Commission appoints Laura Marie Cubitt to finish First Ward term

The Bay City City Commission on June 23 appointed Laura Marie Cubitt to fill the unexpired term of the First Ward city commissioner, voting 6-0 after interviews with multiple applicants and a brief public-comment period. Commissioner Morris moved to approve the commission's recommendation and Commissioner DeWitt seconded; the motion passed on a roll call vote.

The appointment follows an evening of candidate interviews — the commission announced nine interviews would be held and the record shows ten applicants were heard (including three submitted video interviews). Commissioners said they evaluated candidates on experience, plans for infrastructure and community outreach, and specific proposals for housing and services for seniors.

“Focusing on seniors is very important to me,” Laura Marie Cubitt told commissioners during her interview, describing her work with older adults and her interest in maximizing existing local resources such as the city's ARPA-funded programs. Commissioners praised the field of applicants before making the selection and several members congratulated Cubitt after the vote.

Commission discussion and public input. Commissioners ran a timed interview process, allotting roughly 15 minutes per candidate and asking a standard set of questions about priorities, constituent outreach and infrastructure. Candidates emphasized issues including road and sidewalk repairs, economic development of vacant commercial buildings, and services for seniors. During public input, Matthew Seuss of 1301 Lisk Drive urged commissioners to appoint Cubitt, saying she “does such a good job” helping older residents preserve independence and describing her work with local probate court and aging-services programs. Another speaker addressed national and international policy matters during public comment; commissioners did not respond to public comments during that period, consistent with the meeting rules.

Formal action and vote. The commission inserted its recommendation to appoint Laura Marie Cubitt to serve as First Ward city commissioner through December 2026 into the regular agenda. Commissioner Morris moved to approve the recommendation; Commissioner DeWitt seconded. The roll call vote recorded the following votes: Commissioner Tenney — yes; Commissioner DeWitt — yes; Commissioner Rhumburg — yes; Commissioner Charlebois — yes; Commissioner Morris — yes; Commissioner Coakley — yes. The motion carried 6-0; two commissioners had been excused earlier in the meeting.

What the appointment means next. Cubitt will serve the remainder of the term through December 2026. The commission did not attach additional conditions to the appointment during the motion. Commissioners and members of the public noted the number of applicants as evidence of civic interest; commissioners said those not selected remain encouraged to pursue future elected or appointed offices.

The commission closed the special meeting after the vote and plans to circulate the scoring summary used in its recommendation to the city manager, according to the record.