Council presses administration on Open Government Ordinance compliance

Warren — Council Secretary Mindy Moore raised what she described as a failure by the administration to implement the city’s Open Government Ordinance, which was adopted April 11, 2023. Moore told the council that public records the ordinance requires — current membership rosters for boards and commissions, vacancies and term expiration dates — are not readily available online, forcing residents to submit inquiries to obtain basic information.

Moore said the absence of published rosters was not a technical or funding issue but a refusal to comply with a duly adopted ordinance and called for immediate corrective action. "This ordinance is law. It is a mandate, not an option," Moore said.

City Attorney Jeff Schroeder reviewed the legal context and cited a recent Michigan Supreme Court ruling underscoring that ordinances requiring executive‑branch action are binding where a court has interpreted similar requirements in another municipality. Schroeder said he would discuss the implementation with department head Mary Michaels and return to council with a report; council voted to receive and file the matter and requested Schroeder follow up quickly.

Council members framed the issue as a transparency and operational problem that has created repeated friction between council and the mayor's office. Members urged staff to identify simple steps to comply with the ordinance, such as publishing board rosters and term dates, and to report back with a timeline for full compliance.

Next steps: the city attorney will consult with relevant department staff and return to council with a recommended plan for implementing the Open Government Ordinance.