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Pontiac election commission appoints Angela Cohen to Board of Ethics; names Dr. Tracy Teasley as alternate
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Summary
The Pontiac Election Commission approved two appointments to the city's newly created Board of Ethics, appointing Angela Cohen as the commission's member and naming Dr. Tracy Elizabeth Teasley as an alternate; votes were recorded 4-0 with one abstention for Cohen and 5-0 for Teasley.
The Pontiac Election Commission on Tuesday moved to fill its seat on the city's newly created Board of Ethics, appointing Angela Cohen to serve a five-year term and naming Dr. Tracy Elizabeth Teasley as the alternate who will sit when a case involves a board member.
The commission amended a resolution to insert Cohen's name, then approved the appointment (four yeas, one abstention). The commission later amended and passed a separate resolution naming Dr. Tracy Elizabeth Teasley as the alternate; that vote was unanimous.
The appointments follow a charter change voters approved in August 2024 that established the Board of Ethics and the Office of Public Integrity. The charter assigns two appointments to the mayor, two to the city council and one to the election commission, and gives the Board of Ethics authority to prepare annual reports, recommend ethics improvements, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and to work with the public integrity officer.
Angela Cohen introduced herself to commissioners as a risk-management analyst with Bart Mallow Holdings in Southfield and said she has 22 years of insurance-industry experience. "With insurance, you have to have a level of ethics," Cohen told commissioners, describing required continuing-education ethics certifications and saying her experience explaining complex insurance matters would help the board clarify issues for members and the public.
Commissioners asked Cohen about familiarity with city employees and how she would handle conflicts of interest. Cohen said she would disclose personal connections and rely on transparency and established procedures to avoid bias.
Dr. Tracy Elizabeth Teasley, who described herself as a career educator now working for the Michigan Department of Education, said she was raised in Pontiac and emphasized a systems-based approach to investigations and intake. When asked how she would respond if a council member called her after hours about an investigation involving an ally, Teasley said, "I don't," and explained she would direct the caller to formal intake channels and follow documented procedures so complaints are validated and triaged consistently.
The commission discussed the scope and timing of the Board of Ethics' work, noting the charter requires the board to adopt rules consistent with ordinances and state law and that initial procedures and meeting schedules would be developed in coordination with the Office of Public Integrity. The chair cited section 7.303 of the charter and the Open Meetings Act (MCL 15.261) as legal constraints governing the new board.
Val Gross, the city's public integrity officer, addressed the commission during public comment and said he is developing the office's reporting tools and staffing. "I have, like, 15 apps that I'm looking into, to implement as far as reporting," Gross said, and added he would begin interviewing candidates for an investigator and an executive assistant to support the office and the board.
Votes at a glance: - Resolution appointing Angela Cohen to the Board of Ethics (effective 02/23/2026 for a five-year term): approved 4 yeas, 0 nays, 1 abstention (Harris Ford). - Resolution naming Dr. Tracy Elizabeth Teasley as alternate to the Board of Ethics: approved 5 yeas, 0 nays.
The commission also approved routine items earlier in the meeting, including the agenda, minutes from the Oct. 20, 2025 meeting and the 2026 election commission meeting schedule. The meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.
