Bay City commissioners appoint Laura Marie Cubitt to First Ward seat after candidate interviews

Bay City commissioners on the special meeting agenda voted to appoint Laura Marie Cubitt to the First Ward City Commission, approving the recommendation by voice and a 6-0 roll-call vote. The commission held a special meeting to interview nine candidates before making the selection; the appointed term was read as ending in December 2026.

The commission convened the meeting to interview candidates for the vacant First Ward seat, allotting 15 minutes per candidate and a 10-question format intended to evaluate priorities, experience and plans for constituent engagement. Commissioners heard from nine in-person applicants and reviewed three prerecorded interviews. Topics raised repeatedly during the interviews included infrastructure and road repairs, downtown economic development, concerns about lead or other contaminants in drinking water, and services for seniors and vulnerable adults.

Candidates emphasized a mix of constituent outreach and practical priorities. Craig McMorris said his “prime primary mission would be to respond to what my constituents have as their concerns,” and cited empty downtown storefronts, sidewalks and aging water lines as top priorities. Laura Marie Cubitt stressed work with seniors and housing supports, noting the value of maximizing existing programs such as American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds; she told commissioners she is “used to working with that population” and favors bolstering home- and community-based services. Other applicants prioritized youth outreach, small-business support, transparency and routine pothole repairs; one interviewee urged the commission to treat some reporting items as public investigations where appropriate.

Public comment included two speakers who identified themselves by name. Matthew Seuss of 1301 Lisk Drive spoke in support of Laura Cubitt, describing her work with seniors and elder-exploitation prevention through Legal Services of Eastern Michigan and local probate-court programs. Another commenter, identified only as Valerie of 1513 Helen Street, delivered a longer statement touching on national and international political issues and calls for broad protest; commissioners limited the speaker by the meeting’s public-comment rules after granting a two-minute extension.

After the interviews and public input the commission discussed its scoring and recommendation. The motion to appoint Cubitt was made by Commissioner Morris and seconded by Commissioner DeWitt. The roll-call vote recorded six yes votes (Commissioners Tenney, DeWitt, Rhumburg, Charlebois, Morris and Coakley). Two commissioners, Bernie Overshaws and Commissioner Charlevoix, were excused earlier in the meeting and did not vote. The motion carried and the chair announced the appointment; the commission noted it would forward the detailed scoring to the city manager.

The special meeting also included procedural notes: each candidate’s interview was scheduled for 15 minutes with an expectation of 2–3 minute answers per question; public-input remarks were limited to five minutes, with a two-minute extension granted in at least one case. Commissioners congratulated Cubitt following the vote and adjourned the meeting.

The appointment fills the First Ward seat through the term noted in the recommendation (term ending December 2026). The commission indicated that the scoring sheets and recommendation would be delivered to the city manager as the next administrative step.