Thank You for Stepping Up Seeking to Serve Harbor Springs
First off—thank you. By choosing to run for City Council, you’re stepping into one of the most important roles in our community. You’re not doing it for recognition or a title—you’re doing it because you want to make a real difference. That means a lot to Harbor Springs, and it means a lot to the people who live here.
What You’re Signing Up For (In Real Life Terms)
Being on City Council isn’t full-time, but it’s definitely meaningful. It takes a little time, a little prep, and a lot of heart. Here’s what to expect:
- Regular meetings: The Council meets twice a month, usually the first and third Mondays at 7:00 PM at City Hall. Meetings generally last 2 hours.
- Prep time: Before each meeting, you’ll need to review the agenda, read through packets, and get familiar with the topics. Most folks spend a couple hours prepping each time.
- Serving on a board or commission: Council members also serve on at least one other board or committee—like Planning, Harbor Commission, Parks & Rec, or DDA. These groups help shape city policy in an advisory role and projects at a deeper level.
- Community presence: While there’s no requirement to attend every event or respond to every comment on social media, people will look to you as someone who listens, cares, and follows through. You will be expected to represent constituents while accepting advice from Board, Commissions, and City Hall.
What You Bring to the Table You don’t need to be an expert in city law or budgeting. You just need to be ready to show up, ask good questions, work as a team, and keep the community’s best interest in mind. Your perspective and your voice will help shape real decisions that affect real people. The agenda is yours as as a Council.
How It Works Harbor Springs uses a council-manager system. That means Council sets the policies, priorities, and vision—and the City Manager and staff handle the day-to-day operations. It’s a balance that works well when everyone understands their role and respects the process.
You’ve Got Support You’re not doing this alone. Fellow City Council members, City Hall and the community are here to support you. There’s a learning curve, and that’s okay. Take your time, ask questions, and lean on the resources available to you.
Most importantly: we’re grateful you’re doing this. You said yes to service, and that says a lot about who you are.
Again, thank-you!
Here’s a brief summary of the City Council’s role and powers as outlined in the Charter of the City of Harbor Springs:
General Powers (Sections 2.1–2.4):
- The City and its officers possess all powers allowed under Michigan law, including those in Public Act 279 of 1909.
- The Council can manage city property, enact and enforce local laws, and promote the general welfare of the community.
- The City has authority over land use, public utilities, streets, zoning, licensing, nuisances, signage, and environmental regulation.
- It can work with other governments through contracts for shared services.
- Where no specific procedure is outlined, the City may follow procedures in state law or determine its own.
Structure and Role of the Council (Section 4.1–4.8):
- The Council is the legislative and governing body, made up of a Mayor and four Councilmen.
- It sets city policy, passes ordinances, approves contracts, and oversees municipal governance.
- The Mayor presides over meetings and represents the city ceremonially and legally but is equal to other Council members in voting.
- The City Manager, appointed by the Council, handles all administrative and operational functions.
- Council members are prohibited from interfering in administrative matters or promising jobs, contracts, or favors.
- Violations of these rules may lead to disqualification or removal from office.
- The Council appoints replacements for vacant seats and supervises the hiring and firing of the City Manager.
In short, the Council shapes city policy and legislation, while administrative duties are handled by a professional City Manager, maintaining a clear separation of powers.
Further reading:
Open Meeting Act Handbook. https://www.michigan.gov/ag/-/media/Project/Websites/AG/open-meetings/OMA-Handbook-October-2022.pdf
Michigan Municipal League:
- Successful Meetings https://www.mml.org/resources/publications/one_pagers/CH%206%20Successful%20Meetings.pdf
Michigan Municipal League:
Review of Parliamentary Procedure:
(Robert’s Rules – Terms)
- Call to Order: The meeting begins with a call to order by the chairperson.
- Attendance: Taking attendance to ensure a quorum is present.
- Minutes: Review and approval of previous meeting minutes.
- Reports: Review of reports from officers or committees.
- Old Business: Addressing unfinished business from previous meetings.
- New Business: Introducing and discussing new topics.
- Voting: Voting on motions and issues.
- Adjournment: Ending the meeting.
- Making a Motion: A member proposes a motion (e.g., “I move that…”).
- Seconding the Motion: Another member seconds the motion.
- Discussion: The motion is discussed, with the maker of the motion typically speaking first.
- Voting: After discussion, the motion is put to a vote.
- One Speaker at a Time: Only one person speaks at a time, and the chair controls who speaks.
- Germane Debate: Debate must be relevant to the motion being discussed.
- Respectful Communication: Members should be respectful and avoid personal attacks.
- Majority Vote: Most decisions require a majority vote (more than half).
- Other Voting Methods: Voting may be done by voice, hand raising, or ballot.
- Two-thirds Vote: Some motions (like reconsideration or amendments) require a two-thirds vote.
- Raising a Point of Order: A member can raise a point of order if they believe a rule has been violated.
- Chair’s Ruling: The chair rules on the point of order.
- Appeal: The ruling can be appealed if the member believes the chair’s ruling is incorrect.
Thank you for reading – If you see an error of want to add more material, please contact us at weloveharborsprings@gmail.com