City of Mount Pleasant Mayor Boomer Wingard encouraged Central Michigan University students to use their voice to advocate for improvements they would like to see in the city at the Student Government Association meeting on Monday, Oct. 19.
“I will challenge you guys, be loud, make a scene, make it our problem that we have to address things,” said Wingard.
Wingard is running for re-election to the City Commission for another four-year term. He was first elected in 2022 to the City Commission. Then he became Vice Mayor in 2025 for a brief period of time before taking over as Mayor.
During Wingard’s presentation to students at the meeting, he explained what he has done in office so far and how his work affects CMU students. He stressed the importance of speaking up. Even though most students are only here for four years, he said it is still important that they use their voices to advocate for the changes they want to see.
“It means getting your voice heard, and it takes a lot of time to make good, effective, lasting change, and if you’re here for only a short time, you got to be loud,” said Wingard
Wingard said that he wants CMU students to feel like Mount Pleasant is their home. Hesaid how important the community aspect truly is, especially because CMU’s campus falls within city limits.
“We want people to come here to Mount Pleasant,” Wingard said. “We want students to be engaged. We want them to be able to find a home for them, for themselves, while they’re here in the community.”
Over the next four years, Wingard said he wants to see all seven commission members actively engaged and working to deliver results in the community.
Incumbent Wingard will be on the Nov. 3 ballot along with those running for spots as City Commissioners, for local residents to cast their vote.
During public comments at the meeting, Shaleah Lewis, who is a senior on campus and an Intergroup Relations and Justice Facilitator, said that theIntergroup Relations (IGR) facilitator program funding has been cut.
“What that looks like for us is that the students who are facilitators, their budget, they won’t be getting paid; it’s a paid intern position,” Lewis said.
Lewis said that she is concerned that the program is going to dwindle because of the budget cuts. She said that if they lose facilitators, they will be forced to reformat the class to be more lecture-focused.
“Right now, it’s dialogue and class, but I feel like the dialogue, it’s literally in the name, dialogue,” Lewis said. “That’s the main part of the class.”
Lewis said that she is hoping to create enough awareness around this issue to make a change. She additionally said in public comment that shehopes to attend the Board of Trustees meeting on Nov. 19 to create more awareness around this issue and hopefully find an alternative solution.
“Well, we’re hoping that if we create enough noise, then the higher-ups are forced to do something about it. Pull some money, some change out the couch or something, cause it’s not fair,” said Lewis.
