Putnam: Lansing council president sorry she silenced 9-year-old at meeting

Lansing State Journal

LANSING – Children’s voices are welcome at the Lansing City Council.

In a major turnaround, that’s the message from the council two weeks after a fourth-grader was told she couldn’t speak about construction at Ormond Park.

There will be a test of the new attitude.

A group of kids plans to speak Monday at the Council’s Committee of the Whole meeting after 9-year-old Charli Collison was denied her chance to voice her opinion on July 10.

Council Vice President Carol Wood said the children should be welcomed and given their time under the Open Meetings Act. But she said it goes beyond meeting the requirements of the law — the council should be encouraging them to help grow good citizens.

Lansing City Council President Patricia Spitzley has apologized to 9-year-old Charli Collison for not allowing her to speak at the July 10 Committee of the Whole meeting.

At the last meeting, Council President Patricia Spitzley said she would allow four adults but not 9-year-old Charli to address the council. Charli wanted to protest construction at Ormond Park to build a driveway through the park for Groesbeck Golf Course. (Spitzley and the council, too, have questions on the park and how construction slipped in under their radar.)

Charli said she cried when she was rejected.

Only after a firestorm of media attention did Spitzley apologize to Charli. She said she should not have let her personal beliefs about children speaking at council meetings get in the way of her job.

Spitzley sounded gracious and sincere and asked to meet with Charli to apologize in person.

“...I have a responsibility to make sure that everyone feels comfortable make public comment at Council meetings. I failed you. You know what hurts the most? The fact that I may have made you cry,” she said in an email to Charli, shared by Charlie’s mother, Kelly Collison.

Spitzley also apologized to Wood for not listening to her. Wood said she quietly tried to get Spitzley to reverse course at the council meeting.

Wood said she’s been kicking herself for not taking a public stand at the time. "I missed the boat. I admit it. I’ll make sure on my behalf that doesn’t happen again," she said.

Lansing City Council Vice President Carol Wood said children should be encouraged, not discouraged, from speaking at city council meetings.

Over the years, she said youthful views have helped shape city policy in positive ways, resulting in a leash law when children said they were chased by dogs on their way to school and a skateboard park at Ranney Park.

In a Facebook post last weekend, Spitzley apologized in general. She declined an interview, saying the Facebook post would be her statement.

In that post, titled “I blew it!” she said she regretted the negative national attention the story drew to Lansing though she didn't address violating the state Open Meetings Act.

"My lapse in judgment has shined negative spotlight on the City that I love. I can accept the harsh and justified criticism against me regarding my conduct on July 10th. What is unbearable is the negative impact it may have on my City, my fellow Councilmembers and the Mayor who had no part in my actions," she said.

Charli Collison, 9, got the wrong civics lesson July 10, 2017, when she wasn't allowed to address the Lansing City Council. She opposes Mayor Virg Bernero's plan to put a road through Ormond Park for the city golf course.

A column that went online July 14 about the Open Meetings Act violation got picked up by national sources, including the Drudge Report and USA Today. A wire story based on the column was distributed nationally.

Many of those responding to the story thought Spitzley was out of line in discouraging a child to state her opinion but some agreed that children should be seen and not heard or that the child was being manipulated by the parent.

Kelly Collison said the words were Charli’s and it was her daughter’s idea to speak. She said several have encouraged her to file an Open Meetings Act suit. She's still upset.

"I’m not saying my 9-year-old should be on the City Council. I'm saying my 9-year-old should be able to speak to the City Council," she said.

She and Charli were cool to Spitzley’s apology, saying it came conveniently after the media attention.

"My apology is sincere and all I can do is apologize,” Spitzley wrote back.

Monday offers a chance to clear the air and focus on the real issues at hand. For one, how did construction move forward without notifying the very people — council members -- who will have to field the public's questions about the park? Discussion has been stalled by a lawsuit (a hearing continues on a restraining order Monday) but that question needs to be answered.

Judy Putnam is a columnist with the Lansing State Journal. Contact her at (517) 267-1304 or at jputnam@lsj.com.