PHOTO BY JOHN FRYMAN / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
PUBLIC COMMENTS … Bryan Board of Public Affairs member Bob Eyre (above) addresses Bryan City Council members on Monday, September 15, regarding the proposed amendment to dissolve the BPA.
By: John Fryman
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
john@thevillagereporter.com’
Bryan City Council approved the second reading of an ordinance to place on the ballot the proposal to dissolve the Bryan Board of Public Affairs at its meeting on Monday, September 15.
The ordinance, if approved by voters, would dissolve the elected Board of Public Affairs and bring Bryan Municipal Utilities under the direction and supervision of the mayor and city council.
All council members were present: Richard Hupe, Jim Kozumplik, John Betts, Mary Leatherman, and Stephen Alspaugh, along with Mayor Carrie Schlade and Clerk-Treasurer John Lehner. Following the roll call, the Pledge of Allegiance was recited.
Three Board of Public Affairs members, Bob Eyre, Karen Ford, and Annette Schreiner, along with resident Steve Cox, addressed council members regarding concerns about the proposed ballot issue.
Cox inquired about the financial cost of putting the amendment on the ballot. Schlade responded to Cox’s question, saying she didn’t know the exact number of what it could cost.
“If you are on a ballot that is not special, you do have to pay for a portion of what your community would do,” explained the mayor.
“Again, when you do it on a gubernatorial election, it will cost less. I called the Board of Elections office to try to get that. And there is a required publication in the most circulated newspaper that would be required if this measure passes.”
Schreiner, who also serves as chairman of the BPA, told council members that Bryan is again facing a pivotal moment in the city’s history.
“The ordinance has been proposed to be placed on the ballot to amend our city charter and an amendment that would dissolve the elected Board of Public Affairs and to transfer its responsibilities to the mayor and city council,” said Schreiner.
“Let me be clear about the intention behind this proposal may be to increase deficiencies and to have a smaller and more modernized form of government, we must ask ourselves at what cost.”
She then added, “Are the voters really going to know what the intentions are of a modernized government? The BPA has been a cornerstone of our communities’ infrastructure.
“We are not just a board; we are ambassadors of Bryan’s commitment to delivering reliable, locally managed utility services. We are stewards of long-term stability, focusing solely on ensuring our utilities meet the needs of the people, not political agendas, not short-term gains, but you, the residents and taxpayers of Bryan.”
Ford, who has been a board member since 2014, appealed to council members to vote no on the proposed amendment to the ballot.
“I’m here to ask the council to vote no on the ordinance to eliminate the Board of Public Affairs,” said Ford. “The BMU has been and should remain a separate business entity.”
Eyre expressed his own concern towards council members, saying there are major issues regarding the proposed amendment.
“Each of you (council members) represent twenty percent of Bryan residents,” said Eyre. “You have an opportunity to balance that.
“I can’t emphasize enough the responsibilities this has, and to not allow ten percent of the people to decide a major front-level change in city government.”
Council approved the declaration of emergency suspension of an ordinance providing annual appropriations for the city for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025.
Clerk-Treasurer John Lehner pointed out that $56,726 went back into the electric fund for monetary reimbursement covering mutual aid assistance this year in Montpelier and Lansing, Michigan, which was already appropriated.
A motion was approved to suspend a resolution authorizing Bryan Police Chief Greg Ruskey to apply for grants for the police department.
Ruskey said the state has once again opened another round for body-worn camera grant money to be used for licensing and warranty software coverage.