I spend a lot of time at the Council table, but some of the most important work in our city happens long before anything ever gets there. That’s why I wanted to get out from behind the Council table and spend time with the people who do this work every day.
I spent some time with the City of East Lansing’s Planning, Building & Housing Department and got to meet the team, learn more about what they actually do, and get a better understanding of just how much happens behind the scenes.
They even put me through a department-wide trivia challenge — and I’ll admit, they made me work for some of those answers. I also happened to show up on potluck day, so my timing wasn’t too bad either.
But there’s a bigger purpose behind this.
I believe part of serving well is understanding the people, processes, and work behind the decisions that eventually come before Council. And just as importantly, I want to help make local government a little more understandable and accessible to the people we serve.
Check out the video:

And a big thank you to everyone in Planning, Building & Housing for opening their doors and letting me spend some time with the team.
Meeting the people. Understanding the work. Bringing you along