted to the City Manager's office. All complaints shall be submitted to the
City Manager.
3. SHARING OF INFORMATION Commented [LM27]: Removed requirement to
All written informational material requested by individual Commissioners shall be share the name of the commissioner requesting the
submitted to the City Manager who will transmit them to all Commissioners. information
4. COMMISSION INFLUENCE
Commission shall not attempt to correct or influence Staff in the selection of employees,
recommendations for the awarding of contracts and city benefit programs/grants, the Commented [LM28]: Added this language
selection of consultants, the processing of development applications, or the granting of
city licenses or permits.
5. MAIL HANDLING
Incoming mail clearly marked as personal shall not be opened when addressed to
individual Commissioners or staff unless requested. Any other mail addressed to city
offices for the Mayor or City Commissioners shall be opened by appropriate staff. The
City Manager’s office will advise City Commissioners if they have received mail which
must be acknowledged, in order that commission may timely respond.
6. DIRECTION TO STAFF
A Commissioner shall not direct Staff to initiate any action or prepare any report or
initiate any project or study without the approval of a majority of the City Commission. All Commented [LM29]: Removed “that is significant
such requests will be first directed to the City Manager. in nature”
C. CITY COMMISSION RELATIONS WITH APPOINTED CITY COMMISSIONS AND
COMMITTEES & COMISSION MEMBER REPRESENTATION TO OTHER
AGENCIES AND GROUPS:
1. COMMISSION INFLUENCE
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City Commissioners should not attempt to influence recommendations by City
Commission appointed commissions or committees, or to influence or lobby individual
appointed commission or committee members on any item under their consideration. It
is important for appointed commissions and committees to be able to make objective
recommendations to the City Commission on items before them. City Commissioners
that attempt to influence appointed commission positions on an item may prejudice or
hinder their role in reviewing the appointed commission's or committee’s
recommendation as a City Commissioner.
2. ATTENDANCE AT UNASSIGNED COMMISSIONS/COMMITTEES
Individual City Commission members who are not members of an appointed commission
or committee have the right to attend meetings but are cautioned about becoming
involved in the meeting's discussion, except as a member of the public. City
Commissioners, however, may answer questions put to them or respond to information
being provided. City Commissioners should not act so as to influence an appointed
commission or committee by virtue of their holding the office of City Commissioner.
3. REPRESENTATION AT OUTSIDE AGENCY/ORGANIZATION
If a City Commissioner represents the city before another governmental agency or
organization, the City Commissioner should first indicate the majority position as an
opinion of the City Commission. Personal opinions and comments may be expressed
only if the City Commissioner clarifies that these statements do not represent the
position of the City Commission.
4. OUT OF STATE BOARDS
Before any Commissioner accepts an appointment to any out of state board which may
involve out of state travel, they must first bring it before the entire Commission for
consideration.
D. CODE OF ETHICS:
1. PUBLIC POLICY
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the City of Muskegon that all officials and
employees must avoid conflicts between their private interests and those of the general
public they serve. To enhance the faith of the people and the integrity and impartiality of
all officials and employees of the city, adequate guidelines must be provided for
separating their roles as private individuals from their roles as public servants. Where
government is based on the consent of the governed, every constituent is entitled to
have complete confidence in the integrity of their government. Each individual official,
employee, or advisor of the government must help to earn and honor that trust by their
own integrity and conduct in all official duties and actions.
2. DEFINITIONS AS USED IN THIS CODE
a) City Official/Employee – means a person elected, appointed or otherwise
serving in any capacity with the City of Muskegon in any position established
by the City Charter or by city ordinance which involves exercising a public
power, trust or duty. The term includes any official or employee of the city,
whether or not they receive compensation, including consultants and persons
who serve on advisory boards and commissions.
b) Decision Making – means exercising public power to adopt laws, regulations or
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standards, render quasi-judicial decisions, establish executive policy, or determine
questions involving substantial discretion.
c) Substantial – means anything of significant worth and importance or considerable
value as distinguished from something with little value, social tokenism, or merely
nominal.
d) Compensation – means any money, property, and thing of value or benefit
conferred upon or received by any person in return for services rendered or to be
rendered to themselves or another.
e) Official Duties or Official Action – means a decision, recommendation,
approval, disapproval, or other action involving discretionary authority.
3. GRATUITIES
No city official/employee of the City of Muskegon shall solicit, accept or receive, directly
or indirectly, any gift, whether in the form of money, service, loan, travel, entertainment,
hospitality, thing or promise or in any other form, under circumstances in which it can
reasonably be inferred that the gift is intended to influence the officials/employee in the
performance of their official duties or is intended as a reward for any official action on
their part.
4. PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT
No city official/employee of the City of Muskegon shall use, or attempt to use, their
official position to unreasonably secure, request, or grant any privileges, advantages,
contracts, or preferential treatment for themselves or others.
5. USE OF INFORMATION
No city official/employee of the City of Muskegon who acquires information in the course
of their official duties, which information by law or policy is not available at the time to the
general public, shall use such information to further the private economic interests of
themselves or anyone else.
6. FULL DISCLOSURE
No city official/employee of the City of Muskegon shall participate as an agent or
representative of the city in approving, disapproving, voting, abstaining from voting,
recommending, or otherwise acting upon any matter in which they have a direct or
indirect financial interest without disclosing the full nature and extent of their interest.
Such a disclosure must be made before performing their duty or concurrently with that
performance. If the officer or employee is a member of a decision-making or advising
body, they must disclose to the chair and to other members of the body on the official
record. Otherwise, an appointed officer or employee would appropriately address
disclosure to the supervisory head of their organization or by an elected officer to the
general public.
7. OUTSIDE BUSINESS DEALINGS
No city official/employee of the City of Muskegon shall engage in or accept employment
or render services for a private or public interest when that employment or service is
incompatible or in conflict with the discharge of the official or employee’s official duties or
when that employment may tend to impair their independence of judgment or action in
performing official duties.
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No city official/employee shall engage in a business transaction in which the public, city
official, or employee may profit from his or her official position or authority or benefit
financially from confidential information which the public official or employee has
obtained or may obtain because of that position or authority.
8. DOING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY
No city official/employee shall engage in business with the city, directly or indirectly,
without filing a complete disclosure statement for each business activity and on an
annual basis.
9. SUPPRESSION OF PUBLIC INFORMATION
No city official/employee of the City of Muskegon shall suppress any public city report,
document, or other information available to the general public because it might tend to
affect unfavorably their private financial or political interest.
10. USE OF CITY PROPERTY
No city official/employee of the City of Muskegon shall directly or indirectly use or permit
others to use city property of any kind for purely personal gain. City officials/employees
should protect and conserve all city property, including equipment and supplies
entrusted or issued to them.
All city business conducted by email shall be done on a city-issued email account.
11. INTENTION OF CODE
It is the intention of the code that city officials and employees avoid any action, whether
or not specifically prohibited above, which might result in or create the appearance of:
a) Using public employment or office for private gain.
b) Giving or accepting preferential treatment to or from any organization or person
c) Impeding city efficiency or economy
d) Choosing complete independence or impartiality of action
e) Making a city decision outside official channels
f) Affecting adversely the confidence of the public or integrity of the city
government or
g) Giving or accepting preferential treatment in the use of city property
The Conflict of Interest and Ethical Code is intended to be preventative and punitive. It
should not be construed to interfere or abrogate in any way the provisions of any
Michigan Statutes, the Muskegon City Charter, and/or City of Muskegon Ordinances.
This policy declaration is not intended to prevent any official/employee of the City of
Muskegon from receiving compensation for work performed on his or her own time as a
private individual and not involving city business.
This declaration of policy is not intended to apply to contributions to political campaigns
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which State Law governs.
Appointed staff should be mindful of how political activities on their part could be
perceived by the general public. Appointed staff should maintain a reputation of serving
all members of the Muskegon City Commission equally and impartially. To this end,
appointed staff should not participate in an election campaign on behalf of or in
opposition to candidates for the City Commission.
12. VIOLATION, ENFORCEMENT, AND ADVISORY OPTIONS
a. All matters concerning the Conflict of Interest and Ethical Code shall be directed
to one of the two following controlling authorities depending upon the employment
status of the City of Muskegon official/employee involved or the group concerned
and the nature of the action requested.
i. Elected officials of the City of Muskegon to the Mayor, City Commission, and
City Attorney
ii. Appointed employees, full and part-time, of the City of Muskegon to the City
Manager and City Attorney
b. The above-listed authorities, when requested, shall take appropriate action upon
any complaint, request for information, or otherwise resolve matters concerning
Conflict of Interest and the Ethical Code policy of the City of Muskegon. The
appropriate action to be taken in any individual case shall be at the discretion of
the controlling authority involved, which may include but is not limited to any of the
following:
i. Referral of the matter to a higher authority.
ii. Pursuing further investigation by the controlling authority.
iii. Taking appropriate disciplinary action, including removal from office, appointed
position or employment, in accordance with the Muskegon City Charter, City
Code, State law, or the regulations or policies of the City of Muskegon.
iv. Deeming no action to be required.
v. Pursuing such other courses of action which is reasonable, just and
appropriate under the circumstances.
c. When deemed appropriate, the abovementioned controlling authorities may render
written advisory opinions interpreting the Conflict of Interest and Ethical Code of
Conduct outlined in Section 3. Any city official/employee may seek guidance from
the controlling authority upon written request on questions directly relating to the
propriety of their conduct as officials and employees. Each written request and
advisory opinion shall be confidential unless released by the requestor.
i. Request for opinions shall be in writing.
ii. Advisory opinions may include guidance to any employee on questions as to:
• Whether an identifiable conflict exists between their personal interests or
obligations and their official duties
• Whether their participation in their official capacity would involve
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discretionary judgment with significant effect on the disposition of the
matter in conflict
• What degree their personal interest exceeds that of other persons who
belong to the same economic group or class
• Whether the result of the potential conflict is substantial or constitutes a
real threat to the independence of their judgment
• Whether they possess certain knowledge or know-how that the city will
require to achieve a sound decision
• The effect their participation under the circumstances would have on the
people's confidence in the impartiality of their city officials and employees
• Whether a disclosure of one’s personal interests would be advisable, and,
if so, how such disclosure should be made to safeguard the public interest
• Whether it would operate in the people's best interest for them to withdraw
or abstain from participation or to direct or pursue a particular course of
action in the matter
13. INTEGRITY AND THE CITY
Given time to think about it, each of us could fashion our own working definition of
integrity, and all of these might be surprisingly similar. That’s because people generally
have a good sense of ethics.
Most of us tend to think of integrity in these terms:
a. Integrity is fairness, honesty, evenhandedness and sincerity. It’s a way of acting and
behaving. More importantly, it’s a way of thinking and of making judgments.
b. Integrity is a system of values that is constant. Integrity doesn’t change, even in the
face of shifting social standards.
c. Integrity is a positive force. It’s a proactive attitude that makes good things happen:
it’s not just a checklist of prohibited behavior.
d. Mostly, though, integrity is doing what we know in our hearts is the proper thing to
do.
Integrity is not achieved simply through obedience to laws and regulations. The city, like
any organization, has responsibilities which go far beyond matters of law.
To the City of Muskegon integrity means a special kind of fairness, honesty,
evenhandedness and sincerity, a kind that transcends both the law and the values of
individuals. It’s achieved by observing an overriding set of ethical standards and by
recognizing that the city’s actions and decisions impact a diversity of groups, including
residents, business owners, contractors, suppliers, the general public, and, of course, all
city officials and employees.
Integrity on the part of our officials and employees is important for several reasons.
a. First, integrity is a significant standard because it ensures that the city’s many
obligations will be set by the people who are, in effect, working for the city.
b. Integrity is also important because we have an obligation to our residents as their
representatives and to our fellow officials or employees.
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c. Integrity is important because it gives us pride in our work, city, and ourselves.
d. Integrity is also important because it can help the city and its representatives comply
with the law; it may help avoid costly litigation.
e. Integrity also affects the quality and the effectiveness of our relationships with
residents, businesses, contractors, suppliers, government agencies and other
members of the public.
f. And integrity is important because it’s the core ingredient of a reputation. Both our
personal reputations and the city’s reputation are crucial to our success.
14. PERSONAL REPUTATIONS
Each of us has a personal and professional reputation. All of those who do business
with you, whether they work for the city or represent some other organization, form
opinions about your integrity. They decide if you can be trusted and if you can be relied
upon to conduct yourself according to proper ethical standards. That they decide about
you frequently is translated into their opinions of the entire community.
Trust is, after all, the key to good interpersonal relationships. It’s why people work
efficiently together: It’s why they can make things happen quickly and smoothly.
A breach of ethics, therefore, does more than violate a legal or moral code. It creates a
very difficult practical problem because it destroys trust. Officials and employees who
can’t be trusted can’t be effective. They can’t, in other words, do their job very well. And
they can’t hide this fact very long, either.
15. THE CITY’S REPUTATION
A city’s reputation and its overall success are always securely linked. To succeed in its
mission, any organization must have the confidence of the people and the organizations
it deals with, even if the relationship is indirect.
The City of Muskegon’s reputation, obviously, is based on more than the collective
reputations of its employees and officials. To a large extent, it depends on how many
people perceive the community as to whether they believe, whatever the issues or the
circumstances, that the city will act with integrity.
So, trust is also the key element. Trust is the cornerstone of all city relationships.
Everyone who plays a role in our business relationships must have faith in our actions
and statements.
That confidence is especially important in today’s highly complex and fast-paced society
16. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
The city’s integrity rests solidly on the foundation of several general rules of ethical
behavior. These rules need to be fully understood by all of us.
a. Fundamental values must always be honored. The city expects us to be honest, to
tell the truth, and to play by the rules. Our relations with everyone must be based on
mutual trust and the highest principles of respect for the individual.
b. This means using some obvious examples, such as that we don’t misrepresent
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situations, don’t steal city property, don’t falsify city records, or misuse city assets for
personal use.
c. It means that we must treat our fellow employees, committee members, residents,
contractors, and suppliers in an evenhanded, fair way.
d. It means, too, that we must be aware of the perceptions we create because they can
be as important as our actions. We should diligently avoid doing or saying anything
that leaves the impression of questionable motives. It won’t really matter if the
impression is wrong: the perception of dishonesty or favoritism has all the harmful
consequences of the real thing.
e. Consequently, if we believe someone misunderstood what we’ve said or done, we
should clarify the matter quickly. If we misspoke or promise something beyond our
authority, we should also correct that situation.
f. As city officials/employees, we’re expected to honor the spirit and the letter of the
law.
g. We must not, of course, give or receive a bribe, kickback, or payoff. Beyond that, we
must avoid any act that might make it seem we’re involved in a bribe, kickback, or
payoff (again, that matter of perception).
h. No improper action is ever made proper simply because someone considers it
“customary” or because others do it.
i. And no improper action is made proper because our supervisor or a fellow employee
might have suggested it.
j. Finally, the city’s standards of conduct apply equally to all.
Integrity is not something we put on and take off depending on the people we happen
to be dealing with at the moment. You’re expected to act with complete integrity all the
time.
17. THE GRAY AREAS
It’s been said that ethical standards, even at their strongest, are always a little gray
around the edges. Any code of ethics, in other words, must sometimes deal with
situations where there are two or more legitimate points of view, and where there is no
clear right or wrong answer.
Indeed, ideals do not always fit perfectly with reality, and ethical standards do not
always provide automatic solutions to difficult questions.
But this doesn’t mean that dilemmas must be accepted. It only means that “gray area”
issues require careful examination and thought. All the competing interests must be
clearly identified and evaluated, and the relevant city standards must be understood
and applied. When in doubt, consult with someone of higher authority. Reasonable
and ethical answers are always available.
18. RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS
The city places great importance on its officials and employees’ relationships with all
citizens. The term “citizens” is used here in the broadest possible sense.
Three general principles deserve particular emphasis.
a. You not only must avoid favoritism or unethical practices, you must avoid
contact that could be misinterpreted to suggest questionable behavior (once
again, the perception issue).
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b. Don’t be drawn into a compromising relationship. When you’re dealing with another
person the first “small” step you take that undermines your integrity is likely to be
followed by another and then another. In a short time, without having done
anything that could be considered major, your integrity will have been
compromised.
c. Trust is critical in all relations. You can build trust by positive actions, by caring, by
meeting deadlines, and by helping to solve problems. You should recognize those
situations where you can appropriately do something to help, and then you should
do it.
19. SOLICITING GIFTS OR FAVORS
Gifts or favors, should not be solicited from an individual or an organization that does
business with the city or seeks to do so. The size of the gift or favor is immaterial.
Soliciting gifts or favors, either directly or indirectly, is strictly prohibited.
a. You should not, for example, suggest to a supplier that you have personal use for a
service or equipment.
b. And any suggestion that you would appreciate tickets to a social or sporting event
is soliciting. Don’t do it.
20. ACCEPTING GIFTS OR FAVORS
Accepting a gift or favor that is freely offered is a little different situation. In some cases, if
the gifts are of nominal value and they enhance the city’s business purposes, they may be
accepted— with caution.
a. Employees of the city are prohibited from accepting gifts of value, favors, or
preferential treatment such as discounts from vendors, firms, or individuals regulated
by or doing business with the city. Employees violating this policy will be subject to
disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.
b. The application of this regulation is a matter of reasonable and mature judgment.
The following guidelines may be used in interpreting the regulation.
c. The city gift policy is in effect for all gifts whether received at work or home.
d. The acceptance of inexpensive advertising gifts, such as pens, pencils, keyrings,
calendars, coffee cups, etc., or other small items, such as boxes of candy, nuts,
plants, etc., shared by an entire office and/or enjoyed by the public are not
considered gifts of value and can be accepted.
e. Allowing someone to buy your lunch or dinner occasionally or attending a reception
is not out of order. On the other hand, frequent payment for an employee’s meal
should be avoided. A good policy is to try to stay even by picking up the check an
appropriate number of times or splitting the bill. These same guidelines can be
applied to refreshments and entertainment.
f. Any gifts of cash, including gift booklets and gift certificates, are strictly prohibited.
g. Any unusual gift or expensive items, the return of which would be costly or cause
embarrassment, or any situation that is clearly defined should be reported to and
reviewed by an appropriate supervisor or authority.
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21. CITY SPONSORED EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES
Strict standards also cover city social, athletic, or recreational activities, such as
Christmas parties or athletic banquets. No employee or city organization should solicit or
accept any support for these events from individuals or firms that do business with us or
want to.
22. REPORTING CERTAIN FINANCIAL AND OTHER INTERESTS
City officials and employees are required to report, for information purposes, certain
financial interests held by them or by their family members. If you have a financial
interest in an organization that does business with the city you must report it. You also
must report if a family member or relative has such an interest.
In the great majority of cases these interests present no problem and you or your family
members may retain them. However, officials or employees who have a financial
interest in a firm that does business with the city must always be especially judicious in
their conduct.
23. SPECIAL ROLE OF THE INDIVIDUAL
The city’s commitment to integrity has real substance only when city employees have
their own personal commitment to integrity. Our organizational integrity always begins
and ends with the individual.
a. It depends on the conscience of each person, not just on the city’s written policies to
preserve its integrity and the perceptions people have of us.
b. Each of us is a trusted representative of the City of Muskegon. Each of us, therefore,
has a direct and singular responsibility to conduct our job-related activities in a
manner that protects and enhances our reputation.
c. Integrity is more than a matter of dos and don’ts. It’s always a matter of individual
awareness, honesty, determination, and commitment.
d. Integrity is each employee stepping up to an obligation. It’s each of us deciding that
we will live and act to make our city an even better place to live and work.
24. A FORMAL STATEMENT OF ETHICS
The preceding discussion has emphasized how and why the actions of individuals can
transcend the written law or policy.
However, a formal system is essential to establish a basis of ethical conduct. With the
understanding that no set of rules can cover all contingencies, the City of Muskegon,
has formally adopted the attached “Code of Ethics”.
E. COMPUTER USAGE: Commented [LM30]: Clarified application to
While this policy references city employees, it also applies to Commissioners. Each commissioners and included approved amounts for
commissioner is entitled to $1,500 toward a new computer device in each term they serve equipment and services
and can be reimbursed for internet service up to $19.99 per month. The City’s Information
Technology Department provides support to City supplied equipment and services as well.
1. OVERVIEW
The Information Technology (“IT”) Department’s intentions for publishing a Computer
Usage Policy/Acceptable Use Policy are not to impose restrictions that are contrary to City
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of Muskegon’s established culture of openness, trust and integrity. IT is committed to
protecting City of Muskegon's employees, partners and the company from illegal or
damaging actions by individuals, either knowingly or unknowingly.
Internet/Intranet/Extranet-related systems, including but not limited to computer
equipment, software, operating systems, storage media, network accounts providing
electronic mail, WWW browsing, and FTP, are the property of City of Muskegon. These
systems are to be used for business purposes in serving the interests of the organization,
and of our citizens and customers in the course of normal operations.
Effective security is a team effort involving the participation and support of every City of
Muskegon employee and affiliate who deals with information and/or information systems.
It is the responsibility of every computer user to know these guidelines, and to conduct
their activities accordingly.
This policy covers all Departments and entities of the City of Muskegon and replaces any
other computer usage policies.
2. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to outline the acceptable use of computer equipment at
City of Muskegon. These rules are in place to protect the employee and City of
Muskegon. Inappropriate use exposes City of Muskegon to risks including virus
attacks, compromise of network systems and services, and legal issues.
This policy also advises employees as to the nature of appropriate and inappropriate
use of social media (“blogging”) that may affect the public, Employer, or other
employees. This policy must be read in conjunction with other applicable policies and
requirements. Employees who are uncertain about the scope or applicability of this
policy should contact the Director of Information Technology for guidance. Nothing
herein is intended to interfere with employees’ rights under the First Amendment to
the United States Constitution or the National Labor Relations Act.
3. SCOPE
This policy applies to the use of information, electronic and computing devices, and
network resources to conduct City of Muskegon business or interact with internal
networks and business systems, whether owned or leased by City of Muskegon, the
employee, or a third party. This also includes private cell phones and any other
devices that use city resources to communicate (e.g., personal cell phone using
internet provided by the City of Muskegon. All employees, contractors, consultants,
temporary, and other workers at City of Muskegon and its subsidiaries are
responsible for exercising good judgment regarding appropriate use of information,
electronic devices, and network resources in accordance with City of Muskegon
policies and standards, and local laws and regulation.
This policy applies to all internet communication and use of social media done in
one’s official capacity, in a public capacity or privately. This policy applies to
employees, contractors, consultants, temporaries, and other workers at City of
Muskegon, including all personnel affiliated with third parties. This policy applies to all
equipment that is owned or leased by City of Muskegon. If any clause, provision or
portion of any clause or provision is deemed invalid, unlawful or unenforceable in any
respect, the validity, legality, and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this
Contract shall not in any way be impaired or affected.
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4. POLICY
a. General Use and Ownership
i. City of Muskegon proprietary information stored on electronic and computing
devices whether owned or leased by City of Muskegon, the employee or a third
party, remains the sole property of City of Muskegon.
ii. You have a responsibility to promptly report the theft, loss or unauthorized
disclosure of City of Muskegon proprietary information. Do so by immediately
notifying your supervisor and the IT Department.
iii. You may access, use or share City of Muskegon proprietary information only to the
extent it is authorized and necessary to fulfill your assigned job duties.
iv. Employees are responsible for exercising good judgment regarding the
reasonableness of personal use. Individual departments may have additional
guidelines concerning personal use of Internet/Intranet/Extranet systems. In the
absence of such policies, employees should be guided by departmental policies
on personal use, and if there is any uncertainty, employees should consult their
supervisor or manager.
v. For security and network maintenance purposes, authorized individuals within City
of Muskegon may monitor equipment, systems and network traffic at any time,
including the city Voice Over IP phone system (VOIP).
vi. The Information Technology Department reserves the right to audit networks and
systems on a periodic basis to ensure compliance with this policy.
b. Security and Proprietary Information
i. All mobile and computing devices that connect to the internal network must first be
approved by the IT Department.
ii. System level and user level passwords must meet or exceed those of our Windows
Network requirements. Providing access to another individual, either deliberately
or through failure to secure its access, is prohibited.
iii. All computing devices with proprietary, confidential, or otherwise sensitive
information, or any device connected to the internal network must be secured with
a password- protected screensaver with the automatic activation feature set to 10
minutes or less. You must lock the screen or log off when the device is unattended.
iv. Postings by employees from a City of Muskegon email address to internet groups,
if allowed, must contain a disclaimer stating that the opinions expressed are strictly
their own and not necessarily those of City of Muskegon, unless posting is in the
course of business duties.
v. Employees must use extreme caution when opening e-mail attachments,
especially when they are received from unknown senders. If in doubt, contact the
IT Department before taking any action.
vi. Employees may only use authorized City of Muskegon removable media in their
work computers or devices. City of Muskegon removable media may not be
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connected to or used in computers that are not owned or leased by the City of
Muskegon without explicit permission of the IT Department. Confidential or
sensitive information should be stored on removable media only when required in
the performance of your assigned duties or when providing information required
by other state or federal agencies.
[note: a common ploy by hackers is to drop a USB Stick in the employee parking
lot at the beginning of the day in hopes the employee will pick it up and insert the
device into their work computer thereby introducing a malware/virus into the
network]
vii. All wireless infrastructure devices, including Bluetooth and other technologies, that
are used at a City of Muskegon site must be approved by the IT Department and:
• Be installed, supported, and maintained by IT Department. Under no
circumstances is an employee or third party allowed to initiate, install or maintain a
wireless network without first receiving written approval from the IT Department.
• Use City of Muskegon approved authentication protocols and infrastructure.
• Use City of Muskegon approved encryption protocols.
• Maintain a hardware address (MAC address) that can be registered and tracked.
• Not interfere with wireless access deployments maintained by other support
organizations.
viii. Any security breach or vulnerability, be it real, suspected, or tip, requires that the
employee immediately call the IT Department at (231) 724-4126 and talk with staff.
If you cannot reach a person from the IT Department, you must immediately
remove the network cord from the back of the computer, leave a message for IT
Staff, and immediately notify your supervisor. See picture below for further detail.
c. Unacceptable Use
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The following activities are, in general, prohibited. Employees may be exempted from
these restrictions during the course of their legitimate job responsibilities (e.g.,
systems administration staff may have a need to disable the network access of a host
if that host is disrupting production services).
Under no circumstances is an employee of City of Muskegon authorized to engage in
any activity that is illegal under local, state, federal or international law while utilizing
City of Muskegon-owned resources or points of presence.
The lists below are by no means exhaustive, but attempt to provide a framework for
activities which fall into the category of unacceptable use.
i. System and Network Activities
The following activities are strictly prohibited, with no exceptions:
• Violations of the rights of any person or company protected by copyright,
trade secret, patent or other intellectual property, or similar laws or
regulations, including, but not limited to, the installation or distribution of
"pirated" or other software products that are not appropriately licensed for use
by City of Muskegon.
• Unauthorized copying of copyrighted material including, but not limited to,
digitization and distribution of photographs from magazines, books or other
copyrighted sources, copyrighted music, and the installation of any
copyrighted software for which City of Muskegon or the end user does not
have an active license is strictly prohibited.
• Accessing data, a server or an account for any purpose other than
conducting City of Muskegon business, even if you have authorized access,
is prohibited.
• Installation or removal of any software without prior approval of the IT
Department. Exceptions would be updates on software previously installed by
the City of Muskegon.
• Exporting software, technical information, encryption software or technology,
in violation of international or regional export control laws, is illegal. The IT
Department should be consulted prior to export of any material that is in
question.
• Introduction of malicious programs into the network or server (e.g., viruses,
worms, Trojan horses, e-mail bombs, etc.).
• Revealing your account password to others or allowing use of your account
by any individual. This includes co-workers, family, and other household
members when work is being done at home.
• Using a City of Muskegon computing asset to actively engage in procuring or
transmitting material that is in violation of sexual harassment or hostile
workplace laws in the user's local jurisdiction.
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• Making fraudulent offers of products, items, or services originating from any
City of Muskegon account.
• Making statements about warranty, expressly or implied, unless it is a part of
normal job duties.
• Effecting security breaches or disruptions of network communication. Security
breaches include, but are not limited to, accessing data of which the
employee is not an intended recipient or logging into a server or account that
the employee is not expressly authorized to access, unless these duties are
within the scope of regular duties. For purposes of this section, "disruption"
includes, but is not limited to, network sniffing, pinged floods, packet
spoofing, denial of service, and forged routing information for malicious
purposes.
• Port scanning or security scanning is expressly prohibited unless authorized
by the IT Department.
• Executing any form of network monitoring which will intercept data not
intended for the employee's host, unless this activity is authorized by the IT
Department.
• Circumventing user authentication or security of any host, network or
account.
• Introducing honeypots, honeynets, or similar technology on the City of
Muskegon network.
• Interfering with or denying service to any user other than the employee's host
(for example, denial of service attack).
• Using any program/script/command, or sending messages of any kind, with
the intent to interfere with, or disable, a user's terminal session, via any
means, locally or via the Internet/Intranet/Extranet.
• Circumventing the Open Meetings Act.
• Providing information about, or lists of, City of Muskegon employees to
parties outside City of Muskegon.
ii. Email and Communication Activities
When using company resources to access and use the Internet, users must
realize they represent the organization. Whenever employees state an affiliation
to the organization, they must also clearly indicate that "the opinions expressed
are my own and not necessarily those of the City of Muskegon". Questions may
be addressed to the IT Department.
• Sending unsolicited email messages, including the sending of "junk mail" or
other advertising material to individuals who did not specifically request such
material (email spam).
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• Any form of harassment via email, telephone or paging, whether through
language, frequency, or size of messages.
• Unauthorized use, or forging, of email header information.
• Solicitation of email for any other email address, other than that of the
poster's account, with the intent to harass or to collect replies.
• Creating or forwarding "chain letters", "Ponzi" or other "pyramid" schemes of
any type.
• Use of unsolicited email originating from within City of Muskegon's networks
of other Internet/Intranet/Extranet service providers on behalf of, or to
advertise, any service hosted by City of Muskegon or connected via City of
Muskegon's network.
• Posting the same or similar non-business-related messages to large numbers
of groups (spam).
• Electronic communication using the city email system should not be
considered “personal.” All communication is logged, archived and may be
available to anyone under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
d. Compliance Measurement
The IT Department team will verify compliance to this policy through various methods,
including but not limited to, business tool reports, internal and external audits, and
monitoring.
e. Exceptions
Any exception to the policy must be approved by the City Manager or Information
Technology Department in advance and in writing
f. Non-Compliance
An employee found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action,
up to and including termination of employment
5. DEFINITIONS AND TERMS
Blogging: In a broad sense and means all use of online communication and conducts, use
of social media by employees, including comments made to or by a public employee,
whether made by e-mail, contribution to a weblog, or posting on a website or other social
media (public or personal), e.g., Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wix, chat rooms, message
boards, etc.
Social Media: forms of electronic communication through which users create online
communities to share information, ideas, personal messages and other content such as
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, Wix, etc.
Internet Posting – posting of any information on the internet in any form.
Honeypot: an information system resource whose value lies in unauthorized or illicit use
of that resource.
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F. SOCIAL MEDIA USE:
1. PURPOSE/OVERVIEW
This document outlines the Social Networking and Social Media Use Policy for the City
of Muskegon (“the City”). In response to the fast-evolving landscape of digital
communication and the increasing role of social media in how residents access
information and engage with local government, this Policy establishes clear guidelines
for the City’s presence and activity on social platforms.
The purpose of this Social Media Use Policy and Guidelines (“the Policy”) is to define
standards for the responsible and effective use of social media by City officials and
employees. It ensures that all communications made on behalf of the city are authorized,
professional, legally compliant, and aligned with public expectations. This includes
adherence to relevant court rulings—such as Lindke v. Freed, 601 U.S. 187 (2024)—and
compliance with applicable local, state, and federal regulations, including Michigan’s
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
2. SCOPE
This Policy applies to all social media use by or on behalf of the City of Muskegon,
including but not limited to staff, elected officials, appointed officials, committees, and
departments. Employees of the Muskegon Police Department shall adhere to their
department-specific social media policies. In areas where those policies do not address
City specific issues, or for cross-departmental matters, this City policy shall apply.
3. TYPES OF SOCIAL MEDIA USE
a. PERSONAL PAGES
All staff, elected officials, appointed officials and board and committee members may
have personal social media sites. These sites shall remain personal in nature and be
used to share personal opinions or non-work-related information. Following this
principle helps ensure a distinction between sharing personal and City views.
Personal pages shall not use City e-mail accounts or passwords in conjunction with a
personal social media site. Campaign social media sites fall under this category,
however, if a campaign social media page is converted/renamed into an elected
official social media page it would be reclassified as an Elected Official Page.
The following guidance is for City employees who decide to have a personal social
media account and who decide to comment on or share posts about City business:
i. Use a disclaimer such as: “This is the personal (or campaign) page of
[official/employee]” or “the views expressed are strictly my own and do not reflect
or represent the views of my employer.”
ii. Employees shall not use or disclose any information, photographs, video, or
other recording obtained or accessible as a result of employment or appointment
with the City without the express authorization of the City Manager and/or their
authorized designee.
iii. Employees may share or repost City information, such as updates on leaf pickup,
City events, public meetings, emergency notices, and other relevant
announcements, to help keep the community informed.
b. PROFESSIONAL PAGES
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The city recognizes two types of professional social media accounts used for City-
related communication: City-controlled Pages and Elected Official Pages. By law,
both are considered tools for public engagement and must reflect the values,
transparency, and professionalism expected of public service. These pages are
distinct from personal or campaign accounts.
City-controlled Pages are social media accounts created, owned, and managed by
the city. These accounts represent the City as a whole, its departments, specific
leadership positions, or specific initiatives, and are used to provide public
information, communicate City services, and promote community events.
All City-related communication through these social media pages shall remain
professional in nature and should always be conducted in accordance with this
Policy and the City’s Community Engagement Handbook. All content must maintain
neutrality, and comply with legal standards for public communication, including
accessibility, records retention, and privacy policies. All City-controlled pages must
be registered as outlined below.
City-controlled Pages shall not be used for political purposes, to conduct private
transactions, or to engage in private business activities. Inappropriate use of City-
controlled social media can be grounds for disciplinary action.
Only individuals authorized by the city may publish content to a city website or City
social media account.
Examples of these accounts include: City of Muskegon Government on Facebook,
Muskegon City Parks & Recreation on Instagram, and the Muskegon Farmers
Market on Facebook.
Elected Official Pages are social media accounts created and managed by elected
officials (e.g., Mayor, City Commissioners) in their formal, public roles. Among other
purposes, these accounts are used to share information and engage with the public
on topics related to their duties within the city.
Although Elected Official Pages are not subject to internal City oversight, elected
officials are individually responsible for managing these accounts in accordance with
applicable laws. Content that involves the discussion or facilitation of City business
may be considered public record and subject to the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA) or the Open Meetings Act (OMA).
Improper use—such as blocking constituents, deleting comments based on
viewpoint, or mixing political campaigning with public duties—can create legal liability
for both the official and the City.
Elected officials are encouraged to clearly distinguish these pages from personal
pages, and to understand the legal risks and responsibilities that come with using
social media in an official capacity.
c. REGISTERED CITY PAGES
All City-controlled social media sites shall be listed on one page on the City’s
website. The link to that webpage is: https://muskegon-mi.gov/social-media-
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accounts/
REGISTERING A NEW PAGE
All City-controlled social media sites shall be (1) approved by the City Manager
and/or designee, (2) published using approved social networking platforms and tools,
and (3) be administered by the approved staff member(s).
The City Manager and/or their designee, and the IT department, will be granted
administrative access to all City-controlled social media pages.
DEREGISTERING AN EXISTING PAGE
If a City-controlled social media page is no longer of use, (1) notify the City Manager
and/or designee. (2) Ensure records have been archived according to City
guidelines. (3) Set a timeline for deactivating the account. (4) Develop a farewell
message to post on the account that includes when the account will be closed and
where followers can go for information in the future. (5) Consult with the Community
Engagement Manager to determine whether to protect the account name by keeping
it active to prevent use of the City’s name for improper purposes. If a decision is
made to protect the account name, take all necessary action to do so. (6) Unpublish
or delete the page. (7) Update the list of official social media accounts listed online
on https://muskegon-mi.gov/social-media-accounts/.
Considerations for Deregistering:
Considerations for deciding whether to deregister a city social media account may
include, but are not limited to:
• Merging an account into another City social media account.
• It is no longer needed to accomplish a department’s goals.
• It does not align with the City’s mission, vision, or values.
• It does not comply with these procedures.
• It is not currently being used or is being underutilized with no original posts for at
least 60 days.
• It is not being monitored.
4. OVERSIGHT AND ENFORCEMENT
City-controlled social media outlets or participating in social media features on City
websites shall maintain a high level of ethical conduct and professional decorum. Failure
to do so is grounds for revoking the privilege to participate in City social media sites or
other social media features.
Information shall be presented following professional standards for good grammar,
spelling, brevity, clarity and accuracy, and avoid jargon, obscure terminology, or
acronyms. City-controlled sites shall be clear and precise and follow industry best
practices for posting updates. All content posted to City-controlled social media should
be:
a. Relevant – Information that engages residents and pertains to their daily lives
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b. Timely – Pertains to deadlines, upcoming events, or current news
c. Actionable – Prompts residents to take action
d. Informative – Posts should encourage residents to visit a specific City webpage for
additional details, resources, or updates related to the content shared.
Social media shall not be used to circumvent other City communication policies, including
news media policy requirements. City-controlled pages shall not publish information on
any social media sites that include:
a. Confidential information
b. Copyright violations
c. Profanity, racist, sexist, or derogatory content or comments
d. Partisan political views
e. Commercial endorsements or SPAM
Time of Use: City-controlled social media accounts are not monitored 24/7, and as such,
posts and responses should not be immediately expected. Accounts are traditionally
monitored during normal business hours, designated as Monday-Thursday from 7:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding holidays.
COMMENT AND PRIVATE MESSAGE GUIDELINES
City-controlled pages shall decide and be consistent with their commenting and private
message guidelines. Whether comments or private messages are allowed or not, the
pages shall remain consistent.
If comments are turned off on one post, they shall always be turned off on all posts when
possible. Acknowledging that the “comment off function” is manual, and happens after the
post is made, there is potential for a comment or two to be posted before the comment
function is turned off. If that happens and a few comments are made, continue to turn the
comments off and comment as the page to notify of the comment guidelines outlined in
this policy. If the comment function is accidently not turned off and many comments are
made, leave the commenting feature on for that post.
City-Controlled pages that allow comments may reply to comments or questions as long
as it’s following archiving rules and this policy. It’s encouraged that comments link back to
information on an official City website. Refer to the “Moderation of Third-Party Content”
section for commenting removal guidelines.
SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNT AUDITS
Annual audits of City-controlled account activity and the effectiveness of the content
being posted will be performed by the Community Engagement Manager in collaboration
with the staff managing the page(s).
The Department Director, or their designee, should confirm that City social media
content moderation is regularly occurring to ensure that sites are active, that content is
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engaging, and that content posted in violation of this policy is handled appropriately.
For purposes of this policy, “active” refers to a page having been posted to at least once
weekly; and “engaging” refers to views, reach, and interaction with the posts.
5. RETENTION
Social media sites are subject to local, state, and federal laws, including Michigan’s
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Any content produced or maintained on social media
sites, including communication posted by the city and communication received from
citizens, is a public record.
The Information Technology Department shall preserve records under the relevant
records retention schedule in a format that preserves the integrity of the original record
and is easily producible. Furthermore, the retention of social media records shall fulfill
the following requirements:
a. Social media records are captured in a continuous, automated fashion throughout
the day to minimize the potential loss of data due to deletion and/or changes on the
social networking site.
b. Social media records are maintained in an authentic format (i.e., ideally the native
technical format provided by the social network, such as XML or JSON) along with
complete metadata.
c. Social media records are archived in a system that preserves the context of
communications, including conversation threads and rich media, to ensure
completeness and availability of relevant information when records are accessed.
d. Social media records are indexed based on specific criteria such as date, content
type, and keywords to ensure that records can be quickly located and produced in an
appropriate format for distribution (e.g., PDF).
e. Each employee who administers one or more social networking sites on behalf of the
City has self-service, read-only access to search and produce relevant social media
records to fulfill public information and legal discovery requests as needed.
The city utilizes an automated archiving solution for all City-controlled social media sites
to comply with applicable public records law and fulfill the above record retention
requirements. The City’s archive is available through the Information Technology
Department.
6. EXTERNAL POLICY
The following guidelines shall be displayed to users on all social media sites or made
available on the City’s website and be linked on social media pages.
Time of Use: City-controlled social media accounts are not monitored 24/7, and as such,
posts and responses should not be immediately expected. Accounts are traditionally
monitored during normal business hours, designated as Monday-Thursday from 7:30
a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding holidays.
MODERATION OF THIRD-PARTY CONTENT
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City-controlled social media sites serve as a limited public forum and all content
published is subject to monitoring. The City-controlled social media platforms are
intended primarily for one-way communication of City information. Two-way
communication should be discouraged where possible.
Social media is not to be used for emergency communications with the City, such as
reporting crimes or hazardous conditions. Such reports shall be made through
designated official channels such as 911.
Under no circumstance should users be blocked from City-controlled social media
accounts. If suspicious activity is noted, staff should report it directly to the social media
platform.
User-generated posts (comments) will be rejected or removed (if possible) when the
content:
a. Contains obscenity or material that appeals to the prurient interest
b. Contains personal identifying information or sensitive personal information
c. Is threatening, harassing, defamatory, fraudulent, or discriminatory
d. Incites or promotes violence or illegal activities
e. Contains information that reasonably could compromise individual or public safety
f. False or misleading commercial speech or spam
PUBLIC RECORDS LAW
Social media sites are subject to applicable public records laws. Any content maintained
in a social media format related to City business, including communication posted by the
city and communication received from citizens, is a public record. The Department
maintaining the site is responsible for responding completely and accurately to any
public records request for social media content.
G. COMMUNICATIONS:
1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to ensure the City Commission receives regular and
transparent communication from the City Manager.
2. POLICY
Communication to Commissioners
The City Manager informs the Commission about significant matters such as personnel
matters that are likely to provoke public interest as well as negotiations and developments
requiring action. Important announcements, media releases, and press conferences are
shared with the Commission in advance. All requests to the City Commission are routed
through the City Manager's office.
3. PROCEDURES
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a) When emailing information to Commissioners, all Commissioners must be blind copied
to reduce risk of violating the Open Meetings Act.
b) Requests for information from Commissioners must be routed through the City
Manager’s office.
c) Communications will be made in a professional, respectful, and timely manner.
d) Any communications to the Commissioners will be provided without change or
alteration.
e) Requests from Commissioners to the City Manager will be handled on a priority basis.
Clear time tables will be provided as appropriate.
4. REFERENCES
City of Muskegon Charter, Chapter IV, Sections 1 and 2, Chapter V, Sections 5 through
8, Chapter VIII, Section 1
H. COMMISSION APPOINTMENT INTERVIEW QUESTIONS Commented [LM31]: New
1. How has your experience prepared you to be a City Commissioner? Give examples
from your professional or personal life and share any community involvement in
Muskegon’s neighborhoods, city boards and committees, local service organizations,
City Commission meetings, and such.
2. Describe the role and qualities of an effective City Commissioner.
3. What is your vision for the City of Muskegon?
4. What, in your opinion, are the most important issues facing the City of Muskegon?
5. What ideas do you have to encourage and support neighborhood revitalization?
6. Describe your understanding of the council city manager form of government. What is
your role in relation to the City Manager and other city staff?
7. How would you address differences of opinion with other Commissioners, staff, other
local leaders, and the public?
8. What steps should the city take to improve relations within the Greater Muskegon
community? What ideas do you have for ensuring people from all walks of life feel
welcome and free to share their input?
9. What qualities do you possess that make you best suited for this appointment?
I. POTENTIAL CANDIDATE CONSIDERATIONS Commented [LM32]: New
1. What experiences have prepared you to be a City Commissioner? Consider your
professional and personal life, community involvement in Muskegon’s neighborhoods,
city boards and committees, local service organizations, City Commission meetings, and
such.
Page 46 of 135
2. What qualities allow a commissioner to be effective? Which of those qualities do you
possess, and which require more effort for you?
3. What is your vision for the City of Muskegon? Can you articulate that to the public?
4. What, in your opinion, are the most important issues facing the City of Muskegon? In
the City Commissioner role, how will you be able to address those?
5. How can you support neighborhood revitalization across the city?
6. Do you understand the commission-manager form of government? Do you understand
the role of a commissioner in relation to the City Manager and other city staff? Consider
the limitations of the City Commissioner role.
7. How do you currently relate to others in the greater Muskegon community? What are
your thoughts on the need and methods to collaborate with other local governments?
8. How do you handle differences of opinion with others? There are many opportunities to
work with other commissioners, city staff, other local leaders, and the public.
9. How will you ensure people from all walks of life feel welcome and free to share their
input with you?
10. What qualities do you possess that make you best suited for this office?
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CITY POLICY INFORMATION
A. PURCHASING POLICY
1. PURPOSE
This policy is established to ensure purchasing activities that are fair and equitable,
maximize purchasing value for public funds, and to maintain a procurement system
of quality and integrity throughout the procurement process. These policies and
procedures are intended to ensure that all city funds are expended in accordance
with sound business practices, recorded in compliance with acceptable accounting
procedures, and meet the requirements of federal and state agencies that may
assist in the financing activities of the City of Muskegon.
2. GOALS
The City of Muskegon maintains this policy with the goals of:
• Establishing clear specifications that meet city objectives.
• Providing for the greatest competition among potential suppliers while limiting
cost to meet the quality of the product or service specified.
• Awarding where possible to local bidders who meet specifications within the
context of lowest qualified bidder.
• Ensuring adequate monitoring and reporting of purchasing.
3. OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES
This policy applies to the procurement of supplies, goods, equipment, and services by
the City of Muskegon.
• The purchasing policy applies to all city departments and to other agencies,
authorities, commissions, boards, and joint-ventures.
• All purchases over $25,000 require approval by the City Commission. Purchases
over $25,000 must be established either through the annual budget or City
Commission approval of additional appropriations. It is the sole responsibility of the
Division/Department Head to maintain control of their individual budgets.
• Some purchases are unique in nature and do not require the process of competitive
bidding. These items are excluded from the bidding and purchase order
requirements. Examples include but are not limited to debt service payments and
ongoing expenses for utilities or services.
• The city will not be responsible or liable for any expenditure or agreement for
expenditure made by a city employee or city official who fails to follow this
purchasing policy and its procedures. Contracts negotiated outside of this policy will
be considered invalid and non-binding. Any breaches of this policy shall be reported
directly to the Finance Director and City Manager.
• Contracts or purchases shall not be artificially divided to circumvent the
purchasing procedures in the policy. Aggregate, recurring purchases such as
gasoline, paper products, cleaning supplies, ammunition, etc. must be determined
on an annual basis.
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4. LOCAL PREFERENCE
The City Commission may give preference to local vendors as follows.
• Vendors located in the City of Muskegon may be awarded purchases or contracts
when the lowest qualified local bid/price is within 2% or less of the lowest qualified
non-local bid.
• An additional 0.5% difference in bid amount (for a total of 2.5%) will be considered
for those qualified vendors located in the City of Muskegon which are not-for-profit
and provide social services to City of Muskegon residents.
• Vendors located in Muskegon County may be awarded purchases or contracts when
the lowest qualified local bid/price is within 1% or less of the lowest non-local bid.
• For purchases under $1,000, local vendors shall be solicited unless valid reasons
determine this is not in the best interest of the city.
5. DISADVANTAGED CONTRACTOR GOALS
The City Commission establishes goals for disadvantaged contractor participation in
each trade as follows.
• 14% minority owned businesses
• 7% female owned businesses
A Disadvantaged Contractor Affidavit listing all disadvantaged contractors that were
contacted to participate on the project as sub-contractors must be submitted by
each bidder. The affidavit must clearly state why each potential subcontractor was
not considered for inclusion in the project. A disadvantaged contractor refers to
businesses that are owned and controlled by minorities, women, and other socially
and economically disadvantaged persons.
6. PURCHASING AUTHORITY
The City Manager's Office shall be responsible for the administration of the
purchasing system ofthe city. The procurement procedure to be used is determined
by the dollar amount of the procurement. Contracts or purchases shall not be
artificially divided to circumvent the purchasing procedures in the policy. Aggregate,
recurring purchases such as gasoline, paper products, cleaning supplies,
ammunition, etc. must be determined on an annual basis. The requirements for each
level of spending are outlined below.
Amount Requirements
Below $2,000 Purchases are made by the
Department/Division Head and do
not have to be competitively bid.
Vendor selection and pricing should
be reviewed annually for adequate
and reasonable competition.
$2,000 to $4,999.99 A minimum of three written quotes
are required. Award shall be made
to the qualified vendor offering the
best value in the opinion of the
Department/Division Head.
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$5,000 to $9,999 A minimum of three written quotes
are required. Award shall be made
to the qualified vendor offering the
best value in the opinion of the
Division Head. Commented [LM33]: New
$10,000 to $24,999.99 A minimum of three written quotes
are required. Award shall be made
to the qualified vendor offering the
best value in the opinion of the
Division Head and City Manager.
$25,000 and above Formal competitive bids shall be
solicited through Competitive Sealed
Bid or Request for Proposals and
are subject to negotiation after bid
award.
With City Manager or Division Head approval, any products and services that are
available only through a single source can be procured without bidding. Where
possible, a state or regional bid contract (such as MiDeal) will be used for single
source procurement. In the event no bids were received, the City Manager or
Division Head can approve the purchase of products or services through a single
source.
Division Heads may set purchasing thresholds for their staff as long as the threshold
does not exceed that for the Division Head.
7. PROCUREMENT PROCEDURES
Competitive Sealed Bidding
a. An invitation for bids shall be issued and shall include specifications and all
contractual terms and conditions applicable to the procurement.
b. Public notice of the invitation for bids shall be made available two weeks in advance
of the bid submission date set forth. Notices may include publication in a newspaper
of general circulation and/or online media. Professional/technical services need not
be publicly advertised, but competition must be ensured.
c. Bids shall be opened publicly by the City Clerk’s office in the presence of one or
more witnesses following the deadline set for the submission of bids at the time and
place designated in the invitation for bids. The amount of each bid and such other
relevant information as the Division Head deems appropriate, together with the name
of each bidder, shall be recorded; the record and each bid shall be open to public
inspection.
d. Bids will be evaluated based on the requirements determined in the invitation for
bids. These requirements may include inspection, testing, quality, workmanship,
experience, delivery, warranty, and suitability for a particular purpose. Bids that do
not comply with all criteria set forth in the invitation to bid may be subject to
disqualification by City Commission.
e. Withdrawal of inadvertently erroneous bids before or after award, or cancellation of
awards or contracts based on such bid mistakes, shall be permitted. After bid
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opening, no changes in bid prices or other provisions of bids prejudicial to the
interest of the city or fair competition shall be permitted. Except as otherwise
provided, all decisions to permit the withdrawal of bids, or to cancel awards or
contracts based on bid mistakes, shall be supported by a written determination made
by the Division Head, endorsed by the City Manager and approved by the City
Commission.
f. Award shall be made to the qualified bidder whose bid is determined to be the most
advantageous to the city, taking into consideration price and the evaluation criteria
set forth in the invitation for bids, as determined by City Commission.
Request for Proposals (RFP)
a. When a Division Head determines that the use of competitive sealed bidding is not
practical, not advantageous to the city, and/or when a selection should be based on
the most qualified vendor, a contract may be entered by use of competitive sealed
request for proposals.
b. Public notice shall be the same as for the competitive sealed bidding process.
c. The identity of each vendor and the content of any competing vendors shall not be
disclosed until the time of the public opening of proposals.
d. Proposals shall be opened publicly by the City Clerk’s office in the presence of one
or more witnesses following the deadline set for the submission of proposals at the
time and place designated in the request for proposals. A register of the proposals
shall be prepared containing the name of each vendor, the number of modifications
received, if any, and a description sufficient to identify the item offered.
e. As provided in the RFP, discussions may be conducted with qualified vendors to
assure understanding of and conformance to the solicitation requirements. Qualified
vendors shall be accorded fair and equal treatment with respect to any opportunity
for discussion to clarify information in the proposal which impacts city staff’s ability to
make fair comparisons between proposals.
f. Award shall be made to the qualified vendor whose proposal is determined to be the
most advantageous to the city, taking into consideration the evaluation criteria set
forth in the request for proposals, by the City Commission.
Cancelation of Bids or Requests for Proposals
A bid, request for proposal, or other solicitation may be canceled, and any or all bids or
proposals may be rejected in whole or in part when it is in the best interest of the city, as
determined by the Division Head and supported by the City Manager. Each solicitation
issued by the city shall include this notification.
Cooperative Purchasing
The city may join in cooperative purchasing arrangements with the State of Michigan or
any other government units or non-profit agencies. Any cooperative agreements set
forth by the City of Muskegon must follow the guidelines of this policy.
Emergency Procurements
When there is an immediate threat to the public health, safety, or welfare of the city or its
citizens, the City Manager may authorize the award of a contract utilizing competition as
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may be practical and reasonable under the circumstances, for the emergency purchase
of supplies, materials, equipment, services or construction. Such purchase must be
reported to the City Commissioners as soon as possible.
Recycled Products
The city shall make every effort to purchase recycled products whenever possible.
Insurance Requirements
Vendors and contractors will be required to carry adequate insurance coverage.
8. CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Construction projects are subject to the provisions of this policy and the requirements
that follow.
• Prevailing Wages – The City will continue to comply with any local, state, or federal
policies as required by the funding source for a particular project. For example,
Public Works projects which include federal transportation, drinking water, or sanitary
sewer funding require prevailing wages be paid to contractors. The City Commission
may also give preference to vendors paying Davis Bacon wages on other projects by
awarding contracts when the lowest qualified prevailing wage bid/price is within 1%
or less of the lowest qualified non-prevailing wage bid. When applicable, the 1%
preference can be added to the local preference up to a 3% or $100,000 differential,
whichever is less.
• Change Orders – The Department Head in charge of the construction project shall
have the authority to approve individual change orders up to 10% of the cost of the
construction but not more than $30,000, unless the approved budget includes a
contingency amount that covers the amount of the change order. The City Manager
is authorized to approve change orders and contract expenditures between 10% and
20% but not more than $30,000, unless the approved budget includes a contingency
amount that covers the amount of the change order. The City Commission must
approve (retroactively if urgent) any change order or combination exceeding the
above parameters. All final payments of construction projects shall require
signatures from the Department Head, the Finance Director, and the Division Head.
• Bid Bond – All construction projects shall require a bid bond from each bidder in the
amount of five percent (5%) of their bid. The bond will secure the bid. The bond will
be released upon award of the contract by the City Commission for unsuccessful
bidders and upon execution of the contractor for the successful bidder. (Lesser
amounts than 5% may be permitted by exception for good cause upon approval by
the City Commission.)
• Performance Bond – All construction projects shall require a performance bond from
the successful bidder for the full amount of the contract or as specified by bid
document. This bond will be written in such a manner to ensure satisfactory
completion of the project. The bond shall be in effect for one full year after
completion of the project. The bond will be released only after the Department Head
in charge of the project and the Division Head are satisfied that the project was
properly completed and one year has elapsed.
9. STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
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Recognizing that city purchases involve the use of public funds, the following standards
shall apply to all purchases made.
• All vendors, current and prospective, shall be treated equitably. Purchasing decisions
shall be based upon price, quality, delivery, written standards, previous service, and
other relevant factors promoting the best interest of the city.
• Employees shall be prohibited from furnishing to any prospective bidder information
that would give any vendor an unfair advantage over other prospective vendors.
• Purchasing records shall be retained by the Finance Division for public review.
• Employees shall not utilize the city's purchasing system to purchase items for
personal use.
• Employees shall be prohibited from accepting rebates, gifts, gratuities, or favors
from vendors. Any extra option or alternative providing benefit to the city shall
be explained in the bid.
• Employees shall have no financial or beneficial interest in any contract or purchase
order for goods and services used by the city. The city’s charter shall govern
conflicts of interest.
• Vendors must be businesses in good standings with the city.
10. VIOLATIONS TO PURCHASING POLICY
In the event that staff do not follow the purchasing policy, decisions will be made per the
following guidelines.
For any single expenditure under $25,000, the City Manager and Finance Director
review the purchase.
For any single expenditure of or over $25,000, the City Manager and Finance Director
review the purchase with the City Commission.
For any single expenditure of or over $25,000, where the City Manager or Finance
Director have not followed the policy, the Division Head who most recently served as
interim City Manager reviews the purchase with the City Commission.
11. AMENDMENTS TO PURCHASING POLICY
Any amendments to this Purchasing Policy will be submitted to the City Commission by
the City Manager and shall require City Commission approval by resolution.
B. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES Commented [LM34]: New – also included in
The City of Muskegon is committed to providing a safe workplace for all employees and employee handbook
visitors. In the event of an emergency, employees are expected to remain calm, follow the
directions of supervisors or emergency personnel, and report to supervisors once safe to do
so.
The following procedures apply to common emergencies that may occur in the workplace:
1. GENERAL SECURITY CONCERNS
Report suspicious persons or activities to supervisors or directly to the Muskegon Police
Department.
• During business hours: 231-724-6750
• After business hours: 911 (Muskegon Central Dispatch)
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Ensure exterior doors remain secured after hours.
2. INCLEMENT WEATHER
The City of Muskegon will always make every attempt to be open for business. In
situations in which some employees are concerned about their safety, management may
advise supervisors to notify their departments that the office is not officially closed, but
employees may choose to leave the office if they feel uncomfortable.
If the office is officially closed during the course of the day to permit employees to leave
early, nonexempt employees who are working on-site as of the time of the closing will be
paid for a full day. If employees leave earlier than the official closing time, they will be
paid only for actual hours worked, or they can take personal or vacation time. Exempt
employees will be paid for a normal full day but are expected to complete their work at
another time.
3. SEVERE WEATHER/TORNADO
In general, move to the lowest interior area away from windows. Remain sheltered until
an “all clear” is issued by management or emergency personnel.
• At City Hall, report to the basement storage area or break room.
• At Public Works, shelter in the interior locker rooms.
• At the Filtration Plant, use the locker room outside the lab. Staff should notify the
Maintenance Operator, Chief Operator, or Superintendent and bring the following to
their shelter location.
o Policy and procedure binder
o Surface laptop
o Cell phone, if available
o Notes related to current operations of the plant
Severe Weather Watch
Filtration staff are directed to monitor surrounding conditions and take action when the
situation worsens.
Severe Weather Warning
Filtration staff should notify all staff working in the plant and at remote sites. Tank levels,
remote site conditions, and treatment processing should be noted until the storm has
passed. High winds or heavy snow require opening in locking out the front gate for
access to emergency personnel.
4. FIRE/EVACUATION
Leave the building immediately when alarms sound or when instructed by a supervisor.
Use the nearest safe exit referring to fire route maps posted throughout city facilities.
Use stairs only – elevators will be out of service during a fire.
Gather at designated assembly areas:
o City Hall employees: Employee parking lot behind Anchor Insurance
o DPW employees: south employee lot at 1350 E Keating Avenue
o Filtration: Beach parking lot across from Gate 1.
5. MEDICAL EMERGENCY
The first step is to call 911 and provide the building address.
• City Hall: 933 Terrace Street
• DPW: 1350 E Keating Avenue
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• Filtration: 1900 Beach St
Ensure responders know which gate to use
o Gate 1 – Beach Street – front gate
o Gate 2 – Beach Street – high service gate
o Gate 3 – Beach Street – auxiliary gate
o Gate 4 – Beach Street – area 51
o Gate 5 – Keaton Court – back gate
Notify the nearest supervisor.
Once emergency personnel are on site, guide them to the location of the emergency.
Staff should be aware of AED and first aid kit locations.
• City Hall AED’s and first aid kits
o Second floor – main hallway
o First floor – intersection of hallways near Commission Chambers
o Basement – main hallway
• Filtration Plant AED’s and First Aid Kits
o Headworks lobby – next to plant map between stairs and pretreatment hallway
o Lab – first aid kit only
• Public Works AED’s and first aid kits
o Hallway outside the Water Department break room
o Mechanics area break room
6. VIOLENT INTRUDER/ACTIVE SHOOTER
In the event of a violent intruder or active shooter, employees should follow the
instructions of the Muskegon Police Department and any training provided by the city.
Additional training opportunities and resources are available.
7. BOMB THREAT/SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE
Do not touch or move the object.
Call 911 and notify a supervisor.
Evacuate the building if instructed.
8. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS/UTILITY FAILURE
In case of gas leak, chemical spill, or power outage, notify your supervisor.
Evacuate the building if directed.
Muskegon Fire and Department of Public Works maintain specialized spill kits and
response equipment.
9. ELEVATOR EMERGENCY
If trapped in an elevator, press the emergency button to request help.
Do not attempt to force doors open or exit without assistance.
Wait for emergency personnel to arrive.
10. CHEMICAL RELEASE/AIR QUALITY CONCERN
If instructed to shelter-in-place, remain inside the building.
Close doors and windows, and stay away from exterior openings.
Await further instructions from supervisors or emergency personnel.
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ACRONYMS
ACFR Annual Comprehensive Financial Report
ACT51 Transportation Funding Act
ADA Americans with Disabilities
AMI Area Median Income
AMP Average Median Purchase Price
BEA Baseline Environmental Assessment
BID Business Improvement District
BRA Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
BRI Brownfield Revitalization Initiatives
CAPER Consolidated Annual Performance Evaluation Report
CDBG Community Development Block Grant
CFT Commercial Facilities Tax Abatement
CHDO Community Housing Development Organization
CIP Capital Improvement Plan
CNS Community and Neighborhood Services
CP Consolidated Plan
CPRB Citizens Police Review Board
DDA Downtown Development Authority
DPW Department of Public Works
EC Enterprise Community
EDA US Economic Development Administration
EDC Economic Development Corporation
EOC Equal Opportunity Committee
EIA Environmental Impact Assessment
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EPA US Environmental Protection Agency
ER Environmental Review
FAR Floor Area Ratio
FLSA Fair Labor Standards Act
FMLA Family and Medical Leave Act
FOIA Freedom of Information Act
GASB Government Accounting Standards Board
GIS/GPS Geographic Information System/Global Positioning System
HAZMAT Hazardous Material Management
HBA Housing Board of Appeals
HDC Historic District Commission
HOME Home Investment Partnership
HRC Home Rule City
HUD US Department of Housing and Urban Development
IFT Industrial Facilities Tax Abatement
LDFA Local Development Financing Authority
LRC Land Reutilization Committee
MBWE Minority Business Women Enterprise
MCL Michigan Compiled Laws
MDEGLE Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
MDNR Michigan Department of Natural Resources
MDOT Michigan Department of Transportation
MEDC Michigan Economic Development Corporation
MHPN Michigan Historic Preservation Network
MIOSHA Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act
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MML Michigan Municipal League
MZEA Michigan Zoning Enabling Act
NAM Neighborhood Association of Muskegon
NIMBY Not in My Back Yard
NPS National Parks Service
NPU Neighborhood Policing Unit
NTHP National Trust for Historic Preservation
OMA Open Meetings Act
PSD Principal Shopping District
PC Planning Commission
PILOT Payment in Lieu of Taxes
PJ Participating Jurisdiction
PUD Planned Unit Development
QBS Qualifications Based Selection
RFP Request for Proposals
RLF Revolving Loan Fund
RRP Rental Rehabilitation Program
SEV State Equalized Value
SHPO State Historic Preservation Office
SHPRB State Historic Preservation Review Board
SPR Site Plan Review
SUP Special Use Permit
TDR Transfer of Development Rights
TEDF Transportation Economic Development Fund
TIFA Tax Increment Finance Authority
ULA Urban Land Assembly
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USGS United States Geologic Survey
WEMET West Michigan Enforcement Team
WMSRDC West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission
ZBA Zoning Board of Appeals
Document edit notes
Action Person Date Change
New L. Mikesell, A. New handbook
Meisch
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Agenda Item Review Form
Muskegon Legislative Policy Committee
Commission Meeting Date: February 25, 2026 Title: MGT Final Workplace Culture Report
Submitted by: LeighAnn Mikesell, Deputy City Department: Manager's Office
Manager
Brief Summary:
Staff will present the final report from MGT on their assessment of our workplace culture.
Detailed Summary & Background:
Beginning in July of 2025, the MKG Core Team worked with MGT to assess the impact of the city's
policies, programs, and practices on city staff. Focus groups were conducted, and the final results of
the work with MGT were included in a report that covers the all employee survey, policy audit, and
impacts on staff. A summary of the report will be presented by Donald Nunez, the MKG Core Team
Chair.
Goal/Action Item:
2027 Goal 3: Community Connection
Is this a repeat item?:
Explain what change has been made to justify bringing it back to Commission:
This is an update on additional work accomplished through the contract with MGT.
Amount Requested: Budgeted Item:
N/A Yes No N/A X
Fund(s) or Account(s): Budget Amendment Needed:
N/A Yes No N/A X
Recommended Motion:
N/A
Approvals: Name the Policy/Ordinance Followed:
Immediate Division N/A
Head
Information
Technology
Other Division Heads
Communication
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Legal Review
Page 61 of 135
Workplace Culture Report
Volume 2:
Quantitative & Qualitative Analysis
October 2025
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Table of Contents
Page Number
Executive Summary:
• Project Background and Approach
• Project Methodology
03
• Prioritized Findings – Quantitative and
Qualitative Analysis
• High-Level Recommendations
12 All-Employee Survey Results
32 Focus Group Results
35 Overlay Findings
37 Recommendations
43 Conclusion
44 Best Practices
46 Resources
2
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PROJECT OVERVIEW
3
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Project Background and Approach
As part of the first phase of assessment work with the City of Muskegon (City), MGT conducted
a review and analysis of select internal and external programs, policies and practices by the
City. MGT’s comprehensive mixed-method approach to the City of Muskegon’s assessment
began with a review of select internal and external policies, processes, and procedures. MGT
worked closely and collaboratively with the City’s project team to identify key policies and
supporting documents to review. The teams identified and reviewed internal and external
policies and related documents, covering some of the following policy areas: leave, benefits,
civil service rules, employee lifecycle, harassment and retaliation, good faith efforts, committee
bylaws, and other public-facing programs. MGT identified key areas of strength, opportunity,
and suggested changes for the City to consider.
Beginning in July 2025, the City of Muskegon (the City) began the second phase of work to
assess the impact, if any, on how City policies, programs, and practices impact staff. From July
to October 2025, MGT and the City’s assessment project core team undertook a collaborative
approach to develop a staff outreach plan.
Approach
MGT utilized a robust mixed-methods approach that included both quantitative and qualitative
processes as part of the second phase of this assessment. MGT compiled and reviewed the
results of the All-Employee Survey and then conducted qualitative focus groups with staff in a
virtual setting to assess the current state of implementation and impact of the City’s workforce
policies, programs, and practices.
Based on these findings, MGT has developed a summary of outcomes from the qualitative
process to identify the City’s areas of strength and barriers within implementation of its
programs, policies, and practices, as well as provide recommendations to expand opportunity
within those areas.
Through conversations with staff, MGT offers recommendations in this report on how to
continue to grow into a more inclusive workplace in this second phase of work.
Recommendations are guided by the themes, insights, and best practice suggestions that
emerged during this phase of the project period. The second volume of the assessment report
is a testament to the City’s growing commitment to universal access in its workplace, policies,
programs, and practices.
4
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Project Methodology – How did we get here?
MGT’s process for arriving at prioritized findings is shared below. Through the collection and
interpretation of qualitative and quantitative data, MGT triangulated findings leveraging the
mixed-methods approach.
Data Collection Data Interpretation Synthesis of Findings Triangulation of
Analysis • Survey data • Identify key results Prioritized Findings
• All Employee analysis • Sense-making with • Areas of Strength
Survey • Thematic analysis project team • Identified Barriers
• Focus Groups
Triangulation of Prioritized Findings
Qualitative
Quantitative Open-ended
Likert-scale workplace
questions culture
from the All- Survey
Employee feedback
Survey questions
Focus
Groups
All – Employee Survey Focus Groups Analysis
154 completed survey responses 8 completed focus groups
• 52 multiple-choice questions (including • 11 open-ended questions
demographic information)
• Topics included: workplace culture,
• 4 open-ended feedback questions where inclusion, barriers to inclusivity, complaint
respondents could write in comments process/HR, access/resources, promotion
process, updated policies, and
• 68% of survey respondents provided
communication methods
comments
• Divisions represented: City Manager's
• At a 95% confidence level, the survey has
Office, Development Services, Finance,
a margin of error of 5.3%. The survey
Public Safety, and Public Works were
sample is strong, and the views are
included
representative of the intended audience
• 5% of participants were directors/supervisors
5
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Prioritized Findings –
Quantitative and Qualitative Analyses
MGT worked with the City of Muskegon project team to conduct 8 eight focus groups and
review the 154 All-Employee Survey responses. MGT reviewed the documents identifying
strengths, opportunities for improvement, and recommendations for change. The section below
identifies overarching summary themes from the staff engagement analyses.
Engagement Analysis – Areas of Strength
Policy Support: Several policies have been audited and updated by the City and are currently
being crafted to better support the workplace culture needs of city staff and leaders.
Workplace Culture: There have been recent improvements with workplace culture,
department collaboration, and inclusion efforts. Employees feel a sense of belonging and hope
to continue to grow that.
Supportive Peer Relationships: Employees feel a sense of belonging through positive
welcoming relationships with coworkers, collaboration, and day-to-day interactions.
Employee Support: Most employees feel they have access to and resources for professional
development and their job responsibilities.
Structured Processes: There are well-defined processes for harassment reporting,
mediation, evaluations, and transfers.
Engagement Analysis – Areas of Opportunity
Career Growth: Representation and pay inequities create doubt among employees. There is a
sense of a lack of transparency with hiring, career promotion, and a pattern of favoritism.
Organizational Culture & Leadership: Disconnect and poor communication from leadership.
Embody and model inclusive behaviors by mitigating hierarchy and interacting with staff more.
Transparency and Communication: Communications can feel directive and don't always
offer clarity or guidance for how to implement policies or practices, especially uniformly.
Information Sources: In need of a centralized location for important communications such as
policy updates or feedback mechanisms.
Human Resources: Need more education and implementation support for employees on
reporting complaints, harassment, or intimidation matters.
6
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High Level Recommendations
MGT identified five (5) areas of focus that emerged during this assessment from the survey and
focus group collection activities and their findings. MGT has included high-level
recommendations and suggested tactics to assist with implementing each recommendation.
Theme 1: Workplace Culture
Staff want to continue to cultivate a workplace that feels safe and values their work. Below are
high level recommendations pulled from the focus groups that will support the City of Muskegon
in moving towards a more equitable and inclusive workplace.
"There's been efforts in inclusivity and being equitable. I appreciate the efforts the City
makes. I think they do decent job of that, but implementation has been lackluster."
Focus Area High-Level Recommendation
Schedule staff-wide meetings with advance time to ensure
inclusion of all divisions. Meetings should cover various topics
Staff Wide Meetings such as progress reports, updates in policies, upcoming
events and offer space for Q&A and concerns/input. This will
aid in fostering departmental collaboration.
Create workplace culture language and policies that are
communicated regularly and incorporated into onboarding of
new employees. Use nomination and recognition system to
Workplace Culture Language
communicate back to staff how workplace culture is being
and Policies
upheld. Assess how workplace culture is being intertwined
into all policies, events, meetings through a quarterly basis to
help with gaps and areas of opportunity.
Efforts and events to advance workplace culture should be
funded by the City of Muskegon and communicated with
Workplace Culture Efforts and advance notice to allow for scheduling, covering shifts and all
Events divisions to partake. This includes holidays,
birthday/retirement parties, cookouts/picnics, and cultivate a
more "can do" atmosphere in the divisions.
7
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High Level Recommendations
Theme 2: Safety and Accountability
Need for a stronger presence and specified processes for reporting and performance reviews
"Performance reviews are typically not a two-way street. Two-way street, meaning that
my supervisor reviews my performance, but I do not have an opportunity to review
theirs."
Focus Area High-Level Recommendation
Reporting guidelines need to be assessed. Create a step-by-
step structure that allows employees to understand
logistically the steps needed to report an incident. House
Reporting Guidelines these guidelines in one place and communicate them in
departmental communications such as newsletters. There
should be a point person and secondary option with an
anonymous reporting tipline.
Offer direct report and supervisee two-way performance
Performance Reviews reviews annually to assist with the professional growth of
employees and possible promotions.
Account for a culture of retaliation and favoritism by
incorporating questioning into one-on-one conversations of
direct supervisor relationships. Communicate anonymous
reporting methods to support in resolving retaliatory tactics
Safety and Accountability
and behaviors. Reiterate safety as a core tenant of an
inclusive workplace culture. These concerns were tied to the
promotion process and employees feeling stuck in their roles
without much room to grow at the City of Muskegon.
8
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High Level Recommendations
Theme 3: Leadership Impact and Readiness
Need for more direct leadership involvement with staff and modeling of inclusive behaviors
"I am struggling with changing the culture in my department to move in a more positive
way. We struggle with positive change. It's up to middle management and leadership to
create a culture shift towards positivity and to look at the bigger picture. I want this
place to be a better place. This is very important, and I want to be part of that positive
change. I can affect my shift. I want it to be a better organization."
Focus Area High-Level Recommendation
Offer mandatory supervisor trainings covering topics such a
management styles, supervisory best practices, how to
Supervisor Trainings
advance workplace culture through direct report relationships,
communication and implementation of policies.
Build trust through management of divisions and teams and
one-on-one direct report relationships. Model inclusivity and
Trust Building
how that shows up in the department. Have open
conversations on what teams need and respond accordingly.
Along with the departmental collaboration efforts, take time to
Understand workload and the understand different team's workload and how different teams
impact of policies on staff impact one another's work. This allows for understanding on
the impact of updated policies on the teams and their work.
9
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High Level Recommendations
Theme 4: Equity and Policies
Need for implementation processes regarding the use of newly updated policies and feedback
structures to measure the impact of those policies on staff.
"We want more involvement in the process of writing the policies. Asking for [more]
input early on and being more proactive in implementing the policies. Each policy has
felt somewhat reactive so far.”
“If the employees and department heads give it more validity, we're less hesitant to
inquire about the policies, and then we all have the same information."
Focus Area High-Level Recommendation
Ensure multiple methods of receiving feedback during the
policy development process. Email responses, surveys, one-
on-one supervisor meetings and town halls are a few
Staff Input on Policies examples. Communicate proposed updates and/or changes
to existing policies and implementation of new policies to staff
prior to implementation of new policies or amendments to
policies.
Garner staff input on proposed changes and understanding
Awareness of policies and on how the policies will impact staff and their responsibilities
understanding of the impact on from team to team. This is particularly important on a
staff and their work department-by-department level.
Ensure policies are easily understood by staff for
implementation purposes and have department heads and
supervisors available for questions regarding proposed policy
Enhance policies not as easily changes. City should consider developing sample talking
accessible for staff and leaders points or email communications for use by supervisors and
department heads and then offer more specialized trainings
for leadership to help support staff policy application,
implementation and rollout processes.
10
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High Level Recommendations
Theme 5: Communication and Transparency
Clearer and more frequent communications to staff
"We follow the chain of command (up-down and vice versa). It does not hurt to have
higher management speak to each shift versus just getting it emailed to them. It is easy
for them to absorb, understand the purpose, and get buy-in to implement change."
Focus Area High-Level Recommendation
Face-to-face communications through departmental and team
meetings to cover important topics such as policy updates
Methods of Communication
and changes. Reinforce though email communication that
refers to one place where policies are stored.
Utilize communications as a means of fostering inclusion and
Communications to Foster
collaboration between divisions and do so with advanced
Collaboration and Inclusion
notice regarding meetings or gatherings.
Ensure communications are being shared and offer insight
Transparency into the current progress and possible opportunities for
growth.
11
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ALL-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS
12
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY | OVERVIEW
In partnership with MGT, the City of Muskegon surveyed its workforce culture to better
understand employees’ perceptions of access within the City of Muskegon.
April 29, 2024 April 29 – May 13, 2024 May 13, 2024
Survey launches via email All staff employed by the Survey closes with 154
using survey software, City of Muskegon are responses (n=154)
Qualtrics; 52 scaled invited to complete the
statements, 4 open- all-employee survey
ended
Survey Categories
The extent to which employees feel leadership is ready to embrace topics of
Leadership
workplace culture
readiness
(6 statements)
Specific to the City of Muskegon, these statements cover: The extent to
Equity which employees perceive the City of Muskegon as an organization
committed to equity (16 statements)
The extent to which employees feel the City reflects services offered by
Representation diverse management, and how employees respect one another
(3 statements)
The extent to which employees feel supported by their coworkers and the
Belonging City of Muskegon as your employer
(7 statements)
The extent to which employees feel they and others have access to the
support and resources to be successful at work, based on their individual
Equity & Access needs
(3 statements)
The extent to which conflicts both between coworkers and formal complaints
Conflict
are resolved without fear
Resolution
(5 statements)
The extent to which employees perceive the interview panel makeup and
Hiring &
onboarding process, and how culture is portrayed
Recruitment
(5 statements)
The extent to which employees feel valued in an individual’s journey as an
Professional employee at the City of Muskegon in terms of unique lived experience,
Development communication, opportunity, and performance
(7 statements)
13
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | DEMOGRAPHICS
Exploring survey respondent demographics can help the City understand the experiences of
employees in relation to particular demographics and identities.
Below are charts of survey respondent demographics and June 30, 2024, Equal Employment
Opportunity (EEO) data (n=498).1
While EEO data shows 60.71% of
employees identify as female, less
than half survey respondents share
25% this identity.
Prefer not to 39.29%
disclose 49.35%
City of Muskegon EEO data
60.71% Male
Female
25% Survey respondents
9.74% of survey respondents
According to EEO data, employees who identify as BIPOC, compared
identify as female make up less than to the total composition of
half of their male counterparts in terms 25.74% of BIPOC employees
of employment rates, except in part-time in the workforce.
work, where females represent more
than double the rate of male part-time
workers.
9.74% 25.74%
New hire 3.87% 2.08%
Part time 19.05% 42.86%
Full time 16.37% 15.77%
Please note: EEO data on gender was only collected in the
binary Male/Female 14
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | SCALED STATEMENTS
Out of the eight (8) scaled survey statements, respondents were asked to use a 1-5 Likert
rating scale to share their feedback.
2 3 5
1 4
Slightly I’m not sure/ Strongly
Strongly disagree Slightly agree
disagree I don’t now agree
Survey categories are shown in aggregate with responses of only 4s and 5s
(or ‘favorable’ responses’).
Leadership Readiness 65.69%
Belonging 75.70%
Equity 62.05%
Representation 63.42%
Equity & Access 56.71%
Conflict Resolution 53.77%
Hiring & Development 58.28%
Professional Development 65.58%
The following charts will explore each survey category in detail with all
individual statements and favorable ratings.
15
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | SCALED STATEMENTS
Leadership Readiness
Belonging Within this scale, the majority of survey
Equity respondents reacted most favorably to the
Representation statement “I am comfortable raising a concerns
Equity & Access to the person I report to. Survey respondents
Conflict Resolution were least likely to agree that senior leaders
Hiring & Development
are held accountable to a specific set of defined
Professional Development
leadership competencies.
Senior leadership team of my
organization is fully ready to engage in 63.64%
difficult conversations regarding equity
Senior leadership team members in
the organization are held accountable
51.95%
to a specific set of defined leadership
competencies
Senior leadership team members
demonstrate behavior that is in
70.13%
alignment with their community facing
priorities
Senior leadership team members are
fully ready to create a safe space for all 72.73%
people
I am kept well informed by the senior
leadership team about the strategic
56.49%
direction, plans and progress of the
organization
I am comfortable raising a concern to
79.22%
the person I report to
For purposes of this survey, senior leadership team includes City Manager, Deputy City Manager, the Director
of Government Relations and Strategic Operations, and the four division heads.
16
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | DEEP DIVE: AGE
Leadership Readiness By age, employees who are ages 55-73 rated
Belonging the lowest levels of favorability regarding
Equity senior leadership being held accountable to
Representation leadership competencies.
Equity & Access
Conflict Resolution
Hiring & Development Most Important Takeaway Information
Professional Development
Prefer not
18 - 38 39 - 54 55 - 73
to disclose
I am comfortable raising a concern to the person
79.49% 81.40% 86.96% 72.34%
I report to
I am kept well informed by the senior leadership
team about the strategic direction, plans and 58.97% 58.14% 60.87% 48.94%
progress of the organization
Senior leadership team members are fully ready
82.05% 76.74% 73.91% 59.57%
to create a safe space for all people
Senior leadership team members demonstrate
behavior that is in alignment with their 82.05% 81.40% 52.17% 57.45%
community facing priorities
Senior leadership team members in the
organization are held accountable to a specific 61.54% 62.79% 39.13% 40.43%
set of defined leadership competencies
Senior leadership team of my organization is
fully ready to engage in difficult conversations 76.92% 72.09% 69.57% 42.55%
regarding equity
lowest value highest value
For purposes of this survey, senior leadership team includes City Manager, Deputy City Manager, the Director of
Government Relations and Strategic Operations, and the four division heads.
17
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | SCALED STATEMENTS
Leadership Readiness
Belonging
Equity Between 80-88.96% of respondents rate high
Representation levels of favorability related to statements about
Equity & Access
belonging, respect, and acceptance of
Conflict Resolution
Hiring & Development identities.
Professional Development
When challenges are shared,
employees receive support and 68.18%
guidance from others
My coworkers openly share their
64.29%
challenges
I feel there is a sense of inclusion in
73.38%
the City of Muskegon
I feel that I am recognized for my
71.43%
contributions in my department
I feel like I belong at the City of
80.52%
Muskegon
Employees generally respect each
88.96%
other
All parts of my identity and
background that I present at work are 83.12%
accepted*
Additionally, only 68.18% of respondents rated high levels of favorability
surrounding sharing challenges and receiving support.
*e.g. gender, race, religion, disability, sexual orientation
18
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | DEEP DIVE:
SEXUAL ORIENTATION
Leadership Readiness Respondents who identify as LGBTQIA+ and
Belonging those who prefer not to disclose their sexual
Equity orientation have lower levels of favorability
Representation when compared to their straight counterparts.
Equity & Access
While many heterosexual/straight employees
Conflict Resolution
Hiring & Development may be getting their needs met, not everyone is
Professional Development feeling supported by their divisions and
coworkers.
Most Important Takeaway Information
Heterosexual Prefer not
LGBTQIA
/ to
Straight +
disclose
All parts of my identity and background that I
present at work are accepted. (e.g., gender, 88.24% 90.91% 68.29%
race, religion, disability, sexual orientation)
Employees generally respect each other
91.18% 63.64% 90.24%
I feel like I belong at the City of Muskegon
87.25% 63.64% 68.29%
I feel that I am recognized for my contributions
in my department 74.51% 54.55% 68.29%
I feel there is a sense of inclusion in the City of
Muskegon 70.59% 90.91% 75.61%
My coworkers openly share their challenges
64.71% 72.73% 60.98%
When challenges are shared, employees
receive support and guidance from others 69.61% 63.64% 65.85%
lowest value highest value
19
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | SCALED STATEMENTS
Leadership Readiness
Belonging
Equity The top three statements with the highest rating
Representation of favorability were related to the basic
Equity & Access understanding of racial equity and
Conflict Resolution interacting and talking with people of other
Hiring & Development
Professional Development
races.
As a whole, my organization is making
64.29%
progress towards achieving racial equity
Employees are encouraged to participate in
trainings, workshops, or events about racial 45.45%
equity
I am actively involved in advancing racial
54.55%
equity in my work
I can identify examples of institutional racism 62.34%
I feel comfortable talking about race 87.66%
I feel competent in my interactions with people
98.70%
of other races
I have a basic understanding of concepts
94.81%
related to racial equity
I have the tools to address institutional racism
45.45%
in my workplace
The bottom three statements with ratings of favorability were related
to active involvement in racial equity efforts in the workplace.
20
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | DEEP DIVE: AGE
Leadership Readiness Survey respondents ages 55 -73 reported the
Belonging some of the lowest levels of favorability in the
Equity statements boxed below.
Representation
Equity & Access
Conflict Resolution
Hiring & Development Most Important Takeaway Information
Professional Development
Prefer
18- 38 39 - 54 55 - 73 not to
disclose
As a whole, my organization is making progress
66.67% 74.42% 56.52% 55.32%
towards achieving racial equity
Employees are encouraged to participate in trainings,
43.59% 51.16% 43.48% 42.55%
workshops, or events about racial equity
I am actively involved in advancing racial equity in my
69.23% 65.12% 47.83% 36.17%
work
I can identify examples of institutional racism 66.67% 65.12% 60.87% 57.45%
I feel comfortable talking about race 89.74% 88.37% 91.30% 82.98%
I feel competent in my interactions with people of other
100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 95.74%
races
I have a basic understanding of concepts related to
97.44% 95.35% 95.65% 91.49%
racial equity
I have the tools to address institutional racism in my
51.28% 53.49% 43.48% 34.04%
workplace
lowest value highest value
21
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | SCALED STATEMENTS
Leadership Readiness
Belonging
Equity 70.78% of respondents value the examination
Representation and discussions about the impacts of
Equity & Access race/racial equity, with a total of 67.53% of
Conflict Resolution respondents agreeing that the City is
Hiring & Development
Professional Development
committed to racial equity.
I think it is valuable to examine and discuss the
70.78%
impacts of race
In general, I have found trainings/workshops about
49.35%
racial equity to be useful
Leadership in my organization communicates the
importance of addressing racial inequities and 55.84%
achieving racial equity
My organization has taken steps to reduce racial
inequities, including but not limited to workforce 48.05%
issues
My organization is committed to racial equity 67.53%
My organization is taking concrete actions to increase
44.81%
equity in its contracting and procurement practices
My organization provides racial equity training for all
45.45%
staff, including leadership
My organization seeks input and assistance on
57.79%
decision-making from communities of color
22
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | DEEP DIVE: AGE
Leadership Readiness A little less than 51% of survey respondents
Belonging across age groups agree that the City is taking
Equity concrete steps to increase equity in contracting
Representation and procurement practices. They also did not
Equity & Access
react favorably to the statement related to the
Conflict Resolution
Hiring & Development City providing racial equity training for all staff.
Professional Development
Most Important Takeaway Information
Prefer not
18 - 38 39 - 54 55 - 73
to disclose
I think it is valuable to examine and discuss the impacts
79.49% 76.74% 82.61% 53.19%
of race
In general, I have found trainings/workshops about
53.85% 51.16% 60.87% 40.43%
racial equity to be useful
Leadership in my organization communicates the
importance of addressing racial inequities and achieving 61.54% 62.79% 56.52% 46.81%
racial equity
My organization has taken steps to reduce racial
48.72% 62.79% 43.48% 38.30%
inequities, including but not limited to workforce issues
My organization is committed to racial equity 66.67% 74.42% 69.57% 61.70%
My organization is taking concrete actions to increase
48.72% 51.16% 21.74% 46.81%
equity in its contracting and procurement practices
My organization provides racial equity training for all
51.28% 51.16% 39.13% 38.30%
staff, including leadership
My organization seeks input and assistance on
64.10% 58.14% 39.13% 61.70%
decision-making from communities of color
lowest value highest value
23
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | SCALED STATEMENTS
Leadership Readiness
Belonging
Equity 50.65% of respondents do not agree that the
Representation
Equity & Access
City is actively increasing diversity in
Conflict Resolution management roles and above.
Hiring & Development
Professional Development
The City of Muskegon's staff diversity
reflects the people and communities it 58.44%
services
Most Important
The City of Muskegon is actively increasing
49.35% Takeaway
diversity in management roles and above
Information
At the City of Muskegon, employees respect
others whose identities are different from 82.47%
their own
Leadership Readiness
Belonging
Equity
Representation On average, 56.71% of respondents shared
Equity & Access favorable ratings to statements about equity
Conflict Resolution
and access at the City.
Hiring & Development
Professional Development
My organization provides accessible
support which allows me to fully participate 60.39%
in my role
In order to be successful in their roles,
employees have access to the support 52.60%
they need based on their lived experience
I am aware of the process to request
accommodations which would allow me to 57.14%
fully participate in my role
24
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | DEEP DIVE
Leadership Readiness While there is a general sense of respect for
Belonging others’ identities, some respondents feel there is
Equity an opportunity for the City’s staff to reflect
Representation the people and communities it services.
Equity & Access
Conflict Resolution
Hiring & Development Most Important Takeaway Information
Professional Development
Heterosexual
Prefer not
/ LGBTQIA+
Straight to disclose
At the City of Muskegon, employees respect
others whose identities are different from their 81.82% 78.05% 82.47%
own
The City of Muskegon is actively increasing
54.55% 53.66% 49.35%
diversity in management roles and above
The City of Muskegon's staff diversity reflects
54.55% 58.54% 58.44%
the people and communities it services
Leadership Readiness By race, respondents who identify as white have
Belonging the highest levels of favorability related to equity
Equity and access, highlighting the disparity between
Representation
their BIPOC counterparts and those who
Equity & Access
Conflict Resolution prefer not to disclose their race.
Hiring & Development
Professional Development Most Important Takeaway Information
Prefer not to
BIPOC White
disclose
I am aware of the process to
request accommodations which
would allow me to fully participate in
40% 63.33% 51.02%
my role
In order to be successful in their
roles, employees have access to
the support they need based on
53.33% 61.11% 36.73%
their lived experience
My organization provides accessible
support which allows me to fully 46.67% 64.44% 57.14%
participate in my role
25
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | SCALED STATEMENTS
Leadership Readiness Scoring the lowest in overall survey categories
Belonging (53.77%), respondents identified conflict
Equity resolution as an area for growth and opportunity
Representation
at the City. While 74.03% of respondents are
Equity & Access
Conflict Resolution aware and understand how to report
Hiring & Development incidents in the workplace, only 44.81% feel
Professional Development they can share their opinions without fear of
reprisal/retaliation.
Interpersonal conflicts are effectively resolved
50%
between those involved
I believe the City of Muskegon takes
appropriate action in response to incidents of 51.95%
discrimination and/or bias
Most
I am aware of and understand the procedures Important
for reporting incidents of discrimination and/or 74.03% Takeaway
bias in the workplace Information
Formal complaints and conflicts are
48.05%
effectively resolved
Employees can openly share their opinions
44.81%
without fear of reprisal
For purposes of this survey, senior leadership team includes City Manager, Deputy City Manager, the Director
of Government Relations and Strategic Operations, and the four division heads.
26
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | SCALED STATEMENTS
Leadership Readiness
Belonging
Equity 44.81% of respondents slightly agree or
Representation strongly agree that the onboarding process
Equity & Access communicates the City’s commitment to
Conflict Resolution workplace culture, leaving more than half
Hiring & Development
(55.19%) disagreeing or unsure.
Professional Development
There is diversity among the people a
job candidate will meet during the 60.39%
interview process
The reality of the organization’s culture
is consistent with the way it was 64.29%
portrayed when I joined
The onboarding process Most Important Takeaway
communicates the City of Muskegon's 44.81% Information
commitment to DEI
The City of Muskegon takes active
measures to seek a diverse candidate 63.64%
pool when hiring
27
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | SCALED STATEMENTS
Leadership Readiness Related to professional development, there is an
Belonging identified area for growth for the City to ensure
Equity
that opportunities are available to all
Representation
Equity & Access employees.
Conflict Resolution
Hiring & Development
Professional Development
Taking into consideration my unique lived
experience, my peers and I have equal 68.18%
opportunities to advance our careers
Professionally creative and high visibility Most Important Takeaway
assignments are available to all who desire 40.91% Information
them
My manager gives me clear feedback on my
74.03%
work and performance
My manager gives me clear and realistic
74.03%
performance expectations
I have opportunities to engage in high
67.53%
visibility projects in my work
I believe my performance is evaluated fairly 72.73%
Consistent opportunities for professional
development are available to all employees 61.69%
on a fair basis
28
Page 89 of 135
All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | QUALITATIVE
The all-employee survey included four (4) questions where respondents provided open-ended
feedback that describes their experiences.
34.22% of open-ended feedback came from the question “In three to five
years, what do you want to be true about the organization that is not true
today?”
34.22% 22.22%
21.78%
In three to five years, what What else feels important to
share regarding your How have you been made to
do you want to be true about feel like you belong at the
the organization that is not perspective of diversity,
equity and inclusion at the City of Muskegon?
true today?
City of Muskegon?
17.78%
4%
From a workplace culture
perspective, help us Misunderstanding of
understand how you have workplace culture
been made to feel (Comments that were
uncomfortable at work at unrelated to the questions)
the City of Muskegon?
Full list of themes (shaded by mention below)
41.33% most powerful themes (11-20 mentions each)
45.78% powerful themes (6-10 mentions each)
Desire to Desire to have
Received
improve I feel like I staff diversity
Lack of support positive
workplace belong reflect the
feedback
culture efforts community
Genuine Equal access to Improved
Experiences of Conflict
workplace opportunities organizational
inappropriate resolution and
culture (training, hiring, culture and
conduct accountability
Implementation promotions) support
Remaining themes total 12.89%. Comments include themes of: Misunderstanding of workplace culture
(unrelated to workplace culture), Difficultly to contribute, improved compensation, desire to meet community
needs, re-focus workplace culture efforts, comments with no context (single word yes, no)
29
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | QUALITATIVE
Top three most powerful themes, frequencies, and quotes from survey respondents.
Improved workplace culture efforts at the City “We need to have more diversity training. We
8% of feedback came from the theme of desire for have had one class in the 15+ years I have
improved workplace culture efforts at the City. been employed, and it was taken as a joke
Respondents shared the desire and interest in by most employees and even management.”
improving internal workplace culture efforts by means
of increased training, dedicated programming, and “I think that there could be something more
focusing internally before projecting outward. to educate on unconscious racial bias. The
conversations that go on around me in my
Some respondents shared that workplace culture office about individuals we serve in our very
should include an expanded definition of workplace diverse community can be balancing on the
culture, including racial equity, and address disabilities line of discrimination.”
and ethnicity.
Lack of support “When talking to my manager about my
7.56%of feedback came from the theme of feelings of concerns in the workplace they are not met
lack of support from team members, supervisors, or with trust. My concerns were met with
leadership at the City. Respondents define lack of sharing to those I was concerned about.”
support as concerns about trust, fear of negative
consequences for sharing, and negative words from “I asked a [supervisor] for help with
coworkers. something that I was lacking in, and their
response was, "don't ever come in my office
and ask me that question again". There is no
way I would ever go to that [supervisor] for
an issue ever again.”
Received positive feedback “I am asked my opinion by my supervisor
7.11% of feedback was related to the theme of and my co-workers, and it is taken seriously,
receiving positive feedback from leadership or one’s especially in the ways that I do my job and
supervisor. While some respondents reported feelings how the processes are completed. I am not
of lack of support, another group of respondents made to feel incorrect, even if I am, I receive
shared feeling supportive and receiving trust from their an explanation as to why my opinion should
supervisors and leaders. shift or change to fit our needs [and the] job.”
“I receive ongoing feedback from my
supervisor and the head of our department. I
feel respected and appreciated by most of
the employees that I come into contact with.”
30
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All-EMPLOYEE SURVEY RESULTS | QUALITATIVE
The top two powerful themes, frequencies, and quotes from survey respondents.
Genuine Workplace implementation “I want the perception to shift from 'we
4.44% of feedback was related to the theme of genuine are trying to be inclusive and
workplace culture implementation and the desire to move equitable' to ' we are inclusive and
perceived performative measures into real action and practice. equitable.”
Respondents hope that workplace culture will become more
than “checking a box” or fulfilling a requirement. “[in 3-5 years, I hope] that workplace
culture is more than just checking a
box, but people really feel connected
to it, and it is natural and not forced.”
Equal Access to Opportunities “The committee for workplace culture
4% of feedback was related to interest and desire for equal is supposed to represent all divisions,
access to opportunities for staff. Respondents shared but my department isn’t represented
examples of equal opportunities to access promotions, project due to scheduling. We don’t receive
assignments, and professional development. This theme is regular updates, and we don’t have an
also related to earlier aspects of the employee lifecycle, like opportunities to give feedback or
hiring and recruitment. participate because we don’t have
representation.”
“I have been employed by the City for
many years, and I have never had the
opportunity to advance my position
despite having qualified with many
years of experience.”
31
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FOCUS GROUP RESULTS
32
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Background Thematic Analysis
Focus groups are an important part of gathering additional context for the workplace culture
organizational assessment. The input provided during focus groups has been used, along with
results of the all-employee engagement survey, to identify common issues, concerns,
challenges, and recommendations that will be used to help the City of Muskegon. These initial
themes will serve as the foundation for recommendations outlined in this report.
Theme
The initial thematic analysis from the focus groups is as follows:
1. Workplace culture
2. Safety and accountability
3. Leadership Impact / Readiness
4. Equity and policies
5. Communication and transparency
33
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Focus Group Results
MGT has identified the five (5) key areas of focus that emerged during this assessment from
the focus group activities and their findings. High-level recommendations and suggested tactics
have been developed and are included earlier in the report to assist with implementing each
recommendation.
Safety and Leadership Communication
Workplace Accountability Impact and
Equity and
and
Culture Policies
Readiness Transparency
Need for
implementation
Staff want to Need for a Need for more processes
continue to stronger direct regarding the
cultivate a presence and leadership use of newly Clearer and more
workplace specified involvement updated frequent
that feels processes for with staff and policies and communications
safe and reporting and modeling of feedback to staff
values their performance inclusive structures to
work reviews behaviors measure the
impact of said
policies on staff
Workplace Safety and Leadership Equity and Communication
Culture Accountability Impact and Policies and
Readiness Transparency
Foster Raise visibility for Revamp Gather staff input Face-to-face,
departmental guidelines for supervisor on policies cascade, and
collaboration reporting trainings reinforced
communications
for policy changes
and updates
Create a Design stronger Build trust with Awareness of Mitigation of
workplace culture two-way staff and model policies and exclusionary
language performance inclusivity understanding of measures because
reviews the impact on staff communications
and their work are missed and not
streamlined
Cultivate Account for a Understand Enhance policies Support inclusivity
organization-wide culture of workload and the not as easily through
and departmental retaliation and impact of policies accessible for staff communications
meetings for all favoritism on staff and leaders and transparency
staff
34
Page 95 of 135
OVERLAY FINDINGS
35
Page 96 of 135
Overlay Findings Overview
In reviewing the All-Employee Survey and focuss group finding results, there were key areas of
overlap that include the following below.
Workplace Culture Safety and Accountability Equity and Policies
• Create a workplace culture • Raise visibility for • Gather staff input on
language guidelines for reporting policies
• Desire to strengthen • Design stronger two-way • Awareness of policies and
workplace culture performance reviews understanding of the
impact on staff and their
• Desire to improve • Account for a culture of work
workplace culture efforts retaliation and favoritism
• Enhance policies not as
• Seeking genuine • Lack of support easily accessible for staff
workplace culture and leaders
implementation
• Equal access to
opportunities (training,
hiring, promotions)
36
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RECOMMENDATIONS
37
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Recommendations
MGT has identified five areas of focus that emerged during this assessment of the analysis of
the City of Muskegon’s all-employee and focus group findings. Below are recommendations for
the City and suggested tactics to assist in implementing each of the recommendations.
Focus Area 1: Enhancing Workplace Culture
An emphasis on bettering workplace culture directly impacts staff's daily experience,
motivation, well-being, and performance.
1. Strengthening the fabric of your existing workplace culture by reviewing your core values and
how they are expressed throughout the organization. Define these core values and revisit them
often. Embed them into onboarding, evaluations, and leadership competencies.
2. Prioritize well-being and work-life balance by incorporating the needs of staff into one-on-one
conversations.
3. Recognize and celebrate individual staff accomplishments and the organizational progress.
4. Foster inclusion by creating safe spaces for feedback and input by staff.
5. Empower teams and share leadership by promoting cross-departmental collaboration:
shadowing different divisions, offering a lunch series to get to know other teams, or working on
a project together.
6. Reduce hierarchy and establish one workplace culture by establishing times to meet and
converse with other divisions and teams.
38
Page 99 of 135
Recommendations
Focus Area 2: Safety and Accountability Measures
Incorporating safety and accountability measures in the workplace creates an environment
where staff can feel respected, supported, and empowered to do their best work.
Psychological safety allows employees to speak up, share ideas, and admit mistakes
without fear, while accountability ensures everyone takes responsibility for their actions
and contributes to shared goals.
1. Build psychological safety by setting clear expectations for respectful communications and
outlining said communications.
2. Hold mandatory trainings for supervisors on communication techniques, handling conflicts and
mistakes, building trust and inclusion, and how to apply the successful practical application of
psychological safety with staff.
3. Train supervisors on the intersection of workplace culture and psychological safety.
4. Align accountability with core values and establish clear metrics to track progress.
5. Provide regular feedback mechanisms, whether informal or formal. This can include staff input
at the end of a departmental meeting, one-on-one conversations, performance reviews, an
anonymous reporting line, and surveys.
6. Establish a formal two-way feedback process for staff and supervisors, and complete at least
annually.
7. Ensure consistency and fairness through evaluation and feedback.
8. Leadership must recognize ownership and responsibility for creating safe spaces and
embodying inclusive behaviors.
39
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Recommendations
Focus Area 3: Leadership Impact and Readiness
Effective leaders shape the work environment, set the tone for communication, and
influence opportunities for growth and success. When leaders are prepared and impactful,
they create clarity, foster trust, and support staff in navigating challenges.
1. Develop a leadership pipeline by identifying and investing in high-potential staff early by
creating a clear pathway from team member to leadership, using stretch assignments, job
shadowing, and rotational programs.
2. Align leadership development with succession planning.
3. Provide ongoing leadership training and continued education opportunities. Offer targeted
learning in emotional intelligence, conflict resolution, inclusive leadership, and strategic
thinking.
4. Blend formal training with experiential learning and peer exchange.
5. Foster mentorship and coaching, and tie organizational impact to leadership.
6. Embed a shadowing program in your everyday work to ensure leadership has strong visibility to
the type of work, challenges, and successes staff often encounter in their everyday work.
7. Increase engagement with staff and department heads through communication and "office
hours."
40
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Recommendations
Focus Area 4: Equity and Policies
Equity in workplace policies ensures that everyone is treated fairly, has equal access to
opportunities, and feels respected and valued regardless of their background or identity.
When equity is built into policies and practices, it creates a more inclusive and supportive
environment where staff can thrive without facing systemic barriers or bias.
1. Conduct equity audits at least annually to learn how current policies and practices are
impacting staff.
2. Develop and enforce equitable policies by writing policies that ensure fairness in treatment,
access, and expectations. Apply equally across staff where possible, except where bargaining
agreements may dictate alternate specified workforce policy standards.
3. Standardize hiring, evaluations, and promotions with clear criteria.
4. Build in equity checks for all new or revised policies.
5. Center equity in leadership decisions by making it a standing agenda item in meetings and an
expectation to report on equity goals.
6. Engage staff in policy developments. Host listening sessions or employee advisory groups and
use anonymous feedback tools to inform policy revisions.
7. Ensure equitable access to opportunities by removing barriers and actively involving
underrepresented staff. Offer inclusive mentorship, leadership development, and stretch
assignments. Make accommodations visible and easy to request.
41
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Recommendations
Focus Area 5: Communication and Transparency
Effective communication and transparency builds trust, reduce misunderstandings, and
create a sense of belonging. Transparency from leadership fosters accountability and
openness, which strengthens teamwork and encourages a culture where challenges can be
addressed honestly and collaboratively.
1. Establish clear communication channels, both formal and informal to keep a pulse on what staff
is experiencing. Use a mix of tools: emails, town halls, chat apps, newsletters. Tailor channels
for different types of messages (urgent updates vs. ongoing conversations).
2. Promote two-way communication. Encourage dialogue and not top-down messaging or tones.
3. Hold regular Q&A sessions with leadership. Create forums for staff feedback (surveys,
suggestion boxes, focus groups). Actively listen and respond to concerns.
4. Be open about decision making. Explain rationale, options considered and expected impact.
Share both successes and challenges honest. Builds trust and reduces rumors or
misinformation.
5. Maintain consistency and frequency to avoid information gaps. Set a predictable schedule for
updates. Use “pulse checks” to keep staff informed on ongoing projects.
6. Tailor communication to audience. Customize messages based on roles, teams, or locations.
Use language and formats that resonate with different groups. Avoid jargon or overly technical
language. Increases clarity and relevance, reducing confusion.
7. Encourage transparency in organizational goals and performance. Share organizational goals,
progress, and challenges openly. Publicize key metrics and updates. Celebrate milestones and
discuss areas needing improvement. Align staff around shared objectives and accountability.
42
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Conclusion
The City of Muskegon’s completion of the policy audit, All-Employee Survey, and staff focus
groups as part of this workplace culture assessment reflects a strong commitment to engaging
staff in shaping a more inclusive and supportive work environment. By actively involving
employees in the process, the City demonstrates that it values staff voices and experiences. Its
policies provide a solid foundation for building a workplace culture where everyone feels
welcome, heard, and empowered. The outcomes of this assessment highlight the City’s
dedication to embedding equity, access, and opportunity into the everyday systems that guide
how people work and grow within the organization.
Based on the areas of strength and opportunity discussed in the analyses for this assessment,
MGT offers the following three key recommendations that will advance the work already carried
out by the City:
1. Strengthen Transparency & Communication: Create structured, ongoing opportunities
for staff to share input and provide feedback on organizational changes, policies, and
initiatives.
This could include regular engagement surveys, listening sessions, anonymous suggestion
platforms, and feedback loops where staff can see how their voices influenced outcomes.
Prioritize visibility of staff contributions to reinforce a culture of openness and shared
ownership.
2. Foster Cross-Departmental Collaboration: Encourage divisions to work together on
shared staff engagement efforts that strengthen internal communication, break down silos,
and build a more connected organizational culture. This could include joint training sessions,
collaborative problem-solving projects, cross-functional working groups, or citywide staff
recognition events. Facilitate regular opportunities for divisions to learn from one another
and align on common goals related to inclusion, access, and workplace culture.
Engagement improves when divisions collaborate, share resources, and build relationships
that foster mutual support and a sense of unity across the organization.
3. Support Career Pathways: Develop clear, transparent career pathways and leadership
development opportunities that align with organizational values and staff input. Include
mentoring, stretch assignments, and equity-focused professional development to ensure all
employees can see a future for themselves within the organization. Actively promote these
programs and tie them to individual and departmental performance goals. Engagement
increases when staff feel supported in their growth and see the City investing in their future.
And lastly, ensure policies are in alignment to support career pathways, promotions, etc.
desired by staff and leaders.
The findings, insights, and recommendations presented will help guide the City’s strategic
updates to key policies, programs, and practices, ensuring a more equitable and inclusive
approach to both internal operations and external services. MGT appreciates the work of the
City’s project team, staff and leaders who contributed valuable perspectives, and time to inform
this second phase of the workplace culture assessment.
43
Page 104 of 135
Best Practices
Additional Best Practices – Anonymous Tip Hotline
Anonymous tip hotlines can be a powerful tool for promoting ethical behavior and
psychological safety in the workplace—especially when managed by Human Resources.
These best practices can help ensure they are effective, trusted, and aligned with a healthy
workplace culture.
1. Ensure True Anonymity
• Use third-party providers to manage the hotline (e.g., EthicsPoint, NAVEX, or AllVoices).
• Avoid collecting identifiable metadata (IP addresses, device info).
• Allow anonymous follow-up communication through secure portals.
2. Communicate Clearly and Often
• Promote the hotline in onboarding, training, and internal communications.
• Clarify what types of concerns can be reported (e.g., harassment, fraud, safety).
• Reassure employees that retaliation is strictly prohibited and monitored.
3. Align with Company Values
• Frame the hotline as part of a broader commitment to integrity, respect, and accountability.
• Include leadership endorsements to show top-down support.
• Integrate hotline usage into ethics and compliance training.
4. Monitor and Report Trends
• Track types of reports, resolution times, and outcomes (while preserving anonymity).
• Share aggregated data with leadership and employees to build trust.
• Use insights to improve policies, training, and culture.
5. Establish a Clear Investigation Protocol
• Define how reports are triaged, investigated, and resolved.
• Ensure investigators are trained in trauma-informed and unbiased practices.
• Maintain confidentiality throughout the process.
6. Foster a Speak-Up Culture
• Encourage open-door policies and multiple reporting channels (not just the hotline).
• Recognize employees who raise concerns constructively.
• Train managers to respond supportively to informal concerns.
7. Regularly Audit the System
• Conduct periodic reviews of hotline effectiveness and employee trust.
• Solicit anonymous feedback on the reporting process.
• Update policies and procedures based on audit findings.
44
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Best Practices
Additional Best Practices – Anonymous Two-Way Communication
Two-way anonymous communication is a feature in some workplace reporting systems that
allows employees to report concerns anonymously and still receive responses or engage in
dialogue with HR or investigators—without revealing their identity.
Here’s how it works and why it’s valuable.
1. How It Works
• Anonymous Submission: An employee submits a report via a secure platform (often
managed by a third-party provider).
• Unique Access Code or Alias: The system generates a code or allows the employee to
create an alias to check back later.
• Secure Messaging Portal: Human Resources or investigators can send follow-up
questions or updates through the portal.
• Employee Responds Anonymously: The employee can log in and reply without revealing
their identity.
2. Benefits
• Clarifies vague reports: Investigators can ask for more details or evidence.
• Builds trust: Employees feel safer knowing they can communicate without retaliation.
• Improves resolution: More accurate information leads to better outcomes.
• Supports psychological safety: Employees are more likely to speak up when they know
they’re protected.
3. Tools That Support It
• NAVEX Global (EthicsPoint)
• AllVoices
• RedFlag Reporting
• Whispli
• Convercent
These platforms offer encrypted, anonymous messaging systems that allow for ongoing
dialogue while maintaining confidentiality.
45
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Resources
This list of resources will support in advancing progress in the identified gaps mentioned in the
report. Resources list best practices. Frameworks and examples for use.
• Workplace Culture
• Government Can Win the Talent Race – Here's How
• Four Steps toward Fostering a High-Performing Culture in Government
• Changing Culture: 5 Principles for Interdependent Leadership
• Safety and Accountability
• Fostering Accountability in the Workplace: Strategies and Best Practices
• 9 Examples of Accountability at Work (Practical & Real-Life)
• Two-way accountability drives successful psychologically safe cultures
• Leadership Impact and Readiness
• The Leadership Gap: How to Fix What Your Organization Lacks
• Local Government Accountability 2023: How to Operate a Truly Ethical Local
Government
• A New Leadership Model Is Transforming Local Government
• Equity and Policies
• 15 Ideas for Promoting Equality and Diversity Within Local Government
• Advancing Racial Equity at the Local Government Level
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resources for Local Governments
• Recruiting for Local Government Positions
• Communication and Transparency
• 11 Best Practices for Effective Local Government Communication
• How to Increase Local Government Transparency Through Strategic Planning
• Building Trust: Effective Tools for Local Government
46
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Page 108 of 135
Agenda Item Review Form
Muskegon Legislative Policy Committee
Commission Meeting Date: February 25, 2026 Title: Clarifying Charter Amendment Language
Submitted by: Jonathan Seyferth, City Manager Department: Manager's Office
Brief Summary:
As we're aware, in November 2025, voters in the City of Muskegon approved a charter amendment
establishing term limits. The wording of the amendment, as noted by the Attorney General's and
Governor's Offices, creates a conflict within our charter and with the State of Michigan's Home Rule
Cities Charter Act. Would the commission like to consider putting on a clarifying amendment?
Detailed Summary & Background:
In November 2025, 58% of voters supported instituting term limits for the Muskegon City Commission.
This added language to the City Charter, which states in part, " A person may not serve on the City
Commission for terms or partial terms that combined total more than 12 years." This language
conflicts with the City Charter, as it does not prohibit someone from running, only from serving.
Additionally, this creates a conflict with State Law, specifically the Home Rule City Act (MCL
117.5(1)(d)) which states "...the term of a public official shall not be shortened or extended beyond
the period for which the office is elected or appointed, unless he or she resigns or is removed for
cause, if the office is held for a fixed term."
Please see the attached letters from the Governor's and Attorney General's offices, which provide
additional context on this conflict.
Would the City Commission like to put a clarifying amendment on the ballot that would prohibit
someone from running if they've served more than 12 years? City Commissioners can put Charter
Amendments on the ballot with a three-fifths majority vote (5 of 7 members). A petition process
would not be involved.
This is for discussion only and staff will act accordingly following this discussion.
Goal/Action Item:
Administrative Action
Is this a repeat item?:
Explain what change has been made to justify bringing it back to Commission:
Amount Requested: Budgeted Item:
Yes No N/A
Fund(s) or Account(s): Budget Amendment Needed:
Page 109 of 135
Yes No N/A
Recommended Motion:
Approvals: Name the Policy/Ordinance Followed:
Immediate Division
Head
Information
Technology
Other Division Heads
Communication
Legal Review
Page 110 of 135
STATE OF MICHIGAN
DEPARTMENT OF ATTORNEY GENERAL
P.O. BOX 30754
LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909
DANA NESSEL
ATTORNEY GENERAL
August 5, 2025
By email only
Honorable Gretchen Whitmer
Governor, State of Michigan
The George Romney Building
Lansing, MI 48909
Attention: Alexis Blane
Acting Chief Legal Counsel to the Governor
Re: City of Muskegon – Charter Amendment proposed by Initiative
Petition
Chapter III, Section 3 (City Commissioners; qualifications, term; holding
additional office, restriction.) – amended to establish a 12-year term limit for
service on the city commission and to state that ward elections became
effective November 2, 1982
Dear Governor Whitmer:
You have referred to this office the referenced charter amendment initiated
by a petition filed with the City of Muskegon clerk on April 25, 2025. The city clerk
has determined that the petitions are supported by a sufficient number of city
voters for submission at the November 2025 election. See Section 25 of the Home
Rule City Act (HRCA), 1909 PA 279, MCL 117.1 et seq., for the signature
requirements for charter amendments proposed by an initiative petition.
The city attorney also provided a pdf copy of the front and reverse side of the
petition for this amendment, which is enclosed. In addition, the attorney provided a
resolution of the city commission adopted on June 10, 2025, approving the ballot
language for the proposed amendment.
The proposed amendment establishes a term limit prohibiting service on the
city commission for terms or partial terms of more than 12 years and states that
ward elections became effective November 2, 1982. There are six former
Page 111 of 135
Honorable Gretchen Whitmer
Page 2
City of Muskegon charter amendment
August 5, 2025
commissioners, one current Commissioner, and the Mayor who may be ineligible to
serve if the proposed amendment is enacted.
To the extent that the proposed amendment would shorten the term of a
public official because that public official already served 12 years although their
current elected term had not expired, such shortening of the public official’s term
would be contrary to the HRCA. Section 117.5(1)(d) of the HRCA states: “ . . . The
term of a public official shall not be shortened or extended beyond the period for
which the official is elected or appointed, unless he or she resigns or is removed for
cause, if the office is held for a fixed term.”
In addition, the proposed amendment would be contrary to Section 36 of the
HRCA, which states that “[n]o provision of any city charter shall conflict with or
contravene the provisions of any general law of the state.”
However, since this proposed amendment is being proposed by an initiative
petition, it is noted that if the Governor declines to approve the amendment, Section
22 of the HRCA requires the amendment to be placed on the ballot for voter
approval notwithstanding the Governor’s disapproval.
Review of Ballot language
The Attorney General has a separate responsibility to review proposed ballot
language for compliance with the requirements of Section 21(2) of the HRCA,
including being accurate, impartial, and not more than 100 words, exclusive of
caption.
I have examined the ballot language for the proposed amendment as set forth
in the City Commission’s resolution and conclude that the ballot language conforms
to the requirements of Section 21(2) of the HRCA, including being accurate,
impartial, and not more than 100 words, exclusive of caption.
Sincerely,
/s/Lisa M. Barwick
Lisa M. Barwick
Assistant Attorney General
State Operations Division
(517) 335-7573
LMB:bjb
Encs.
Page 112 of 135
Honorable Gretchen Whitmer
Page 3
City of Muskegon charter amendment
August 5, 2025
Correspondence from the Governor’s office dated June 25, 2025, which includes
the Initiative petition (front and reverse sides)
cc by email only with encs.:
Ann Meisch, Muskegon City Clerk, [email protected]
John Schrier, Muskegon City Attorney, [email protected]
Kristina Gierhart, Executive Assistant, Governor’s Office,
[email protected]
2025-0429488-B
Page 113 of 135
June 25, 2025
Jessica McGivney
Attorney General’s Office
State Operations Division
G. Mennen Williams Building
Second Floor
RE: Proposed Charter Amendment via Initiative Petition – City of Muskegon
Dear Ms. McGivney,
Enclosed please find a proposed charter amendment from the City of Muskegon for your
legal review.
I have included a copy of my cover letter to City Attorney for the City of Muskegon,
John C. Schrier, for your files. Please let me know if our office may provide you with
any further information.
Sincerely,
/s/ Kristina Gierhart
Kristina Gierhart
Executive Assistant for Legal Services
Office of Governor Whitmer
(517) 241-5630
GEORGE W. ROMNEY BUILDING • 111 SOUTH CAPITOL AVENUE • LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909
www.michigan.gov
PRINTED IN-HOUSE Page 114 of 135
June 25, 2025
John C. Schrier
Parmenter Law
801 Terrace St.
Muskegon, MI 48440
Re: Proposed Charter Amendment via Initiative Petition – City of Muskegon
Dear Mr. Schrier,
On behalf of Governor Whitmer, I am responding to your email and attachments dated
June 25, 2025. I am forwarding your information to the Attorney General’s Office for legal
review of the proposed charter amendment for the City of Muskegon. Our office will
respond upon completion of that review and recommendation.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
/s/ Kristina Gierhart
Kristina Gierhart
Executive Assistant
Office of Governor Whitmer
c: Attorney General’s Office, State Operations Division
GEORGE W. ROMNEY BUILDING • 111 SOUTH CAPITOL AVENUE • LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909
www.michigan.gov
PRINTED IN-HOUSE Page 115 of 135
-- ---- PARMENTER
Visit 601 Terrace Street, Muskegon, Ml 49440
Mail PO Box 786, Muskegon, Ml 49443-0786
Webwww.parmenterlaw.com
LAY/
August12,2025
VIA E-MAIL ONLY
Jonathan Seyferth
City Manager
City of Muskegon
933 Terrace Street
Muskegon, Ml 49442
Re: Charter Amendment: Term Limitation
Dear Mr. Seyferth:
Attached please find a copy of Governor Gretchen Whitmer letter to me dated August
11, 2025. The Governor does not approve the proposed charter amendment because
the proposed amendment is contrary to state law.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our office.
Very truly yours,
/25<'
~ n C. S~hrier
Shareholder
Direct P: (231) 722-5401
Direct F: (231) 722-5501
Email: [email protected]
c: Ann Meisch (with attachment)
Page 116 of 135
....,~\
· •'.\:
.· ~.;,~:~
.'rt
\ \~~~ I
•.·.· )J
-,~,
STATE OF MICHIGAN
GRETCHEN WHITMER OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR GARLIN GILCHRIST II
GOVERNOR LANSING LT. GOVERNOR
August 11, 2025
John C. Schrier
Parmenter Law
601 Terrace St.
Muskegon,Ml49440
Re: City of Muskegon - Proposed Charter Amendment via Initiative Petition
Dear Mr. Schrier,
I am following up on the proposed charter amendment that you submitted to my office on
June 25, 2025. The proposed charter amendment was initiated by a petition filed on April
25, 2025, with the city clerk of the City of Muskegon.
Based on the review by the Department of Attorney General, I am notifying you that I do not
approve the proposed amendment pursuant to the Home Rule City Act (HRCA), 1909 PA 279,
MCL 117.1 et seq.
As the Department of Attorney General notes in its August 5th letter, the proposed
amendment, at least in part, is inconsistent with the HRCA. MCL ll 7.5(1)(d) of the HRCA
states: "... The term of a public official shall not be shortened or extended beyond the period
for which the official is elected or appointed, unless he or she resigns or is removed for cause,
if the office is held for a fixed term." Section 36 of the HRCA, furthermore, states that "[n]o
provision of any city charter shall conflict with or contravene the provisions of any general
law of the state."
Please contact my office if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Gretchen Whitmer
Governor
c: Attorney General's Office, State Operations Division
GEORGE W. ROMNEY BUILDING • 111 SOUTH CAPITOL AVENUE • LANSING, MICHIGAN 48909
www.michigan.gov
PRINTED IN-HOUSE
Page 117 of 135
Agenda Item Review Form
Muskegon Legislative Policy Committee
Commission Meeting Date: February 25, 2026 Title: State & Federal Legislative Update
Submitted by: Peter Wills, Director of Department: Manager's Office
Governmental Relations
Brief Summary:
Staff to share updates on State and Federal issues and their impact on the City of Muskegon
Detailed Summary & Background:
Staff to share updates on State and Federal issues and their impact on the City of Muskegon
Goal/Action Item:
2027 GOAL 3: COMMUNITY CONNECTION - Strong ties among government and community agencies
Is this a repeat item?:
Explain what change has been made to justify bringing it back to Commission:
Amount Requested: Budgeted Item:
NA Yes No N/A X
Fund(s) or Account(s): Budget Amendment Needed:
NA Yes No N/A X
Recommended Motion:
Discussion only
Approvals: Name the Policy/Ordinance Followed:
Immediate Division X
Head
Information
Technology
Other Division Heads
Communication
Legal Review
Page 118 of 135
Legislative Report, February 2026
Bill # Detail Status
HB 4081 Amends the Land Division Act to authorize counties/municipalities to increase number of parcels resulting from Senate Local Gov
division for the first 10 acres of a parent parcel from four to ten.
HB 4170 Income Tax cut to 4.05% Senate floor since 8/13/25
HB 4260-61 Public Safety Trust Fund, distribution of funds Senate Approps since 4/26/25
HB 4311-12 Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, creation of fund House Gov Ops since 4/15/25
HB 4410 Modifies definition of abandoned property to allow a local unit to secure the property to prevent trespass. House Gov Ops since 5/1/25
SB 19-22 Tenant Empowerment Package for renters Senate floor since 6/17/25
HB 4503/04 Modifies state historic preservation tax credit program House Comm on Economic
Competitiveness since 5/21/25
HB 4539/40 Modifies housing and community development fund; same as SB 239 from last session House Comm on Economic
Competitiveness since 6/4/25
HB 5073 Raises the cap of available funds in the Transformational Brownfield Program – income and property taxes may House Comm on Economic
be captured up to 20-30 years after the project is completed. Current cap is $1.8B on the state taxes that can be Competitiveness since 9/29/25
captured. Since 2017 and 10 funded projects there is $30M available. The bill would increase post-construction
tax capture limit to $2.4B and extend it to 12/31/27.
HB 5138-40 Creates a lodging accommodations tax that includes STRs and allocates a portion of revenue back to local units. House Comm on Economic
Requires online lodging platforms to collect and remit state use tax on accommodation at time of payment. Competitiveness since
Authorizes local units to levy up to a 3% accommodations tax on all lodging types including STRs. 10/28/25
HB 5304 requires that dredged materials be used for beach nourishment House Comm on Natural
Resources and Tourism
1
Page 119 of 135
HB 5305-06 Extends the Commercial Redevelopment Act to 12/31/35 – the date after which a new commercial facilities House floor 12/9/25
exemption certificate may be issued. Two local projects are impacted – 356 W. Western Ave (Century Club Bldg)
and 1937 Lakeshore Dr. (Harbor Theatre); staff have also had discussions with potential owners of Russell Block
building. Sunsets need to be extended. PA 255
SB 248-256 Creates a low-income water affordability program within DHHS to ensure eligible customers do not pay more Senate floor since 11/5/25
than 30% of their household income on a water bill.
SB 319 Reintroduction of minimum staffing legislation; making minimum staffing levels for PA 312 employees (police House Gov Operations since
and fire) a mandatory topic of collective bargaining. 6/26/25
SB 278 Modifies the housing and community development fund program. MSHDA administers the program for the Senate Housing & Human
purpose of making financing available to meet the housing needs of low-income and to finance projects in a Services since 5/1/25
downtown area or adjacent neighborhood in the State. The bill would expand the Program's scope by making its
financing available to middle-income households (not more than 120% AMI) and deleting the requirement that
financed projects be in a downtown area or adjacent neighborhood.
SB 484/485 Provides for the exemption of certain tax delinquent property sold or otherwise conveyed by a foreclosing Senate Housing & Human
governmental unit and Provides for the application of tax reverted property specific tax to certain tax Services since 7/17/25
delinquent property sold or otherwise conveyed by a foreclosing governmental unit.
SB 721-722 Extends the Commercial Rehabilitation Act to 12/31/35 – the date after which a new commercial rehab House Finance, 12/10/26
exemption certificate may be issued. Two local projects are impacted – 356 W. Western Ave (Century Club Bldg)
and 1937 Lakeshore Dr. (Harbor Theatre); staff have also had discussions with potential owners of Russell Block
building. Sunsets need to be extended; PA 210
SB 723 Makes programs changes to the Transformational Brownfield Program – projects with a total development cost House Comm on Economic
of $100M or more to provide a fiscal analysis of the anticipated fiscal benefits to the State. For projects Competitiveness
proposed to use more than 50% of income tax capture revenue, that any affordable housing agreements include
a requirement that at least 20% of the housing units be available to income qualified households. Projects
approved after the bill’s effective date, the duration of a construction tax capture period would be limited to
10yrs after ground is broken. The maximum tax capture would be $300M for any project approved after the
effective date of the bill. The total tax capture of the program would increase from $1.6B to $3.5B.
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LOCAL
ARPA Community Grants, as of 12/31/25
- 25 - total approved grants ($1.6M)
- 21 - projects paid the entirety of their grant. In-progress projects include Every Woman’s Place, MI
Crossroads Council-Boy Scouts, Sheldon Park NA, Mediation & Restorative Services, and HBCU Club of
Muskegon.
- As of 12/31/25 - $1,558,000 of the total $1.6M has been spent.
Climate Action
- Staff met with Grants Management contractor, Wade Trim Inc, to review potential state/federal grant
opportunities. Aside from identifying funds for Climate Action projects, other targeted projects to pursue
funding include police body camera/tasers and roof repairs at City Hall and Central Fire Station.
- Staff met with Johnson Controls to develop next steps as part of the Energy Performance Contract for
various Public Works assets.
- Staff meets quarterly to review the four focus areas of the municipal Climate Action Plan (CAP) – Buildings
& Facilities, Vehicles, Waste, and Land Use & Resiliency
- $16,000 remains on an ($75K) EGLE Community Energy Management (CEM) grant and will be applied
towards the buildout of EV charging stations in the downtown and at the beach. Most of the original grant
funds were used to draft the Climate Action Plan.
- The city will be entering into a one-year agreement with the Michigan Green Building
Collaborative (MiGBC) to provide automated building energy benchmarking services through
ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager for select city facilities.
- Urban Tree Canopy Inventory – staff have worked to complete an inventory of city’s tree canopy.
According to TreeKeeper, there were 14,140 calculated trees located in the city. Total benefits calculated
over 20 years indicated a value of $3,286,584.58.
o Carbon dioxide uptake - $1,978,552.03
o Carbon sequestered 9,144,560.55 pounds
o CO2 equivalent of 33,530,055.35 pounds
o Storm water mitigation - $599,784.33
o Runoff avoided 67,119,987.38 gallons
o Rainfall intercepted 372,818,791.06 pounds
o Air pollution removal - $708,248.22
o Carbon monoxide 56,081.29 ounces; ozone 3,22,199.88 ounces; nitrogen dioxide 47,928.71
ounces; sulfer dioxide 127,823.85 ounces; PM2.5 243,234.44 ounces
MEDC RAP 1.0 grant ($6M)
- Funds remaining from the MEDC Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) 1.0 grant continue to be spent
down from the original $6M award. Approximately $2.5M remains dedicated to LakeView Lofts II.
MI DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE & RURAL DEVELOPMENT (MDARD) grant
• Staff have recently submitted a grant proposal to MDARD for the renovation and expansion of
the Farmers Market. MDARD is seeking to make strategic investments in projects with a priority
in maintaining food safety, increasing food affordability, and furthering economic pathways for
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the state’s next generation of farmers. Grant funding would help to expand Kitchen 242 and the
Market Barn to strengthen our local food supply and provide year-round food access to our
wonderful facility.
STATE
Governor’s FY27 State Budget Recommendation
Declining federal dollars and new eligibility requirements for Medicaid and food assistance are creating
significant pressures on this year’s state budget resulting in a $1.8B gap in funding. To address these
pressures, the governor is proposing a three-part strategy to address this gap.
• $630M in reductions, efficiencies and redirection of existing revenue.
• $400M in reserves from the state’s rainy day fund.
• $780M in new revenue.
Budget items of note –
MDARD – MI Department of Agriculture and Rural Development
• $4M in continued funding and $1 million one-time funding for the Fair Food Network Double Up
Food Bucks Program to support Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants by
matching their SNAP benefits spent on fruits and vegetables at participating food establishments.
EGLE – MI Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy
• $11M for contaminated site remediation through an increase in the solid waste surcharge paid per
ton of waste deposited at a landfill.
• $2M for local infrastructure preparedness and protection to conduct climate vulnerability
assessments in local communities.
LEO – MI Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity
• $50M ongoing for the Housing and Community Development Program to continue alleviating
affordable housing needs while also revitalizing communities in Michigan. This investment is
intended to be used for a range of projects including neighborhood revitalization and infill housing
development.
Secretary of State
• $29 million for Election Regulation and Security
DTMB – MI Department of Technology, Management and Budget
• $43.2M to support local election administration, including the purchasing and replacement of voting
equipment in compliance with federal guidelines.
• $6.7M for Michigan’s Public Safety Communications System (MPSCS) to provide necessary staffing
resources and lifecycle upgrades in support of system equipment, security and maintenance. The
MPSCS provides emergency communication to public safety agencies and supports over 155,000
radios for first responders.
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MDOT – MI Department of Transportation
• $122.5M in road and bridge funding for cities and villages
• $43.4M increase in Local Bus Operating assistance to local transit agencies and a $51 million increase
in capital support for transit and rail projects.
• $5.3M for a new Maritime and Port Facility Office. This new office will coordinate activity related to
ports and administer grant funding from the Maritime and Port Facility Assistance Fund created in
PA 159 of 2022.
Revenue Sharing
• This budget proposal holds statutory revenue sharing harmless for CTVs, maintaining funding at the
current level of $333 million.
• Constitutional revenue sharing is projected at approximately $1.045 billion. While overall sales tax
collections — which fund constitutional revenue sharing — are increasing, the total available for
distribution is lower than it otherwise would have been due to changes enacted last year as part of
the road funding plan. Treasury has released updated projections which are available here.
City additional new road funding estimates
- FY26 Fuel Tax Increase (2/3 FY) - $1,162,110.01
- FY26 Neighborhood Road Funds - $2,082,992.55
- FY27 Fuel Tax Increase - $1,829,569.85
- FY Neighborhood Road Funds – $2,567,409.41
City investment needed
- $360M, based on lane miles (March 2025)
- PASER rating mileage summary
o Good – 43.177 lane miles are in Good condition
o Fair – 143.426 lane miles are in Fair condition
▪ Total rehab or mill/fill est - $1,320,000 per lane mile or $332,484,240
o Poor – 251.882 lane miles are in Poor
▪ Total reconstruction est - $200,000 per lane mile or $28,685,200
Public Safety Revenue Sharing
City of Muskegon –
o $277,763 (estimate per year); funds can be used for operational and capital expenditures
that serve the purposes of public safety.
The release of the Governor’s budget marks only the first step in the process. Both the House and
Senate will put forward their own proposals, and negotiations will ultimately determine the final
outcome.
Further information about the governor’s budget proposal can be found in the materials posted on the
State Budget Office website and the following links:
• FY27 Budget Book
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• FY27 Education Omnibus
• FY27 General Omnibus
• FY27 Executive Budget Recommendation Presentation
• FY27 Executive Budget Recommendation General Briefing Papers
Priorities of the Urban Core Mayors for 2026 include –
- Revenue Sharing Trust Fund: Special focus will remain on establishing a more permanent funding
stream for local units of government in future state budgets.
- Housing: Earlier this year, the MML created the MI Home Program to support investment in
accelerating housing construction and rehabilitation. Also, zoning preemption efforts may
continue to exist which would erode local control.
- Property Tax Reform: Comments around this issue could include potential reforms to Proposal A
or Michigan’s “pop-up” tax which is the increase in property taxes that occurs when property is
sold or transferred.
- The UCM also discussed several other items including homelessness; adding rental units and not
minimizing its importance as an option for residents; public transit; and increasing revenue from
the real estate transfer tax for housing.
- McKinney-Vento Continuum of Care (CoC) programming was also mentioned as an area to
monitor. These funds focus on the annual competition cycle for the federal HUD CoC Program,
which provides grants to communities to end homelessness. For schools, 2025 is the final year of
the 2022-2025 grant cycle for the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act's education
program, which supports local educational agencies in their work with students in temporary
housing.
FEDERAL
Congresswoman Scholten visit to the city – 2/18/26
• Congresswoman Hillary Scholten was in Muskegon on February 18th as part of a regular in-district visit.
Her office requested to meet with city and county staff, in addition to the Muskegon Lakeshore Chamber
and GMED.
• She held an informal roundtable discussion of current issues, and allowed staff to share information and
provide updates on relevant projects and initiatives.
• We appreciated her accessibility and willingness to remain engaged with our community and provide
assistance, where needed.
Watershed Assessment
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• On behalf of the city, Congresswoman Scholten’s office will be requesting authorization of a watershed
assessment, through the U.S. Army Corps, that will help us look at how our floodplains and stream banks are
shaped and study how new culverts or bridges would interact with and fit within the environment. The goal is
to better understand the city's future obligations for road crossings and impacted culverts. When replacement
is required, it's likely that many of the crossings will need to be much larger culverts or even bridges.
• Generally, watershed assessments are planning initiatives that have a multi-purpose and multi-objective
scope and are designed to address integrated water resources management. Possible areas of investigation
for a watershed assessment include water supply, watershed protection, ecosystem restoration, navigation
and port management activities, flood damage reduction, drought preparedness, and regional economic
development.
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Agenda Item Review Form
Muskegon Legislative Policy Committee
Commission Meeting Date: February 25, 2026 Title: RxKids Community Champions & Financial
Support
Submitted by: Jonathan Seyferth, City Manager Department: Manager's Office
Brief Summary:
The city of Muskegon has agreed to be the Community Champion for the local RxKids program.
Please see the attached program information for additional details on the program. The topic of
tonight's conversation will be our financial support for the program, which is requested at $50,000 per
year for each of the next 3 years, for a total of $150,000.
Detailed Summary & Background:
The City of Muskegon is being asked to contribute $50,000 per year for three years (total $150,000) to
support the expansion of Rx Kids, a statewide maternal and infant cash support program.
The Muskegon/Muskegon Heights Rx Kids program will provide direct, unconditional cash payments
to pregnant residents and infants during the first six (6) months of life. Families receive a $1,500
prenatal payment and $500 per month during infancy, helping stabilize households during a critical
period of development.
The Community Foundation for Muskegon County has already committed $150,000 over three years,
equal to the $150,000 we're being asked to consider. Additional local partners are expected to
contribute, bringing total annual local support to approximately $288,000 (the required match by the
state of Michigan). The three-year local match is about $866,000 dollars.
This local investment will leverage more than $2.3 million in state funding for Muskegon County each
year, totaling more than $6.9 million over the three-year life of the program.
Staff is recommending that we take the $150,000 from a portion of the City's Committed Fund
Balance that has been set aside for the Social Equity Program but has not been spent. Currently,
$382,000 sits in this committed account. Using $150,000 over three years would still leave more than
$230,000 for Social Equity Programming.
It is important to note that committed funds do not count toward the City's unassigned fund balance.
So this action would not impact the uncommitted fund balance.
In addition to financially contributing to the program, the City of Muskegon will also serve as the
Community Champion. Those responsibilities include:
• Leading outreach and community engagement to ensure families know about and enroll in
the program.
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• Helping raise awareness about Rx Kids and elevate the stories of participating families.
• Hosting community events to build connections and visibility.
• Working with a network of local stakeholders to maintain program integrity and long-term
support for families.
• Verifying residency of participants (participants must live in the city of Muskegon or Muskegon
Heights).
Our Communications team has reviewed these engagement requirements and are confident they
can deliver the needed requirements.
Residents of Muskegon and Muskegon Heights will be eligible to participate.
Other communities participating in this program across Michigan include:
City of Flint (where the program originated)
City of Kalamazoo
Eastern Upper Peninsula Counties
City of Pontiac
Clare County
Royal Oak Township
City of Hazel Park
City of Dearborn
City of Hamtramck
City of Highland Park
City of Inkster
City of Melvindale
City of River Rouge
City of Yipsilanti
Gladwin County
Roscommon County
City of Saginaw
Buena Vista Township
Bridgeport Township
City of Benton Harbor
City of Niles
City of Buchanan
Benton Charter Township
Lake County
City of Detroit
Goal/Action Item:
2027 Goal 2: Economic Development Housing and Business
Is this a repeat item?:
Explain what change has been made to justify bringing it back to Commission:
Amount Requested: Budgeted Item:
$150,000 Yes No X N/A
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Fund(s) or Account(s): Budget Amendment Needed:
City restircted fund balance - Social Equity Yes X No N/A
Program Dollars
Recommended Motion:
I move to approve funding the RxKids program out of the City's Committee Fund for the Social Equity
Program in the amount of $50,000 per year for the next three years, totaling $150,000.
Approvals: Name the Policy/Ordinance Followed:
Immediate Division X
Head
Information
Technology
Other Division Heads X
Communication X
Legal Review
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Agenda Item Review Form
Muskegon Legislative Policy Committee
Commission Meeting Date: February 25, 2026 Title: Citizen's Request to Speak Form
Submitted by: Ann Meisch, City Clerk Department: City Clerk
Brief Summary:
This is a request to add the following statement on the Citizen's Request to Speak Form. "Check this
box to give the city permission to share this form, including your personal information, with media
outlets for potential interviews or follow-up upon request."
Detailed Summary & Background:
From time-to-time we receive a request from the media or others for contact information of someone
who spoke at a meeting. We normally reach out to the individual in these cases and ask permission
to share this information. By placing this statement with a checkbox on the form, would eliminate this
step.
Goal/Action Item:
2027 Goal 1: Destination Community & Quality of Life
Is this a repeat item?:
Explain what change has been made to justify bringing it back to Commission:
Amount Requested: Budgeted Item:
Yes No N/A
Fund(s) or Account(s): Budget Amendment Needed:
Yes No N/A
Recommended Motion:
Approvals: Name the Policy/Ordinance Followed:
Immediate Division
Head
Information
Technology
Other Division Heads
Communication
Legal Review
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