Lincoln Park Exposed

Resident-led public record

Who held which public role

Meet the officials. Bring your questions.

Meet Lincoln Park’s mayor, city manager, and city attorney, and a judge of the separate 25th District Court. Here is what the reviewed records show about their roles and public actions, followed by questions those records leave unanswered.

Municipal government · Elected

Maureen Tobin

Mayor of Lincoln Park

What landed on the mayor’s desk

The City’s current directory lists Tobin as mayor. The City says the mayor and council adopted the 2026–27 water and sewer rates on August 10, effective September 1. After residents packed City Hall, WXYZ reported that Tobin acknowledged the burden, pointed to payment assistance, and said the City was working through the system problems “little by little.”

In August 2024, WXYZ reported that Tobin and the city manager declined an on-camera interview after repeated basement flooding. They nevertheless told the station that aging infrastructure was being upgraded with roughly $30 million in grants, about 35 flood calls had arrived that day, and the automated pumps were believed to be working.

What residents still deserve to know

  • What measurable water-loss target and deadline will the mayor ask the City to publish?
  • How many households have received rate assistance, and where can residents see the rules and results?
  • What became of the City’s January 2024 flooding investigation, and will its findings be published?

What residents got: Public responses acknowledged aging infrastructure, described investment and assistance, and said the City was working on the problem. The three answers above are still missing from the reviewed sources.

Sources: City staff directory · City rate page · WXYZ water-rate report · WXYZ flooding report

Municipal government · Appointed administration

Lisa Griggs

City Manager and Finance Director

The numbers on the city manager’s desk

The City directory assigns Griggs both day-to-day management and finance roles. The City’s fiscal-year 2025 financial report calls the Water and Sewer Fund its greatest financial concern, says water loss exceeded 40%, identifies leaks and meters as sources being addressed, and directs questions about the report to Griggs.

WXYZ also identified Griggs with Tobin in the City’s August 2024 response to repeated flooding: aging infrastructure, about $30 million in grants, roughly 35 calls that day, and pumps believed to be operating. The station reported that the City was still waiting for results of its January investigation.

The accounting residents are still owed

  • How does the City divide its unbilled-water figure among verified leaks, inaccurate meters, accounting issues, and other causes?
  • What monthly public measures will show whether meter replacement and leak repair are reducing loss?
  • Who owns the deadline for releasing completed flooding investigations and explaining corrective work to affected residents?

What the report gives us: A deficit, ongoing leak work, and planned meter replacement. What it does not give us is the cause-by-cause accounting or a monthly public scorecard.

Sources: City staff directory · FY2025 City financial report, pp. 7–8 · WXYZ flooding report

Municipal government · Legal counsel

Edward M. Zelenak

City Attorney

What the record puts in City legal counsel’s lane

Lincoln Park council minutes identify Edward M. “Ed” Zelenak as city attorney. WXYZ’s August 2026 reporting attributes to him the statement that water-rate discussions began in late June before council approved the increase August 10. The report does not identify his vote—city attorneys advise; elected council members vote.

The published records connect Edward Zelenak to City work, not to my landlord–tenant case.

What the legal record should answer

  • What public record shows the legal and notice review completed before the water-rate vote?
  • What advice can be released about the City’s authority, required procedure, and safeguards for residents challenging a utility bill?
  • What is the City’s written process for identifying and disclosing a verified conflict involving its legal counsel?

What is documented: WXYZ reports his timeline for rate discussions. The reviewed sources contain no response to the questions above; this site did not contact him.

Sources: City Council minutes, November 10, 2025 · WXYZ water-rate report

Michigan judiciary · Separate from City government

David J. Zelenak

Judge, 25th District Court

What happened at the courthouse

The 25th District Court serves Lincoln Park, Ecorse, and River Rouge and hears landlord–tenant disputes. Its current remote-hearing page identifies a courtroom for Judge Zelenak. A preserved December 18, 2025 court-recorder email in the resident’s reviewed file says, “Per Judge Zelenak,” to use the court website for case and filing information. The same correspondence states that transcript work does not begin until a deposit is paid; a December 23 reply quoted a $200 deposit for two hearing dates.

The recorder directed me to the court website and quoted a $200 deposit before transcript work would begin. That email does not contain the hearing record or show when a judgment was signed and entered.

What the court record should make clear

  • Which official register entries and signed documents control the November 24–25 judgment chronology in case 25-21616-LT?
  • What written path should a self-represented party use when the public case page does not answer a filing-status question?
  • What published recusal and disclosure procedure lets any party raise a verified conflict, if one exists, without relying on rumor or a shared name?

Where the file stands: The recorder directed me to the court website and provided the transcript-deposit amount. I have not yet integrated the signed judgment and official register, so the exact official chronology remains open.

Sources: 25th District Court · Court jurisdiction overview · Current court remote-hearing page · Resident record E-0004, December 18–23 court-recorder correspondence (private; public-safe derivative pending)