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Mayor & City Commission
Regular Meetings
- 6:30 p.m.
- 1st and 3rd Monday of each month
- City Hall Commission Chambers
301 Washington Avenue
Bay City, MI 48708
The mayor and commissioners encourage the interest, attendance and participation of the public at commission meetings. The public is invited to speak on issues during public hearings and general audience participation.
Commission Meeting Schedule
Finance/Policy Committee
- 6:00 p.m. (If meeting is scheduled to began earlier, it will be posted as such on the calendar.)
- 1st and 3rd Monday of each month
- City Hall Commission Chambers
301 Washington Avenue
Bay City, MI 48708
A work session made up of the Mayor, nine City Commissioners, City Manager, and City staff.
Open to the public and routinely held before a formal City Commission meeting to discuss various city issues and upcoming agenda items.
Open to the public and routinely held before a formal City Commission meeting to discuss various city issues and upcoming agenda items.
Agendas & Minutes
Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.
View Most Recent Agendas & Minutes / Supporting Documents
Members
Mayor
- Kathleen L. Newsham
(Term Expires 11/2024)
- Jesse Dockett
(Term Expires 11/2022)
- Kristen McDonald Rivet
(Term Expires 11/2024)
- Kathleen Zanotti
(Term Expires 11/2022)
- Brentt A. Brunner
(Term Expires 11/2024)
Commissioner, 5th Ward
- Rachelle Hilliker
(Term Expires 11/2022)
- Christopher Girard
(Term Expires 11/2024)
- Kerice Basmadjian
(Term Expires 11/2022)
- Ed Clements
(Term Expires 11/2024)
- Cordal D. Morris
(Term Expires 11/2022)
About the City Commission
The City of Bay City operates under a Commission-Manager form of government. Under this system, all corporate authority is vested in the commission, consisting of nine commissioners elected by ward and a mayor elected at large on a nonpartisan ballot. The commission is similar to a board of directors of a corporation, in which all policy-making or legislative functions that are part of a city's government are the exclusive domain of the commission. The commission's primary business is the passage of laws in the form of ordinances or resolutions. Their terms last four years and are staggered to ensure experienced legislators at all times. Commissioners of Wards 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are elected at the same time, and Wards 2, 4, 6, and 8 are elected at the same time.
Mayoral Responsibilities
The Mayor serves as the chief executive officer and presides at the commission meetings. He or she may vote in case of a tie and has veto authority. The Mayor is elected for a four-year term. Election of the mayor is held in November in odd-numbered years.
Commissioner Responsibilities
A commissioner is responsible for representing the concerns of the ward from which he or she was elected. In addition, commissioners have a responsibility for the overall health, welfare and safety of the city as a whole. While an individual commissioner has no specific authority, together as a group (functioning as the commission), they possess all the authority and power vested in a local government.