How to Get Involved

A sunny view of the front entrance to East Lansing City Hall. Lush green trees flank the entrance, flowers are in the well-kept landscaping out front and a tall red metal sculpture is visible off to the side under a blue sky with a few clouds.

Attend City Council Meetings

There are many ways East Lansing residents can get involved with city council and share their perspectives on policies and important issues impacting our city.

You may attend city council meetings, which are open to the public. Anyone is welcome to speak at these meetings during the public comment period. Be sure to check the meeting agenda on the City of East Lansing’s Public Meeting Portal to see when this period takes place; there may be other agenda items beforehand.

The East Lansing City Council meets Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road. You can find the calendar of meetings on the City Council website.

If you aren’t able to attend a City Council meeting, you can watch it live online through the City of East Lansing’s Public Meeting Portal. Comcast TV customers can also watch it on WELG (Ch. 22). If you can’t watch it live, you can watch the recording, which is archived in the Public Meeting Portal. You can also sign up for the Dialog E-Newsletter, which is a recap of City Council meetings delivered to your inbox every Friday.

Attend a Board or Commission Meeting (or Serve on One!)

The City of East Lansing also has many boards and commissions made up of citizen volunteers. These range from the Arts Commission to the Zoning Board of Appeals and everything in between:

  • Arts Commission
  • Art Selection Panel
  • Board of Review
  • Brownfield Redevelopment Authority
  • Building Board of Appeals
  • Commission on the Environment
  • Downtown Development Authority
  • Downtown Management Board
  • East Lansing Independent Police Oversight Commission
  • East Lansing-Meridian Water & Sewer Authority
  • Economic Development Corporation
  • Historic District Commission
  • Housing Commission
  • Human Rights Commission
  • Income Tax Board of Review
  • Library Board of Trustees
  • Officers Compensation Commission
  • Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission
  • Planning Commission
  • Seniors Commission
  • Transportation Commission
  • University Housing Commission
  • Youth Commission
  • Zoning Board of Appeals

The public is welcome to attend these meetings, which also have public comment periods. There are sometimes vacancies on these boards and commission, which you can apply to serve on. These boards and commissions make recommendations to City Council and are among the best ways to get involved in an issue early on in the process.

That’s how I first got involved years ago — by serving on the Human Rights Commission and later becoming Chair. I also served as Chair of the Study Committee on an Independent Police Oversight Commission. The Study Committee developed recommendations to City Council on how to structure and launch a new permanent Independent Police Oversight Commission.

Contact Me to Share Your Perspective

I welcome your feedback! All of East Lansing’s Councilmembers may be contacted via phone or email, and their information is available on the “Meet the Council” page on the City Council website. My contact information is:

Cell: (517) 899-7277
chuck.grigsby@cityofeastlansing.com

Vote in City Council Elections

You can also make your voice heard by engaging in the democratic process by voting, volunteering and donating to city council candidates like myself. My term began when I was elected to City Council in November 2025 and ends November 2029.

City Councilmembers each serve overlapping four-year terms, and elections are typically held in odd-numbered years (sometimes referred to as “off-year elections,” which take place between presidential election years and midterms, which are in even-numbered years). Each Councilmember’s terms are listed on the “Meet the Council” page on the main City Council website.

East Lansing has five Councilmembers, all of whom are elected at-large across the city (rather than representing a particular ward, as the City of Lansing does). 

The elected Councilmembers then appoint a Mayor and Mayor Pro Tem — which is how I was selected to serve as Mayor Pro Tem. The Council also appoints the City Attorney and the City Manager, who is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the City government.