East Lansing

ELPS Bussing Costs // Mike Conlin

Back of a School Bus

EAST LANSING PUBLIC SCHOOL’S BUSSING COSTS

The recent controversy about the transition plans associated with ELPS implementing their elementary school reconfiguration made me curious about ELPS’s bussing costs.

I was shocked to find that ELPS spent $1,171,207 on student transportation in academic year 2017-18.  The graph below shows that this is a 61% ($443,478) increase in ELPS’s student transportation costs over the past eleven years.  Note that contracting out ELPD’s general education bussing to Dean Transportation, through the Ingham Intermediate … Read more →

Council’s attempt to dictate lease terms // Brian Hagan

Michigan Lease Drafting and Landlord-Tenant Law clip

While we’re mindful that the general public is not always sympathetic to issues involving landlords and the city, we think it’s important to provide some perspective on Ordinance 1444; which will appear on the council’s business agenda at it’s meeting tomorrow (Tuesday, 12/4) night.  This ordinance is an example of council involving themselves in the contractual dealings of a private business.  Whether you’re business owner or not, you should be concerned that our council feels they have the right to … Read more →

Let’s stop playing checkers and start playing chess // Mike Conlin

East Lansing Public Schools [ logo ]

Many parents with children in East Lansing Public Schools (ELPS) have been in an uproar the past couple of days over the crazy transition plans the school board proposed.

As ELPS begins to implement their elementary school reconfiguration, it is clear that no one has done any credible analysis of: (i) how the elementary school catchment areas should be drawn; (ii) how the school of choice decisions should vary across schools and grades; (iii) how permeable boundary requests affect these … Read more →

Bird Scooter Blocking Sidewalk: Open Letter to Eldon Evans, East Lansing Pace Director and County Dispatch // Patrick Levine Rose

Bird Scooter, East Lansing

Dear City of East Lansing Pace Director Eldon Evans and City Manager George Lahanas
(cc: East Lansing Police Cadet M. Moore) (Open Letter on Public Response):

There is a Bird scooter blocking the sidewalk (to prevent a bike or wheel chair from being able to make safe passage down the street).

The street is a high traffic area at the corner of Abbot Rd and Whitehills Dr where many school children walk home. See picture. Please ask a Pace … Read more →

Property Taxes Still Not Paid for Dublin Square // Eliot Singer

Dublin Square building - East Lansing

According to City of East Lansing Assessment and Tax information, 327 Abbott Road, LLC, has yet to pay its summer 2018 real property taxes of $41,779.30, now plus interest, since August 31. This is the real property for Dublin Square.

Authentic Properties, LLC, owes $11,010.80 in summer 2018 personal property taxes, plus interest.

I have not checked whether past taxes referred to Ingham County have been paid, but the point is moot.

It is a violation of the city charter … Read more →

Candidates for East Lansing School Board // Matt Kazmierski

East Lansing Public Schools [ logo ]

On November 6th, East Lansing residents will be voting to elect four school board members. There are currently six candidates running for the open seats. Below you will find some helpful, informational links on the various candidates.

If any of our Public Response readers have additional questions that they would like to ask the candidates, please reply to this email… and if we receive enough, we will put forth your questions to the candidates and post their responses in another … Read more →

Recycling in East Lansing // Matt Kazmierski

EL Recycling Cart and Truck

Recyling in East Lansing is bi-weekly, and I have noticed a ton of recycling bins around town that are put out on the wrong weeks.

I created myself a Google Calendar reminder so that I know which weeks I should put our bin out… but I’m wondering what could be done so all residents can keep track of when their bins should be put out. I feel like the City could post different calendar files/links to subscribe to for the … Read more →

What Happened to voting for the best candidate? // Scott Bame

I don’t vote color. I vote the best candidate. Back when Debbie Stabenow who was holding office as an Ingham County commissioner and running to be a state rep. I helped her in her campaign. Once elected she lied to me deliberately on how she voted on a specific bill. She said she would vote for the bill and did not, but said that she had voted for the bill. The next year a similar bill was introduced and she … Read more →

Tolerance…and Opportunity // Bill Weckesser

Tolerance in East Lansing took a hit yesterday as my John James yard sign was deliberately bent over.

We have an historic opportunity in Michigan to elect our state’s first African American US Senator! This is so important. The symbolism of an African American representing Michigan—home of the infamous Detroit riots—cannot be denied.

For many in East Lansing voting for an African American republican for high office will be a litmus test of the depth of their convictions for racial … Read more →

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