Lansing Board of Water and Light
Lansing City Council Member At-Large
2022-2025
Institutional Context
The Lansing Board of Water & Light (BWL) is Michigan’s largest municipally owned utility, providing electric, water, steam, and chilled water services to nearly 100,000 customers across 11 municipalities in the Greater Lansing, Michigan region. BWL is an enterprise with $2 billion in assets, $417 million in annual operating revenue, and over 800 employees. BWL is a federally regulated utility subject to oversight from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), alongside the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC).
Role & Governance Mandate
As a Lansing City Council At-Large Member, Dr. Brown provided governance oversight of the Lansing Board of Water & Light through appointment confirmations of Board of Commissioners, review of adopted operating budgets and capital planning presented in public forums, and evaluation of proposed rate actions and major policy items through required notice and hearing processes, elevating resident priorities for reliability, sustainability, and fiscal accountability.
Key Decisions & Outcomes
City of Lansing General Fund Revenue
Approved the annual Return on Equity Agreement, sustaining a $25M+ annual transfer to Lansing’s General Fund and representing the city of Lansing’s third-largest General Fund revenue source.
Infrastructure
Advanced Council-required legislation enabling continued construction for a multi-year $41 million infrastructure project.
Board Appointments
Appointed and reappointed four out of eight BWL Board of Commissioners.