SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
BELDING CITY COUNCIL
Saturday, October 18, 2025
8:00 a.m.
A Special meeting of the Belding City Council of the City of Belding, Michigan was convened in open and public session at the Pere Marquette Depot, 100 Depot Street, at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 18, 2025 to conduct interviews for the position of City Manager.
Mayor Jeannine Leary called the meeting to order and led with the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance.
City Clerk, Janae Ortego took the roll call:
Members present: Shelley Gladding, Bonita Steele, Nikolai Zerkle, Linda Curtis and Jeannine Leary
Members absent: None
Moved by Zerkle, seconded by Steele to approve the agenda as presented. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
Rebecca Reinink, 825 Harrison, commented on considerations for the City Manager Position.
James Freed of the Pivot Group gave a recap of the executive search and recruitment process.
Mayor Leary welcomed the public and explained that each candidate will be asked a series of questions. At the end of the question-and-answer section, Councilmembers will have the chance to ask any follow up questions and then the candidate will be given the opportunity to make a closing statement.
1. Candidate Paul Smith attended virtually and was asked a series of questions ranging from his management/leadership skills and experience to community involvement, city finances and grant funding. Candidate Smith finished at 8:55 a.m.
Mayor Leary called for a brief recess at 8:55 a.m. and reconvened at 9:08 a.m.
2. Candidate Ryan Madis attended virtually and was asked a series of questions ranging from his management/leadership skills and experience to community involvement, city finances and grant funding. Candidate Madis finished at 9:58 a.m.
Mayor Leary called for a brief recess at 9:58 a.m. and reconvened at 10:10 a.m.
3. Candidate Mark Borden was asked a series of questions ranging from his management/leadership skills and experience to community involvement, city finances and grant funding. Candidate Borden finished at 10:49 a.m.
Mayor Leary called for a brief recess at 10:49 a.m. and reconvened at 10:57 a.m.
4. Candidate Michael Falcon was asked a series of questions ranging from his management/leadership skills and experience to community involvement, city finances and grant funding. Candidate Falcon finished at 11:57 a.m.
Mayor Leary called for a brief recess at 11:57 a.m. and reconvened at 12:03 p.m.
Freed advised that if a consensus is reached today that it is not a job offer, it is selecting a lead candidate where contract negotiations begin and a formal background investigation, including a financial background check are done. Freed further advised that no candidates have any glaring red flags so far.
In an effort to narrow the candidate pool down, Freed cited each candidate name and asked the Council Members to raise their hands if they wanted to see that candidate progress to the next phase.
By raise of hands, the tally is as follows:
Smith: 1
Madis: 5
Borden: 0
Falcon: 3
Freed inquired if there were any objections to offering the job to Madis. Mayor Leary advised that she will be leaving next week and will be gone for three weeks.
Zerkle requested more time, citing that the process was rushed and he wanted the staff’s thoughts.
All present department heads were given an opportunity to speak as follows: Dion Sower, Chief of Police; Lieutenant Marci Cooper; Bob Naumann, Assessor; Alex Bannister, DPW Director; Hanna Samuels, Community Development Director; Becky Schlienz, Finance Director and Janae Ortego, Clerk. (Fire Chief Tim Lubitz was absent).
Freed advised that it would be disrespectful to the candidate to ask them to wait three weeks for a second interview.
Moved by Gladding, seconded by Steele to offer second interviews to Falcon and Madis on Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 7 p.m. during the regular City Council meeting. Motion carried 4-1 by the following roll call vote:
Yeas: Steele, Curtis, Gladding and Leary
Nays: Zerkle
Freed commented that the process had not been rushed and that the candidates are publicly exposed.
Gladding concurred with Zerkle that she too felt that the process was rushed.
Zerkle commented that the council is not rushing this decision and that they shouldn’t be forced to make a decision, offering an apology to Freed if he was offended, but commenting that we need to do this right and that he needs more background information to make an informed decision.
John LaClear inquired about the second candidate.
Each City Council member made a closing comment.
Moved by Zerkle, seconded by Steele to adjourn the meeting at 12:47 p.m. Motion carried by the following roll call vote: Yes – all.
______________________________________ ______________________________________
Jeannine Leary, Mayor Janae Ortego, MiPMC
City Clerk