Two city commission candidates disqualified

By Lisa Brody

There are now Seven candidates running for three open city commission seats in Birmingham, after two candidates, Michael Lossia and MD Rabbi Alam, were disqualified for not meeting eligibility requirements of the city charter of Birmingham.

Birmingham City Clerk Alexandra Bingham sent each of the two candidates letters on Friday, July 23, informing them that “After a review of the City Charter and data in the state of Michigan Qualified Voter File, it has been determined you are not eligible to run for City Commission in the City of Birmingham for the election to be held on November 2, 2021.”

In each case, it is because they had become an elector in the city within the past year. According to the city charter, “members of the city commission shall be elected in a non-partisan ticket… No person shall be eligible to the office of commissioner who shall not be an elector in the city and has not been a resident of the city for at least one year immediately prior to his election.”

The Qualified Voter File showed that Lossia became an elector in Birmingham effective February 8, 2021; Alam became an elector effective January 20, 2021.

Their names will not appear on the November 2 ballot.

Candidates who will appear on the ballot for the three open seats are David Bloom, Andrew Haig, Stephen Konja, Anthony J. Long, Elaine McLain, Katie Schafer and Lynda Schrenk.

Birmingham city commissioners serve four-year terms. Commissioners meet twice each month, on the second and fourth Monday nights at 7:30 at City Hall. Commissioners are paid $5 per meeting.