Committee reappoints Anthony Mullen to Board of Water and Light; appointment to go to full council

The City of Lansing’s Committee of the Whole on June 28 voted unanimously to reappoint Anthony Mullen as an at-large member of the Board of Water and Light for a term to expire June 30, 2029, and forwarded the appointment to the full City Council for final action.

Mullen, who told the committee he has served on the Board of Water and Light since 2012, described his experience as rooted in “what's happening in the real world,” citing his work in collections, his years driving for Uber, and regular interactions with residents as ways he receives constituent concerns. “I've lived in the city of Lansing now for 32 years,” Mullen said, adding he lives on the city’s Southwest Side.

Committee questions: Councilmember Hussain asked Mullen to identify an accomplishment from his board tenure. Mullen said he helped bring construction work and the prospect of about 2,000 well-paying jobs related to the Ultium battery plant project to the city and emphasized the board’s role in supporting economic development through reliable, affordable utilities. On utility policy, Mullen told the committee he regards water as a human right and said he has pushed to separate water and electric shutoff policies so that inability to pay one bill would not automatically result in shutoff of the other.

Energy stance: When Councilmember Pali Vanoglu asked whether Mullen would continue to support clean-energy transitions if some federal or state mandates changed, Mullen said, “Oh, absolutely. ... It's the future. We can't continue on the path,” and described backup generation strategies—including RICE engines paired with solar and wind—used to maintain grid reliability when renewable sources are not producing.

Vote and next steps: Vice President Carter moved the resolution to reappoint Mullen; members voted “aye” and the committee passed the motion unanimously. The committee record notes the appointment will be presented for a later vote before the full City Council; committee members said Mullen did not need to attend that subsequent meeting if he chose not to.

Context and responsibilities: The Board of Water and Light provides electricity, water, chilled water and steam to Lansing and surrounding areas; the board balances interests of the city (owner), ratepayers (including noncity customers), and employees, Mullen said. He described outreach work such as neighborhood financial convenings that connect ratepayers with outside agencies to address payment issues.