Grand Rapids City Commission holds forum to involve public opinion on City Manager candidates

The finalists for the race of Grand Rapids city manager got together on Monday, February 5 in the Wealthy Theatre for a forum open to the public in order to answer questions on different issues relating to serving as city manager of Grand Rapids.

Each candidate, Jane Bais-DiSessa, James Freed and Carol Mitten, answered questions by the city commission and residents on topics ranging from racism, the economy, housing and the Grand Rapids Police Department. Candidates came to the stage one at a time, and were asked the same questions during their time to speak.

The candidates each spoke for roughly 45 minutes, and expressed different views on how to deal with each of the issues raised in the questions.

Race was a major focus in the questions asked. The city commissioners referenced a report from 2015 that said Grand Rapids is one of the worst cities for African-Americans to live economically in the United States. They also referenced the book “A City Within a City: The Black Freedom Struggle in Grand Rapids, Michigan” speaking to the “managerial racism” that had a significant impact on the community. Audience members also asked candidates about their thoughts on “Black Lives Matter” and how they define white privilege.

Freed recommended the city follow through with a racial equity plan to improve training, economic development and education for African-Americans, and suggested an idea gotten from the National Equity Atlas that addressing the disparities and inequities of the community could add $3 billion to economic growth.

“As city manager, my biggest concern is preventing a gap of hope from emerging,” Freed said. “I don't want to see a resident of this city look to the racial inequalities and say that ‘there isn't a place here for my family.’”

Mitten said it is important for the city of Grand Rapids to recognize the history of managerial racism.

“I think the acknowledgement and the conscious conversations about it are a very important part of eliminating institutional racism,” Mitten said.

Bais-DiSessa said her approach would be to be more inclusive in allowing everyone to be a part of major decisions being made in the city.

“If we incorporate all groups of all races, I think that will help make them feel apart of the community,” she said.

The candidates spoke to their qualifications and experience in city management while answering their questions. Freed serves currently as the city manager of Port Huron, Mitten has worked in two different federal agencies, the National Park Service and the Department of Homeland security, as well as serving as the deputy manager of Arlington County, Virginia, and Bais-DiSessa is the deputy mayor of Pontiac, while having served previously in larger cities such as San Antonio, Texas.

The second round of interviews for the three candidates will be held Tuesday, February 6, 2018. Those interviews will be available for the public to attend located on the ninth floor Commission Chambers at City Hall, 300 Monroe Ave. NW., and will also be live-streamed on Facebook starting 1:30 p.m.