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Thanks for checking out the City of East Lansing's latest Dialog E-Newsletter. Help spread the word! Friends and neighbors can get bi-weekly City news and event information in their inbox by subscribing at www.cityofeastlansing.com/eNews.
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East Lansing City Clerk Highlights Election Law Changes
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The passage of Proposal 18-3 in November 2018 resulted in the recent implementation of several changes to election law. Here are some helpful guidelines for voters:
Voter Registration
To register to vote in Michigan, individuals must be:
• A resident of Michigan and the city or township where they are applying to register to vote for at least 30 days before Election Day.
• A citizen of the United States of America.
• At least 18 years of age (by Election Day).
• Not serving a sentence in jail or prison.
With the passage of Proposal 18-3, an unregistered voter (or a registered voter who has moved) who wishes to participate in an upcoming election now has the following options:
• Register to vote in person at a Secretary of State branch office; a designated voter registration agency; the voter’s county, city, or township clerk’s office; or by mail no later than the 15th day prior to the election. All qualified individuals will be automatically registered to vote when performing a driver’s license or personal identification card transaction at a branch office, unless the person declines.
• Register to vote during the 14 days prior to the election, including on Election Day, by applying in person at his or her city or township clerk’s office (must provide proof of residency).
Absentee Voting Process
Any registered voter is now eligible to obtain an absentee voter (AV) ballot for an upcoming election. A voter who wishes to receive an AV ballot must request it in writing from the clerk. Applications for AV ballots may be received by hand or via mail, fax or email, as long as the voter’s signature is visible. The City of East Lansing maintains a list of permanent absentee voters, for which everyone on that list will automatically receive an AV ballot application before each election. Any voter who wishes to be added to the permanent absentee voter list is encouraged to contact the East Lansing City Clerk’s Office.
A person may submit a voter registration and an AV ballot application at the same time when registering to vote in person at the clerk’s office through Election Day. Voted AV ballots must be returned to the clerk by 8 p.m. on Election Day.
Weekend Hours
With the passage of Proposal 18-3, a township or city clerk's office shall be open to issue and receive AV ballots for at least eight hours on the Saturday or Sunday immediately before Election Day. For the May 7, 2019 Special Election, for Bath and Lansing Schools voters only, the East Lansing City Clerk’s Office will be open on Saturday, May 4 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
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ELPL's Books, Bites & Bids Fundraiser to Take Place Friday, April 12
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Community members won't want to miss the East Lansing Public Library's (ELPL) 8th Annual Books, Bites & Bids fundraising celebration on Friday, April 12 from 5:30-9 p.m.
The 2019 event will take place at the library, 950 Abbot Road, and will include a silent auction, delicious food from Grand Grillin’ and other local restaurants, two giant pies from Grand Traverse Pie Company, drinks, music, children’s activities and more. This year’s event will be emceed by the Wharton Center’s Bob Hoffman and the silent auction will include a variety of exciting items donated by businesses, organizations and library patrons.
A tax-deductible donation of $30 per individual and $60 per couple/family is suggested. Community members can RSVP and make donations ahead of time on the ELPL website, or donations can also be made at the door. Event proceeds will help ELPL develop an interactive and educational children’s garden and purchase a Glowforge 3D Laser Printer for the ELPL Maker Studio. The Books, Bites & Bids event is hosted during National Library Week each year. This year’s theme is Libraries = Strong Communities.
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City of East Lansing to Implement Priority Based Budgeting
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At its meeting on Tuesday, March 26, East Lansing City Council approved a contract with ResourceX for its Priority Based Budgeting (PBB) product.
PBB is a form of strategic budgeting that determines the priority and value of City services by assigning scores to each City program based on results, mandate level, cost recovery, the population served, demand and degree of reliance. The process identifies the true cost of each City department and the services the department provides, while determining how impactful services are in achieving desired outcomes. Information derived from the PBB process will assist the City Council in making important decisions during their budget deliberations and provide a more transparent and inclusive budgeting process for East Lansing community members.
“This new, transparent approach to the budgeting process will help us align our resources with the priorities of our community, while determining the true cost of our services and identifying areas where efficiencies can be made and new revenue can be generated,” said East Lansing City Manager George Lahanas.
The approved contract with ResourceX includes the software, on-site implementation and staff training; three months of ongoing support; and OpenPBB - a community-facing data dashboard that increases transparency and allows community members to see how money is being spent. Initial implementation of the PBB software is expected to take approximately three to six months.
More than 200 cities, counties, school districts and non-profit organizations across the country have partnered with ResourceX to implement PBB, including Battle Creek, Mich.; Kalamazoo, Mich.; and several others: https://www.resourcex.net/partners. Community members can learn more about ResourceX and PBB at https://www.resourcex.net.
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Community Invited to 2019 Crystal Awards
The 2019 Crystal Awards community reception will take place on Thursday, April 18 at 5 p.m. at the East Lansing Hannah Community Center, 819 Abbot Road. Four unsung heroes will be honored for their contributions to the East Lansing community. There will also be hors d'oeuvres and live music.
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Yard Waste Collection Begins April 1
The City of East Lansing's 2019 yard waste collection program begins on Monday, April 1. In addition to regular Monday collection days, there will be no-fee collection days on Monday, April 15 and Monday, May 13. Advanced requests and City bags/stickers are not required on no-fee days. Learn more.
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