Commissioner Nancy English takes seat on first Mount Pleasant City Commission meeting

Nancy English is excited to take on a whole new set of responsibilities and commitments.

The Mount Pleasant Appointments Committee appointed English to fill Jeff Palmer’s vacant seat on the Mount Pleasant City Commission. She sat in on her first meeting on Monday.

English served on the Mount Pleasant Planning Committee for about a year and has been involved with several local committees and organizations, including Vision 20/20, a group dedicated to improving Isabella County communities.

She said she is excited to step up to the plate and fill the vacant seat on the city commission.

“It’s a very big undertaking. I’m sure there’s a lot of people who have no idea the vast amount of knowledge these commissioners have to get their arms around to make good decisions for our community,” English said. “It’s very humbling.”

The appointments committee, consisting of Vice Mayor Bruce Kilmer, Commissioner Jon Joslin and Commissioner David McGuire, received 10 applicants for the vacant city commission spot.

McGuire said English stood out the most.

“She’s had experience on the planning commission, she has years of experience in a position where she’s had to make tough decisions, she’s very positive about Mount Pleasant,” he said. “She’s just very conscientious and I think she’ll work hard to study things and make the right decisions.”

Kilmer said her experience with the master plan was also a positive.

“She seemed like a person who could make some of the difficult decisions we have to make regarding the budget,” Kilmer said.

He said English is independent and hard working and will be a great addition to the city commission.

“We wanted to look at somebody with a broad range of experience in the community so that they would be in touch with a large section of our community and understand the great assets we have in Mount Pleasant, and also the challenges we’re facing,” Kilmer said.

English said she has a lot to learn but will work hard in order to make competent decisions as a member of the city commission.

“My job right now is to come in and get up to speed,” English said. “I’m just absorbing as much information as I can, talking to citizens, commissioners, the city, preparing to make the best decisions we can make moving forward,” English said.

Other issues

Monday the commission set a July 26 public hearing to consider rezoning of the Wesley Foundation, which hopes to expand its 1400 S. Washington property.

Mount Pleasant resident Jim Engler also requested the city waive his 2009 interest and penalty from his personal property tax bill after a judgement in Isabella County court.

Commissioner Kathy Ling suggested postponing the decision because the commission does not have a policy on such requests.

-Senior reporter Joe Borlik contributed to this report.

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