The Wyoming Fire Department received a grant that will go toward purchasing new rescue equipment.
The City of Wyoming will be able to purchase new emergency equipment – thanks to a $138,573 grant awarded to its Department of Public Safety – Fire Division.
The City has received an Assistance to Firefighter Grant through the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Association. The grant will be used by the department to purchase emergency equipment to aid with automobile extrications, hazardous material incidents, rope, water, ice and trench rescues, and medical and technical rescue incidents.
City of Wyoming firefighters spend nearly 5,000 hours in training each year, with a large portion of that time focused on fire operations and technical rescue. The new equipment, which was carefully selected to serve multiple purposes, will allow them to grow their skills and further prepare for a variety of rescue situations that may arise in the community.
“The safety and well-being of our residents is the focal point for everything we do,” said Deputy Fire Chief Dennis Van Tassell. “This new rescue equipment will enhance our current capabilities and allow us to demonstrate additional leadership related to a wide variety of emergency incidents and operations.
“We’re grateful for FEMA’s confidence in our department – both our skills and abilities, and the manner in which we steward our resources.”
About the Wyoming Department of Public Safety – Fire Bureau: The Wyoming Department of Public Safety – Fire Bureau is a citizen-focused provider of fire protection, emergency medical and rescue services. First established in 1968, the Department now serves more than 75,000 residents and covers approximately 27 square miles. From fire protection to EMS, inspections, training and more, each section of the Fire Bureau plays an important role in ensuring the safety of the citizens of Wyoming. For more information, please visit www.wyomingmi.gov.
Area residents had fun with the Christmas greetings at the WKTV booth.
Council members Rob Postema, Marissa Postler, and Dan Burrill
Mayor Jack Poll makes a few announcements before the event starts.
Mayor Jack Poll and WOOD TV 8’s Eva Agurrie Cooper
The boys and girls choir from San Juan Diego Academy
Many area businesses were sponsors of the Wyoming Gives Back event
Area businesses had booths at the Wyoming Gives Back event showing services and products.
SuperMercado Mexico showcased some of the products they offer at their store.
Several area businesses were at the Thursday night event.
The big goal of the evening was to fill that truck with toys.
Wyoming residents gave back with the truck overflowing.
Officers from the Wyoming Department of Public Safety were at the event.
It got to the point were the toys would not fit in the truck as it was so full.
Some Christmas greeting fun at the WKTV booth.
Toys were everywhere at the Wyoming Gives Back.
A big part of the night were the raffle prizes donated by area businesses.
Residents who donated were able to get a raffle ticket for prizes.
The Rogers Plaza Mall was packed for the Wyoming Gives Back event on Dec. 6.
A raffle winner receives his prize while others visit the booths of local businesses.
The crowd waits for the next group to perform.
Mayor Jack Poll announces the next raffle prize winner.
The choir from Godwin Heights High School await to go on to perform.
The Wyoming Fire Department members were also on hand for the event.
The choir from Godwin Heights performs.
The jazz band from the Wyoming High School performs.
The jazz band from the Wyoming High School wows the Wyoming Gives Back crowd.
Area residents fill the truck at the Wyoming Gives Back.
One full truck at the Wyoming Gives Back.
A bike awaiting to board the truck at the Wyoming Gives Back.
Thursday, Dec. 6, residents came out in full force to help those in need at Wyoming Gives Back.
By the end of the night, the Wyoming Department of Public Works truck was overflowing with gifts from residents for the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree. Residents were able to bring in a gift and for every gift donated, received a raffle ticket for prizes. The prizes were donated by area businesses.
Many local business had booths sharing information about services and products they provided. Performances featured the choir from the San Juan Diego Academy, the jazz band from the Wyoming High School, and the choir from Godwin Heights High School. The Salvation Army was handing out hot chocolate and cookies and several area businesses had candy and other items for those who attended.
Organizers said they were pleased with the success of the event. This was the eighth annual Wyoming Gives Back. Mayor Jack Poll noted the city decided several years ago to move its annual holiday event indoors and to focus on the spirit of the season. He said the event has been well received every year with residents and staff looking for to it.
"Sing, sing a song,
Make it simple to last your whole life long
Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear,
Just sing, sing a song..."
- "Sing" by Joe Raposo, written for "Sesame Street" in 1971
The airport is alive with music
Several Wyoming and Kentwood high school choirs will be performing at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport’s Holiday Music Festival, which is Dec. 3 – 7. Some of the groups scheduled are Potters House, Legacy Christian, South Christian, Wyoming High School, Lee High School, and East Kentwood High School. Performances are daily from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. andJe are free.
And the winner is…
Jennifer Lewis and Brian Jirous were declared the newest members of the Wyoming Board of Education this week. Both ran in the Nov. 6 election. Jirous was the only candidate who filed for one of the two open seats on the board. Lewis was one of two write-in candidates. It took a couple of weeks for the write-ins to be hand counted, according to school officials. The two will be sworn in at the Wyoming Board of Education meeting set for Jan. 14 at 6 p.m.
Santa is coming to town
While it is still a week yet until Kentwood hosts its annual tree lighting and parade, set for Dec. 7, and the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosts the Santa Parade, Dec. 8, you can get your celebrating started at Byron Center’s community festivities this Saturday, Dec. 1. The parade portion has been cancelled due to the weather but the chili dinner and holiday concert at Pathway Church, 8350 Byron Center Ave. SW, is still taking place.
Fun Fact:
Light It Up
Ever wonder how many lights you can fit on a Christmas tree? Well a group in Belgium did, managing to get 194,672 lights on a real tree on Dec. 10, 2010. Seven years later, Universal Studios Japan was not about to be out done, so they managed to place 570,546 lights on an artificial tree. You have to admit, that is a lot of lights. (Source)
Santa is coming to town. How do we know? Because the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, along with the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, is hosting the 12th annual Santa Parade Saturday, Dec. 8, along Division Avenue.
The parade, which starts at 10 a.m. and lasts about 45 minutes, will feature more than 50 participants including five school bands. Participants will travel down South Division from 33rd Street to Murray Avenue.
Chamber President and CEO Bob O’Callaghan said the Santa Parade provides an opportunity for many residents to attend a parade who may not get the opportunity to attend the big parade in downtown Grand Rapids. Another key element to the event is free photos with Santa, which takes place after the parade at Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille, 4157 S. Division Ave. Parade-goers and residents are encouraged to bring their children over to the restaurant along with cameras for free pictures with Santa.
Santa is scheduled to make his arrival at the annual Santa Parade hosted by the Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce.
“It is part of the Community Service we offer at the Chamber,” O’Callaghan said.
In the parade will be police vehicles and fire trucks from both the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. There also will be floats and vehicles from several of the parade sponsors such as The Rapids, Steelcase, Conumsers Energy, Diversified Protection, JX Peterbilt, Marge’s Donut Den, Supermercado Mexico, Two Men and A Truck, Liberty Tax Service, Godwin Plumbing, Celebration Cinema, and Brann’s Steakhouse & Grille. Also five local high school bands are set to perform as well.
This year the Chamber will be hosting a Float Judging Contest selecting the three best decorated floats with first place being a $1,500 office chair from Steelcase.
If you miss or can not make the parade, WKTV will be broadcasting the entire event on Comcast channel 25 and AT&T Channel 99 at 12:30 p.m. and then again at 7 p.m. that day. It will re-air the program throughout the month. Check wktv.org for listings.
Linus had his “Great Pumpkin” patch, the City of Wyoming has the Great Candy Cane Hunt, which is set for Dec. 8 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop SW.
Children ages 3-14 are invited to hunt for the many hidden candy canes outside. Then everyone will head indoors for games, a craft project, and lunch with the man of the season, Santa. Children will have to the opportunity to meet with Santa and give them their holiday wish list.
Pre-registration is required for the event. It is $5 for residents, $7 for non-residents, and $2 parents and others.
To register click, here. For questions call 616-530-3164 or email parks_info@wyoming.gov.
This Saturday is Dec. 1 which also happens to be the first day of odd/even parking in the City of Wyoming.
The odd/even parking allows for more effective snowplowing of the streets in the winter, according to city officials.
From Dec. 1 to Mar. 31, residents should park on the side of the street with even numbers (addresses ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8) on even number days and on the side of the street with odd numbers (Addresses ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9) on odd number days. Residents living in a cul-de-sac may only park on the street on even number days. Streets with “No Parking: signs still have no parking restrictions. There is a grace period form 7 p.m. to midnight every evening when residents can park on either side. Just make sure to move your car to the correct side by midnight.
According to the city’s website, Wyoming has approximately 250 miles or 600 lane-miles of streets. Streets are prioritized with major streets that have the most traffic, such as 44th and 28th streets, plowed first, then collector streets plowed second, and finally, residential streets and cut-de-sacs third.
Sidewalks are plowed at night after there has been two or more inches of cumulation. Residents are asked to keep the sidewalks clear of obstructions such as garbage cans and parked vehicles.
"At the end of the day it’s not about what you have or even what you’ve accomplished…it’s about who you’ve lifted up, who you’ve made better. It’s about what you’ve given back.”
- Actor Denzel Washington
Wyoming Gives Back
Mayor Jack Poll near the truck during a previous Wyoming Gives Back event.
You have just over a week to purchase a toy and help the City of Wyoming stuff a truck with donations for the Salvation Army Angel Tree. The 8th annual Wyoming Gives Back is set for Thursday, Dec. 6, from 6 – 8 p.m. at Rogers Plaza Mall. Residents are encouraged to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the event and every person who does, will receive raffle tickets for prizes provided by local businesses. There will be holiday cookies, music and the biggest gift-giver, Santa, is planning to attend.
Pretty Lights
The Christmas Lite Show returns for its 21st year at Fifth/Third Ballpark, 4500 W. River Drive, Comstock Park. Billed as West Michigan’s largest, animated, drive-through light show, the attraction maintains almost two miles of lights, tunnels, and animated displays and entertained more than 70,000 visitors last year. The popular Memory Lane Train will returns this year giving visitors a choice to drive through the display or ride the train. The display is open every day from 5:30 – 9:30 p.m. through Dec. 31.
Today is actually the 48th Tuesday of 2018. It is the 48th Tuesday of the 48th week. There are only 34 days left to 2018 and, despite yesterday's storm, 24 days until winter, which officially begins on the Winter Solstice, which is Dec. 21. (Source)
This year, the City of Wyoming has decided to switch things up when it comes to its annual Veterans Day program, replacing its outdoor evening ceremony for a morning breakfast event.
Set for Nov. 12 at the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW, the breakfast is free for veterans, $5 for non-veterans. Those interested in attending need to pre-register for the program by Nov. 8 through the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department by calling 616-530-3164, emailing parks_info@wyomingmi.gov, or stop by the office located in City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW.
“The City of Wyoming is committed and proud to recognize those who have served, and continue to serve our country in the armed forces and protect our freedoms,” said Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt. “Our Memorial Day and Veterans Day Ceremonies are a tribute to that service and protection.”
Staff did note that there will be no changes to the Memorial Day program which is held in May.
This year’s Veterans Day program will feature Ken Jones, who served in all four branches of the military, as the keynote speaker. Jones has a decorated military career and retired after 22 years of service to the United States of America. He has a broad range of technical and administrative skills that include aircraft interior design, computer network programming and various federal government program analysis programs. Jones currently serves as a legal administrative specialist for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Major Jack Poll will host the breakfast.
According to Wyoming staff, response to the breakfast has been pretty good. Usually for the Veterans Day program, the city has about 100 attendees with RSVPs for the 2018 breakfast already pass the halfway mark.
As part of the event and during the whole month of November, the Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2300 DeHoop Ave. SW, will be accepting donations for the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. Items sought for donation include $25 gift cards (local fast food restaurants, Meijer, Wal-Mart, Dollar Tree, gordon Food Marketplace, etc.), candy bars, pens, batteries, stamps, grooming, hygiene items and clothing (new or gently used.)
For the Wyoming City Council, there is only one seat contested out of the four seats on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Mayor Jack Poll is seeking his third term as the city’s mayor. He is running unopposed for the seat. Also running unopposed are Sam Bolt and Kent Vanderwood, both who are seeking re-election as council members at large.
For the city’s 1st Ward Councilor seat, incumbent Sheldon DeKryger will face candidate Pete Rickertson. DeKryger was appointed in March to fill the 1st Ward seat when longtime council member Bill VerHulst announced he would not be seeking re-election and stepped down from the council due to health concerns.
The city’s 1st Ward Wyoming’s encompasses Precincts 1 – 9. That area covers most of the eastern edge of the city which is Clyde Park Avenue to Eastern Avenue north of 36th Street and from Burlingame Avenue to Eastern Avenue south of 36th Street.
Sheldon DeKryger – Incumbent
Occupation: Residential home builder
Why did you decide to run for the Wyoming City Council Ward 1 seat?
My wife and I believe in servant leadership, that is why our family has spent the last 20 years serving others in our community, school, and church. I believe the next step in serving my community is being the people’s voice on the Wyoming City Council. That is why when Bill Verhulst retired I applied for the position and was appointed last March. I would like to continue the great work the City is doing now.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
Public Safety- I believe the Police and Fire departments need the tools and equipment necessary to do their jobs. The city needs to maintain the current funding levels to keep our community safe and protected.
Pro Business- I want to work on getting good manufacturing businesses in the Site 36 property. It would bring in hundreds of well paying jobs and be great for our city.
Financial Sustainability – I believe the city needs to live within its means. We also need to keep taxes low and bring funds back to our city from Lansing.
Pete Ricketson – Candidate
Occupation: Bus Driver
Why did decide to seek election to the Wyoming City Council Ward 1 seat?
Well for one thing, I saw how the city council influenced things with The Rapids. I see how things could be for public transportation and how as I looked into the city, I was appalled to see thousands of dollars being wasted. The majority are putting there own interested above the people who elected them. For that reason, I believe there is a huge disconnect between the actions of the city council and the will of the people.
If elected, what issues do you want to focus on and why?
I think we need to overhaul how we use our resources as a city, stopping unnecessary spending. I would like to see us bring back things for our community such as the Fourth of July parade or perhaps, create a Taste of Wyoming at Lamar Park.
It’s time to get the kids together and pull out your favorite costumes because Pumpkin Path is right around the corner!
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department is excited to once again host the 15th annual Pumpkin Path – a free event for kids and families on Saturday, Oct. 13, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The event will be held from 4-6 p.m. Local businesses, clubs and organizations will host spaces along the path and will hand out candy, coupons and other goodies.
About 6,000 children, parents, and grandparents attended the Wyoming Pumpkin Path last year.
“Pumpkin Path was created to be a fun, safe, family-friendly event for the fall, providing an alternative to traditional Halloween events,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “Pumpkin Path gives families the perfect opportunity to interact with neighborhood businesses while enjoying the outdoors, Lamar Park and the beauty of the fall season.”
Not only should children expect to receive treats, they should also look forward to a DJ and dancing, jumping in the bounce house and games. Participants are welcome to come in costume or in regular clothes.
In previous years, Pumpkin Path has welcomed over 65 local businesses and organizations, and more than 6,000 children, parents, grandparents and friends.
For many driving on Byron Center Avenue pass Ferrand Park, their reaction might be very similar to that of the wife of Wyoming’s Council Member Kent Vanderwood.
“So my wife and I have lived in Wyoming for 13 years and my wife and I were driving by [Ferrand Park] recently and she said there’s a park in there,” Vanderwood said during an August Wyoming Council meeting.
Ferrand Park is one of the oldest city park areas in Wyoming having been donated by the Ferrand family and dedicated in 1971. However a deed restriction did not allow the city to remove any of the trees, with the city leaving the park in a natural state with a small playground area.
The ribbon cutting ceremony at the Ferrand Park rededication.
“So you see the beautiful trees?” said City Services Director Rebecca Rynbrandt. “We can not remove a tree unless it is in imminent risk to the public. So for years, we have to wait for them to die a little bit of their natural death allowing us to have space in the middle, which opened up for play.”
Now some 40 years later, the city was able to invest more than $400,000 into the pocket park with money from the Parks and Recreation Fund and the Revolving Capital Improvement Fund. On Aug. 25, the city hosted a rededication.
“We are very excited to be rededicating Ferrand Park, one of our 21 parks in the city of Wyoming,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “We are excited for the major changes that have occurred in this park and we are most thankful for our citizens for once again supporting efforts in our parks that make them some of the most beautiful parks in all of West Michigan.”
The park features a number of new amenities such as a shelter, pathways into the park, architectural features that help to identify the park, and a new, expanded playground area.
The new, expanded playground at Ferrand Park.
“I personally love the dragonfly teeter-totter ,” Rynbrandt said. “We try to make something special and unique for each park.
“We also implemented the log and step rocks. We want this to be a marriage of the environment with the landscaping and then with the traditional land features. We added and expanded the playground that is available. There is climbing walls that they never had before. They have never had swing sets at this park, so we have provided an adaptive swing as well as a regular swing.”
Another important aspect is the accessible pathways into the park, Rynbrandt said.
“We have an accessible ramp into the park,” she said. “We have a sidewalk area and we have a crush aggregate, so we also have different textures.”
There are other details as well such as a table area near the park with a handicap accessible spot facing the playground area, making it easier for all to enjoy the playground space.
All of these changes are making residents take notice of the neighborhood park.
The butterfly teeter-totter at Ferrand Park.
“We have already seen an increase in dog-walkers, exercise walkers for health and wellness because now they know the park exists,” she said. “We put the architecture detail along the road of Byron Center so people are saying ‘hey what is there?’
“Before, the playground sat very low in the hollow in the area. So now people know there is a park and they are walking in, they have a safe route to access the playground and the shelter.
Now with Ferrand Park done, the City of Wyoming will turn its attention to its oldest park, Ideal Park, with work scheduled to start on that park soon and a grand reopening celebration set for 2019.
With more than a 1,000 traffic fatalities in the state of Michigan, distracted driving has certainly become a concern with law enforcement.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety, through a recent grant from the GM Foundation, hopes to educate area students about the dangers of distracted driving from alcohol to cell phones.
“We are going to be going into all of our local high schools partnering with them and bringing in the Save a Life tour. We will have some presentations and hopefully some interactive displays with the teenagers there just showing them the potential of distracted driving and the consequences that could be,” said Wyoming Chief Kim Koster.
An interactive display from Save a Life.
The Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance, which received the grant, plans to help the Wyoming Department of Public Safety bring in the program Save a Life, an international campaign designed to get the message out about the dangers of distracted driving. The program includes highly advanced impaired and distracted driving simulators that give participants a completely realistic, sober perspective on the effects of driving while impaired or distracted.
“We are receiving generously from General Motors a check that will be used specifically by our police department for distracted drivers,” said Mayor Jack Poll, who was at the opening ceremonies or the 28th Street Metro Cruise where the grants were presented. The 28th Street Metro Cruise is usually the last weekend in August.
For the past several years GM has recognized and supported local organizations that help with a number of projects within the community. The GM Community Grants program, funded by the GM Foundation, is providing about $2 million to hundreds of organizations in 48 communities where GM employees live and work. Of that amount, $30,000 was awarded to the GM Components Holdings LLC in Wyoming to give to local organizations.
GM Foundation awards three grants totaling $30,000 recently at the 2018 28th Street Metro Cruise.
That amount was split between three organizations, the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance, the West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC), and Feeding America.
WMEAC will use most of its grant money toward its Teach the Watershed program at Godfrey Lee Elementary School, said WMEAC Director of Development Mary Robinson.
“We work specifically with fourth graders to teach them about the watershed and air pollution and how then can be actors in stopping pollution,” Robinson said. “We will also have a fall water festival that will include kids from the elementary school but also from the early childhood center.”
The last group was the Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank which will utilize the grant to help support 14 school mobile pantries feeding more than 14,000 families. One of the locations is Wyoming’s Parkview Elementary.
It could be because it is red as a red vehicle always stands out. Then again, it is a fire engine which usually draws a crowd.
But more likely it is simply the fact that it is the City of Wyoming’s first fire truck that made Engine No. 1 so popular at last year’s 28th Street Metro Cruise.
“People love it,” said Wyoming firefighter Brad Deppe. “They’re honking. They’re waving. They’re thumbs up. They love to see it as much as we like to see it in and around the station.”
When restore, the truck’s details were done gold-leaf as it would have been done when purchased.
Deppe admits that participating in the 2017 28th Street Metro Cruise was almost an afterthought with him making the call rather late with organizers able to find a spot for the truck last year’s layout. This year, Deppe was one of the first to receive a call about this year’s event with the Engine No. 1 scheduled to be at Rogers Plaza on both days of the event, Friday and Saturday.
“There’ are not many communities that have the ability to say ‘Yes, we still have our original fire truck and it still goes down the road and we are still using it,” Deppe said. “It’s just really cool and a reminder of where we came from.”
The chase was purchased in 1931 with money raised by the Wyoming Park-Beverly area. As was typically during that time period, the body was built by the members of the department. It was put into service in 1932. The truck remained in active service until 1962 and for another eight years was used to fill and drain cisterns around the city.
In 1970, the truck was retired and for the next eight years, it sat in storage. That is until the question was raised on what the city should do with it, Deppe said. A group of about 18 Wyoming firefighters pushed for the truck to be restored. The restoration project started in May of 1978 and took about 14 months and approximately 610 man hours to complete, mostly done during off hours in evenings and on weekends. The cost was about $3,500.
During the restoration, the truck was dismantled and sent to Jackson to be repainted. When it was stripped, many of the original details and designs were discovered so the truck was restored to as much of its original look as possible, Deppe said, adding that included gold-leaf used in designs and pin stripping which was all done by hand.
Other details included the seat being reupholstered to as close at the original as possible. An original-style siren was located in New Jersey. Also original is one of the two ladders and the seat on the front fender which was not used when the truck was driving down the street, Deppe said, but was designed for a firefighter to sit in while helping to put out brush fires.
Firefighters would only seat on the fender seat when the city had a brush fire.
The restored engine was utilized in a number of events for several years but as those involved with overseeing the truck retired or moved on, Engine No. 1 once again was moved back into storage.
“About a year or so ago, the question came up again about what should we do with the truck,” Deppe said. The truck needed to be made road ready which included fixing any leaks and tracking down an era appropriate license plate.
The city’s firefighters knew what a gem it was to have Wyoming’s original fire truck and with that in mind, along with the help of Wyoming’s Steve Antique Repair — which is located in the old Wyoming Park/Beverly area — the staff was able to bring the engine out of storage.
“Now we are slowly piecing it back together,” Deppe said. “Finding some of things that use to be original on it the weren’t that have been changed at some point. Getting it back to its original state.”
The Wyoming’s Engine No. 1. which is housed in the Fire Station No. 2 on Division Avenue, has participated in parades, attended Department of Public Safety events, and of course, the 28th Street Metro Cruise. Deppe said the department hopes to continue to use the truck as way to engage the community, sharing a bit of the past to teach the importance of fire safety.
After almost six months of closure, the City of Wyoming is excited to re-open Ferrand Park, 4715 Byron Center Ave., on Saturday, Aug. 25, at 10 a.m. The community and neighborhood is encouraged to join the Mayor, City Council and Parks and Recreation Commission in celebrating the renovations.
Two new features at Ferrand Park is the green half-circle seesaw and the dragonfly seesaw.
The new park features new and expanded play equipment, including swings, custom powerscape playground structure, and dragonfly see saw. There are also universally ADA accessible walkways, improved turf conditions and a picnic shelter.
“The City of Wyoming and Parks and Recreation Commission are pleased to celebrate the grand opening of Ferrand Park,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, Director of Community Services. “We pride ourselves on excellent facilities and know that the improved accessibility of Ferrand will be a great asset to the families of our community.”
Ferrand Park is a small neighborhood park with a shady oak canopy. It also serves as a storm water collection area during large rains. The tree canopy is protected by a deed restriction that prohibits the removal of any trees unless dead or unsafe.
The grand opening celebration will feature Mayor Jack Poll and Parks and Recreation commissioner Doug Wustman.
The construction project, valued at $419,750, is made possible by the Capital Projects Revolving Fund and the Parks and Recreation Operational Millage.
"Being the Queen is not all about singing, and being a diva is not all about singing. It has much to do with your service to people. And your social contributions to your community and your civic contributions as well." _ Aretha Franklin
Making a difference
Having lived in Wyoming all of his life — except for a short time when he was away at college — Chris Hall felt he knew a lot about the community he lives in. Then in 2003, he joined Wyoming’s Community Development Committee and discovered even more about his city. “It is really cool because you hear from folks who have been a part of [the Community Development Committee] and they’ve learned about stuff — me included — of things that I didn’t know existed and ways that I can help out, and I think I am a better resident, a better citizen. Because of my involvement in this committee, I am able to serve my neighbors better.”
Time to Sparkle
The Grand Rapids Ballet will celebrate the arrival of its newest artistic director, James Sofranko with a gala Oct. 18. The Wild Sweet Love Welcome Gala, so named after a ballet that will be performed that event, will start at the L3VEL at The B.O.B. and then head to the company’s Peter Martin Wege Theatre. To find out why “Wild Sweet Love” was selected and how it connects to Sofranko, click here.
Having lived in Wyoming all of his life — except for a short time when he was away at college — Chris Hall felt he knew a lot about the community he lives in. Then in 2003, he joined Wyoming’s Community Development Committee and discovered even more about his city.
“It is really cool because you hear from folks who have been a part of [the Community Development Committee] and they’ve learned about stuff — me included — of things that I didn’t know existed and ways that I can help out, and I think I am a better resident, a better citizen.
“Because of my involvement in this committee, I am able to serve my neighbors better.”
The Community Development Committee is an advisory board to the Wyoming City Council with its focus on the federally funded Community Block Development Grant program. Enacted by Former President Gerald R. Ford in 1974, the Community Development Block Grant or CDBG is one of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s longest-running programs. It funds local community development activities such as affordable housing, anti-poverty programs and infrastructure development.
The funding is distributed mostly to state and local governments which controls how the funds are used.
“As an advisory panel we kind of get to determine where those dollars should be spent,” Hall said. “So we make recommendations to the city council, usually it is around community development-type work, strengthening neighbors, helping with education with housing, those types of issues.”
Projects funded through the CBDG program have included several park improvements such as the snack area at Pinery Park and a monument at Veteran’s Park. The program has worked with various non-profits that provide affordable housing and home repair services along with helping with other needs such as English is a Second Language programs.
The Community Development Committee is looking to fill some open spots. The person has to be a Wyoming resident and should be engaged in the community. The time comment is not much, about one meeting a month for a couple of hours, according to Hall.
“What you find you are doing is that you are more engaged between the meetings throughout the month looking for opportunities to find a nonprofit who can benefit from this or just be more engaged as a resident,” Hall said. “It’s a great opportunity for a resident of the city to participate and maybe be part of the solution.”
Hall went on to state that “A lot of people like to think of us as the suburbs. We are a pretty diverse city. From one end of the city to the other, there is a lot of different things happening in Wyoming. We have a lot of the same challenges we have in the urban core but the architecture is different. The cool thing is we have the ability to work on those as a community.”
To learn more about the Community Development Committee or the other volunteer committees, commissions and boards at the city, visit the city’s website or contact the city clerk’s office at 616-530-7296.
As Wyoming Public Safety officers and city leaders visited block parties and participated in activities for the annual National Night Out event last night, residents headed in record numbers to the polls to overwhelmingly approved the permanent renewal of the dedicated 1.25 mills for its public safety department.
A total of 11,432 people voted in Tuesday’s primary election, which determined party candidates for a number of races. That is 22.9 percent of the registered voters in Wyoming coming to the polls. The proposal passed 7,306 to 2,223.
The percentage turnout was one of the highest the city has seen in the past four primary elections, said City Clerk Kelli Vandenberg. In 2010, when Gov. Rick Snyder first ran, the city had a 20.1 percent voter turnout. In 2012, it was 9.26 percent, 2014, it was 13.5 percent and 2016, when President Donald Trump was elected, it was 10.6 percent.
“In talking to several other clerks in the area, the comment was it definitely felt more like a general election than a primary election,” Vandenberg said.
Indication that it could be busy primary election day started with the absentee ballots. The city received 2,261 absentee ballots which was about 600 more than in 2016. As to why the high turnout, VandernBerg said there could be a number of reasons such as the fact that there was a term-limited governor and this was the first time the Libertarian Party was included on the ticket.
As to the city millage renewal request, VandenBerg said it was certainly a nice surprise to see at the end of a very long night. City officials had no indication as to how the millage renewal would go as there was little commenting, except for a few positive posts on the city’s Facebook page, and no formal opposition presented.
This morning, city leadership expressed gratitude for the community’s continual support and stated they look forward to maintaining the excellent public safety programs and initiatives developed since the initial millage was first approved in 2010.
“We are pleased with last evening’s results and want to thank everyone who came out to vote yesterday,” says Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll. “Over the years, we have worked hard to be good stewards of the funding this millage provides, and it is clear our residents recognize we’ve made good on our promises.”
Public Safety Chief Kim Koster concurs with Mayor Poll’s sentiments, remarking the Public Safety Department’s efforts to work more closely with residents are bringing about excellent results for the community as a whole.
“Safety is at the core of the City’s mission, and the public safety millage allows us to maintain funding for critical services and programs,” Koster said. “We are fortunate to have the confidence of our residents and businesses, who continue to support our officers and firefighters. We look forward to working with the entire community to ensure Wyoming remains safe and welcoming.”
Following are some of the Public Safety Department’s accomplishments since the dedicated millage was first approved in 2010:
Achieved and maintained Gold-Standard police accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., putting the department in the top one percent of law enforcement agencies nationwide
Provided a professional public safety response to more than 37,000 calls for service every year
Implemented efforts to visit every school in Wyoming each school day, totaling 5,738 school visits last year
Conducted daily and nightly visits to businesses, making 8,606 contacts and 6,852 closed business checks in 2017
Equipped every police cruiser with an automated external defibrillator, or AED, as well as supplying every officer with Naloxone, which reverses the effects of overdoses
Increased forensic laboratory capabilities providing faster, more comprehensive results which have contributed to a higher success rate in solving crime
Reduced response times with the 24/7 operation of the Gezon Fire Station and the addition of two quick-response vehicles, or QRVs
Added three full-time fire fighters
Utilized part-time employees to implement a peak load staffing model which employs more staff during times of high call volume
Crossed-trained and licensed 22 City employees as fire fighters and utilized paid-on-call staff
Secured grants that allowed staff to become licensed as EMTs and purchase CPR assisted compression device
Even with a six percent increase in fire and emergency calls in 2017, the City of Wyoming has been able to achieve a 4 minute and 27 second response time throughout the city.
And in some areas of the city, such as the southwest end, those response times have improved to just over three minutes with the re-opening of the Gezon fire station to 24/7 and the addition of two quick response vehicles.
The city plans to maintain those response times and its level of service through the passage of a permanent renewal of its 1.25 mills for public safety, which is on tomorrow’s primary ballot. Chief Kim Koster credits a number of programs that have been developed over the past eight years — when the millage was first approved — that have helped provide more efficiencies within the department so the city could maintain services to its residents.
One of those programs was the training of 22 city employees from the parks and recreation and public works departments as firefighters. This training allowed the department to call upon the employees to help with fires and other emergency calls when needed.
From the Wyoming Department of Public Safety 2017 Annual Report.
“So in a matter of minutes we would have more than the eight or nine firefighters that we had on, but we could have fourteen or fifteen people who are trained in fire to an emergency,” Koster said during a recent interview on WKTV Journal In Focus. “That definitely increased our service to the community and gave us a lot. It also really provided safety for our firefighters as well because they had more (people) on the scene.”
The program is unique and Koster said she is not aware of another city that has trained city employees to be firefighters.
“We do have paid on-call as well, but in today’s society it is more difficult for employers to let a volunteer or a paid on-called firefighter to leave their job to go fight a fire,” Koster said, adding that the paid-on call staff are still important to the department.
“Between the part-time, the paid on-call and those dual-trained employees, we feel we are addressing our staffing issues efficiently and using tax dollars very wisely with that,” Koster said.
The city also purchased two quick response vehicles, medical vehicles that have firefighting capability, Koster said. These vehicles only require two people to man versus an engine which needs three to four.
“So we were able to put two of those machines out along with an engine from our fleet and we would have three vehicles that would respond to emergencies versus the two,” Koster said. “So we increased our response times to our citizens that way.”
Chase, the Wyoming K-9 dog, at a recent public safety open house.
Also in the fire department, three full-time firefighters have been added and a program was instituted to utilized part-time staff during high call volumes to help increase staff.
In the police department, the city has been able to save dollars through consolidations and collaborations with other area departments that included the centralized 911 dispatch, Koster said. The police department is also accredited, which only about one percent in the United States are.
“And that, I believe, really tells the taxpayers that we take our job seriously,” Koster said. “That we are accountable and we are transparent using their tax dollars to the best of our abilities.”
Showing that the city would use the money raised from the public safety to the best of its abilities was a key reason that the city decided to seek only a five-year millage in 2010, according to Major Jack Poll.
“So we went with the five-year millage so that after five years we could go back and say this is what we promised, this is what we accomplished,” he said.
However with costs continuing to climb and state funding shrinking, city officials see a need for those funds in order to maintain the current level of public safety services, which is why the 2018 proposal seeks a permanent renewal, Poll said.
The Wyoming City Council will have its last summer on-the-road meeting this Monday, Aug. 6, at Oriole Park, 1368 42nd St.
There will be a meet-and-greet from 6-7 p.m. with the meeting scheduled to start at 7 p.m. This is the third on-the-road meeting held this year with the first being in June at the Godfrey-Lee Early Education Center and in July at the Del-Mar Farms Community Room. Both of the meetings were well attended.
The on-the-road meetings were started last summer with the main goal being to provide an opportunity for residents to meet with council members in their own neighborhoods while taking part in council meetings.
“These are just great opportunities to get out in the community,” said Mayor Jack Poll during the meeting at Del-Mar. “We want our citizens to feel that we are very approachable and that they can come and talk with us.”
On Monday’s agenda is several items that will cover projects for the city’s parks and recreation and public works department along with several bid proposals and ordinance changes.
The council meets every first and third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. The meetings are broadcast live on WKTV Channel 26 and rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
NOTE: As of 10:59 p.m. Aug. 2, the precautionary boil water advisory has been lifted and Clyde Park is now fully open to traffic.
The City of Wyoming is waiting for water test results to determine if a water advisory issued yesterday can be lifted.
Bacteriological test results should be available by midnight tonight, Aug 2.
A precautionary boil water advisory was put in place Tuesday evening due to a waterman break on Clyde Park between 26th Street and Cricklewood. About 45 customers are effected by the wtaermanin shutdown.
The area marked in black is under a precautionary boil water advisory.
The break caused a drop in pressure in the City of Wyoming water supply, bacterial contamination may have occurred in the water system. Bacteria are generally not harmful and are common throughout the environment.
What should a resident in the effective area do?
Do not drink the water without boiling it first. Bring all water to a boil, let it boil for one minute, and let it cool before using, or use bottled water. Boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and preparing food. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water. Continue using boiled or bottled water until further notice.
The area marked in black is under a precautionary boil water advisory.
What happen? What is being done?
These precautionary actions are being taken due to the loss of water pressure in the water distribution system caused by a water main break on Aug. 1. Whenever a water system loses pressure for any significant length of time, precautionary measures are recommended. When a pressure loss occurs, water from inside a building may back flow into the water supply system.
The City has been working to get pressure restored, and water staff will be taking other remedial actions such as flushing and collecting bacteriological samples from around the system. The samples will be collected to determine that the water quality meets the state drinking water standard. Residents will be informed when tests show no bacteria and residents will no longer need to boil water. When water is restored, residents should remove aerators and flush water outlets for a minimum of five minutes.
The boil water notice shall remain in effect until results from the sampling verify the water is safe to drink. Customers will be advised when the boil water advisory has been lifted.
Officers at the schools, property checks at businesses and residences, the re-opening of the Gezon Fire Station — these are just some of the accomplishments that the Wyoming Department of Public Safety has been able to complete in the last eight years when a public safety millage was approved.
This Aug. 7, residents are being asked to provide a permanent renewal of the annual levy of 1.25 mills for public safety. For a resident with a home valued at $100,000, the cost will remain at $62.50 per year.
A Wyoming Public Safety firefighter shows how a firehouse works during a recent public safety open house.
“We would like to maintain the level of service we have been able to provide this far and in order to do that those funds would be needed to continue the operations and maintain the efficiencies built into some of our models here for public safety,” said Wyoming Department of Public Safety Chief Kim Koster during a recent interview with WKTV.
Police and fire services account for 65 percent of the all spending from the city’s general fund. In 2010, when the millage was first proposed and passed, the city was facing declining state funding, the loss of the General Motors Stamping Plant and falling property values. Voters approved a renewal in 2014. Today, while home values have started to increase, Wyoming has faced continued cuts in state funding and its revenue status remains largely the same.
Through its new Pubic Safety service delivery model, the department has created many efficiencies and cost savings. One of those measures lead to the re-opening of the Gezon Fire Station which also now houses the Metro Health – University of Michigan Heath’s helipad.
“So through some creative staffing models we have been able to staff this Wyoming fire station out here on the south end of Wyoming for 24 hours, seven days a week,” Koster said. “In addition to that we have added two quick response vehicles. They are able to respond from [the Gezon] Fire Station as well as our central fire station that way we don’t have to take an engine to a medical call, and get there a lot faster and more efficient that way.”
One of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety K-9s meets with his fans.
The opening of the Gezon Fire Station and the addition of the quick-response vehicles has helped to reduce response times, according to a recent city report. Other accomplishments by the department include:
· Achieved and maintained Gold-Standard police accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., putting the department in the top one percent of law enforcement agencies nationwide.
· Provided a professional public safety response to more than 37,000 calls for service every year
· Implemented efforts to visit every school in Wyoming each school day, totaling 5,738 school visits last year
· Conducted daily and nightly visits to businesses, making 8,606 contacts and 6,852 closed business checks in 2017
· Equipped every police cruiser with an automated external defibrillator, or AED, as well as supplying every officer with Naloxone, which reverses the effects of overdoses
· Increased forensic laboratory capabilities providing faster, more comprehensive results which have contributed to a higher success rate in solving crime
· Added three full-time fire fighters
· Utilized part-time employees to implement a peak load staffing model which employs more staff during times of high call volume
· Crossed-trained and licensed 22 City employees as firefighters and utilized paid-on-call staff
· Secured grants that allowed staff to become licensed as EMTs and purchase CPR assisted compression devices
Residents can learn more about the millage on the city’s website at wyomingmi.gov/publicsafety or by calling 616-530-7272.
For this first time in his council career, Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll walked to the council meeting.
The meeting was the second council-on-the-road one for the Wyoming City Council which was at the Del-Mar Community Room, the subdivision Poll lives in. The last on-the-road summer meeting is Aug. 6 at Oriole Park.
Community members filled the Del-Mar Community Room and thanked the council for bringing the meeting to the residents.
Poll said staff worked to bring subjects to the meetings that would be important to the residents of the southwest area. This meeting included discussion on the city’s master plan, upcoming road projects, and the TEAM 21 program.
City of Wyoming’s Principal Planner Nicole Hofer
Master Plan
So what will the City of Wyoming look like in the future? This was the question that the Wyoming City Council, staff, and residents will be asked to consider as the city begins the process to review and update its current master plan.
“Ultimately, a master plan helps to define our future vision, our economic development opportunities, what housing will look like in our city, what transportation we will have,” said the city’s new principal planner Nicole Hofert. “Will we have busing? Will we continue with cars? Will we integrate bike lanes? It is about land use.”
The city’s current master plan was adopted in 2006 with the plan projected out to 2020. The city has done periodic updates on the plan but with 2020 only a few years away, the time is now for the city to look ahead at the next 20 years.
Hofert said a lot has happened within the city since the master plan was first adopted. This has included the adoption of a form base code, the discussion of affordable housing, and looking at the city’s industrial sites. Also, the City of Grand Rapids has had tremendous growth and the city needs to consider how that impacts the Wyoming community, she said.
The review process is expected to take about 14-16 months with the goal of getting the community involved as much as possible. This includes hosting pop up events, utilizing social media, and attending community activities such as school homecomings to interact with residents and collect as much input as possible. The next step in the process will be to create a request for proposals to send it out to potential consultants for the master plan update, Hofert said.
Welcome sign at the Del-Mar Community Center
Road Projects
Wyoming Department of Public Works Director Bill Dooley spoke about the road work that will be taking place in the City of Wyoming. The Wyoming City Council approved a bid of around $4 million for the city’s resurfacing projects. The bid was awarded to Michigan Paving and Materials Company.
Dooley said the city has 650 miles of lane roads. The lifespan of a road depends on use with most being about 25-30 years with roads that have high traffic such as truck traffic, being around 10 years. The city spends about $5.5 million annual on road projects with some of the money coming from the state’s gas tax.
Because the bids came in 22 percent higher than last year, a few roads were eliminated from the scope of the project. The increase cost is related to what oil prices are and asphalt is made from oil, Dooley said.
Poll noted that because last year bids came in so low, the city did add on some roads so as to make its dollars go farther.
Dooley said that the remaining $1.5 million in roads was being used for the reconstruction of 56th Street between Byron Center and Ivanrest avenues and will include the addition of a new signal at Ivanrest and 56th. That project is scheduled to start on July 9 with the intersection being done in the fall, closer to the project’s completion.
Community members and city officials chat before the meeting
Team 21 program
The Wyoming City Council approved about $1.46 million for the city’s after school and summer program, TEAM 21.
The city partners with four school districts, Wyoming Public Schools, Kelloggsville Public Schools, Godfrey Lee Public Schools and Godwin Heights Public Schools to provide 15 TEAM 21 sites around the city. These sites support about 2,000 students. Wyoming Public Schools serves as the fiduciary agent for the program.
“These budget amendments actually recognize approximately $1.6 million that will come into the City of Wyoming, specifically to the operations of the parks and recreation service area in supporting and employing our site coordinators and our program administrative staff,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, the city’s director of community services.
This year, the city saw an increase in funding for the program, however; funding, which comes from the federal government, has been “more challenging” since the Trump administration has taken office, Rynbrandt said, adding the administration has zeroed out funding for these types of programs. Congress has been putting the funding back in when reviewing the budget, Rynbrandt said.
Next year, 10 sites are up for renewal. Because the city does not know its funding level until on or about July 1 and since there remains a question on funding for the future, Rynbrandt said city staff will be meeting with area superintendents to work on plans to make sure there is funding at least through the summer of2019. She said she will be reporting at a later date on what those plans will be to accomplish that goal.
Just when you’re in the throes of enjoying the lush tree canopy in city, it stops being lush. One day, the shade is gone. The leaves are decimated. The mess is significant.
We can thank our nemesis, the gypsy moth, for that. Despite the June 5th spray in Wyoming, these buggers are back in force. (To learn how gypsy moths came to be such a menace in America in the first place, go here. Warning: Not for the faint of heart.)
The City of Wyoming shares your frustration. The spray has not been as effective as in years past. A gypsy moth consultant says that there are several reasons for this.
According to the City’s website, under ideal spray conditions, 80% mitigation is expected. The consultant believes that extreme cold in April combined with extreme heat in May disrupted many of the gypsy moths’ normal patterns and resulted in fewer gypsy moth larva ingesting the spray product.
The City of Wyoming is documenting calls and conveying that information to the City Council and the consultant. Residents’ calls and emails are valuable and will help determine where treatment is needed in the future.
Thuricide (sold under various brand names) — read the label to ensure it contains Btk
Tanglefoot — this is a wrap that goes around the tree trunk and it prevents the caterpillars from going up to the tree canopy to eat
Pheromone traps are another option, though they are not as effective
Another option is to hire a private contractor to treat smaller trees and ornamentals. Use caution when using other products as some can affect bees, butterflies and other pollinators.
Refer to the City of Wyoming’s Facebook page or website for more information. There’s a form you can fill out on the website to alert the City to gypsy moths in your area. Use it.
Michigan State University Extension has more information on what to do about gypsy moth infestations. Go here.
Note: In this continuing series, we take a look at some of the 18 boards, commissions and committees that address specific needs within the City of the Wyoming.
Every second Wednesday of the month (except for July and August), you’ll find Dr. Lillian Cummings-Pulliams at Wyoming City Hall. A school psychologist for the Wyoming Public Schools. Cummings-Pulliams is at the city hall as a representative of the district on the city’s Parks and Recreation Commission.
She is not a resident of Wyoming, but lives in Kentwood. Since her daughter attends Wyoming Public Schools as part of schools of choice, they have participated in a number of Parks and Recreation programs and because of that, discovered she had an interest on serving on the Parks and Recreation Commission. Once she learned that the school district position was open, Cummings-Pulliams, along with a few others, applied for the open seat.
Dr. Lillian Cummings-Pulliams
“I put a plea into our superintendent to say ‘Hey, if anyone is as passionate as I am about this city and about the committee, then definitely put them in.’ and so I was picked,” she said.
It is an opportunity she has not regretted taking as it has given her an inside look as to what the Parks and Recreation Commission does and the work that goes into maintaining the city’s 21 parks along with the Wyomig Senior Center and library facility.
“When you go to the parks, at least when I do, I think that the parks are just there,” said Dr. Lillian Cummings-Pulliams. “I never have ever considered what goes on behind the scenes to make the parks what they are.”
The Parks and Recreation Commission reviews recreational program and park needs of the community and advises the City Manager and City Council on recommended changes. The commission also plans and coordinates recreational activities and park development.
Ideal Park
Most recently, the Parks and Recreation Commission has been focused on Ideal Park because of the tornadoes that came through in 2014 and 2016, destroying a portion of the park, and the Gezon Park master plan.
There are currently two at large positions open on the commission. For those positions, a person must be a City of Wyoming resident. Because the area public schools play such a role in the parks — several schools are located close or next to a city park — the board has positions for the following schools within the City: Godwin, Godfrey-Lee, Kelloggsville, Wyoming and Grandville. Currently the Kelloggsville and Godfrey-Lee school positions are open. A person for those positions should be a school staff member.
For more information about the city’s boards, commissions, and committees, click here. To apply, click here for the application, which must be sent to the City Clerk’s office, located in city hall at 1155 28th St. SW.
If 56th Street is one of your favorite routes to take to the RiverTown Crossings or to Maple Hill Golf Course, be warned: starting July 9 you will need to find a different route.
It is around July 9 that 56th Street will be closed between Ivanrest Avenue and Byron Center Avenue for reconstruction that includes the road being widen to three lines.
“The addition of the left-turn lane has really helped us be able to put in a traffic light at 56th and Ivanrest, which has been long over due at that intersection,” said Russ Henckel, assistant director of the city’s Department of Public Works. Currently the intersection is a four-way stop. Without the left turn lane, it hindered the city in putting in the traffic signal, Henckel said.
Along with the widening of the road, on the north side, a regional pathway of a 10-foot sidewalk will be constructed and on the south side, a standard sidewalk of five feet will be constructed.
Regular traffic will be rerouted to 52nd Street and truck traffic will be rerouted to 44th Street.
“Out of all the road work that we have for the summer, the 56th Street project probably will have the most impact on drivers,” Henckel said.
The reason beinging is that the road will be totally shut down to through traffic (it will be open to local businesses and residents) unlike road resurfacing projects where a lane is maintained during a project to allow for traffic flow.
The City of Wyoming has a pretty extensive resurfacing program with this year focusing on a number of the city’s neighborhood roads, according to Henkel. A couple of the bigger resurfacing projects for the City of Wyoming are the west mile and a half of 44th Street from Burlingame to Clyde Park avenues and Michael Avenue from 28th Street to Prairie Parkway.
Bids for the city’s resurfacing projects just went out with the Wyoming City Council expected to review and approve final bids at its July 2 meeting, Henckel said.
Total cost for the 56th street reconstruction is around $2.4 million which includes the city’s portion of $630,500. According to city staff, the cost does not include the city’s engineering and other expenses, which will bring the total project to about $3 million. The city will pay for its portion of construction costs out of its Capital Improvement Fund.
This upcoming Tuesday, June 26, the City of Wyoming’s popular WY-FI concert will kick off the area’s annual Fourth of July celebrations.
The event will feature performances by Valentiger and the Kari Lynch Band with fireworks after the concert.
Valentiger
Mainstays of West Michigan’s music scene since 2008, pop-rock veterans Vatentiger most recently played at 20 Monroe Live!, opening for the Gin Blossoms. A good fit for the group of three since the band has a penchant for 50s, 60s, and 70s rock and pop. The group has been performing in and around Grand Rapids for the past decade at various venues including several of the Local Spins series.
Kari Lynch is also a familiar face in Grand Rapids, having performed at several outdoor concerts and venues. Michigan born and raised, and now residing in Nashville, is all country and working to record her next album. Lynch has played thousands of shows across the U.S. and abroad as well, playing to crowds in the tens of thousands and has earned an impressive resume opening for some of country music’s most recognized artists including Miranda aLambert, Little Big Town, Kacey Musgraves, Dierks Bentley, The Band Perry, The Charlie Daniels Band, and Alabama.
The theme for the WY-FI concert is patriotism and those who participate in the theme will be eligible to enter a drawing for a gift card that will be given out at the end the concert.. The fireworks will be after the show.
Also, due to the cancellation of last week’s concert featuring The Adams Family, the Wyoming Concerts in the Parks series has been extended with The Adams Family performing on Aug. 14.
All concerts, unless noted, start at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, located 2561 Porter St. SW. Free parking is available at Lamar Park. All the concerts will air on WKTV 25 Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and again Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. For all details and up-to-date information, visit www.facebook.com/wyomingcec.
Wyoming: Candidate forum set for Thursday, June 20, at WKTV
The Wyoming Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce hosts its Wyoming candidate forum Wednesday, June 20, at the WKTV station, 5261 Clyde Park Ave. SW. For more on the story, click here.
Kentwood: Summer concert series continues with May Erlewine on June 21
May Erlewine (Facebook/John Hanson)
The City of Kentwood Summer Concert series continues this week with “Michigan’s Songbird”, May Erlewine, on Thursday, June 21. The concert will begin at 7 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, located at 4900 Breton Road SE. For more on the story, click here.
WKTV Journal
In the latest WKTV Journal newscast, we sit down with Dr. Lillian Cummings-Pulliams to talk about the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Commission and Jeremy Witt from the West Michigan Tourist Association to discuss fun, educational trips residents can take this summer. Also there is Fourth of July information along with upcoming road construction projects.
Capt. Jim Maguffee (right) with newly appointed Fire Chief Brian Bennett (left)
The City of Wyoming has promoted Lt. James Maguffee to administrative captain in police services. He takes over the position that was vacated by Chief Kim Koster upon her recent promotion. In this role, Maguffee will oversee the department’s administrative processes such as those related to accreditation, annual reporting, internal affairs, public information and grant funding.
Maguffee began his career with the Flint Police Department where he served for seven years before joining the Wyoming Department of Public Safety in January of 1998.
He was promoted to sergeant in 2005 and specialized in patrol operations, investigations and community services. He served as a member of the department’s motorcycle unit and is the current leader of the department’s Honor Guard. In 2012, Maguffee earned a promotion to lieutenant where he worked as a patrol commander, oversaw the department’s community policing efforts, and was eventually assigned as the investigative division commander.
“For the past three-and-a-half years, Jim’s leadership of the Investigative Division has been instrumental in the department’s ability to bring some of our most challenging and intricate cases to a successful conclusion,” Koster said. “I look forward to his contributions to the overall direction of the administration of our Public Safety Department.”
Maguffee is a graduate of Cornerstone University and Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff & Command. He currently serves as an adjunct instructor for both the Grand Rapids Community College and Grand Valley State University police academy programs.
Recently, the City of Wyoming also promoted Brian Bennett to the position of fire chief. Bennett has been with the city since 2015. Bennett has served in fire services for more than 30 years and received his initial certifications from the Rockford Fire Academy. Bennett plans to continue working on the department’s commitment to customer service through the efficient delivery of emergency meeting services. For more on Bennett, click here.
Wyoming: Delilah Dewylde’s Rockabilly sounds at Lamar Park on June 12
Delilah DeWylde (Photo by Tyler Steimle)
Delilah DeWylde and her band the Lost Boy brings a high-octane rockabilly sound to the next Wyoming Concerts on Tuesday, June 12, starting at 7 p.m., at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. The performance is free.
Kentwood: Adams Family will kick off summer concert series June 14
The Adams Family (Facebook)
The Adams Family will be the first of a summertime full of music as the City of Kentwood’s Summer Concert Series offers free concerts and family entertainment on select Thursday nights from June to August. All concerts will begin at 7 p.m., on the lawn behind Kentwood City Hall, located at 4900 Breton Road SE.
WKTV Voices: You love Marge’s donuts, and you will love her and her sisters stories
The WKTV Voices trailer is at Marge’s Donut Den the second Saturday of each month. In March of this year, Marge and her sister Marilyn sat down to record their oral history. Hear what these marvelously mischievous siblings had to say about the various pranks they pulled during their childhood.
A familiar face will be taking over as the City of Wyoming’s new fire chief.
At its regular Monday meeting, the Wyoming City Council unanimously approved a contact to hire Brian Bennett as the city’s new deputy director of fire services or fire chief. Bennett replaces former Fire Chief Chuck Lark who retired.
Bennett came to the department three years ago when Lark was hired to serve as the assistant deputy director of fire operations for the City of Wyoming. Before coming to Wyoming in 2015, Bennett was the fire chief for the Caledonia Fire Department 12 years and before that, served as the deputy chief for that department. Firefighting runs in the family as Bennett’s father was a firefighter for 30 years and his sons,Tony and Brad, are also firefighters with Brad received a unit commendation during the 2017 City of Wyoming Department of Public Safety’s awards ceremony.
“About three years ago we approached Brian Bennett along with Chuck Lark with an idea and asked them if they would come and lead our fire department,” said Wyoming’s Public Safety Chief Kim Koster. “We deploy our fire department in some traditional ways, so we were looking for someone who was willing to think outside of the box and be willing to come in and work hard and provide some excellent leadership. Brian stepped up to the plate along with Chief Lark at the time.
“Lark has since retired and we decided we would like to go in the same direction that we have been going for the last three years and we believe that Brian Bennett will continue the forward movement of the fire department.”
The positive momentum has included opening the Gezon Fire Station 24/7 which has helped to reduce the city’s overall response times to 4 minutes and 27 seconds, which Koster pointed out earlier in the meeting with her presentation of the Department of Public Safety’s annual report.
While response times have gone down, the department has seen a 15 percent increase in calls every year since 2015, Koster said, adding that she credits some of that increase to continue growth of the south side of the city which has had a number of commercial and residential construction projects. The department also added three full-time firefighters, expanded its part-time program and all firefighters are trained to the EMT Level 1.
About 17 parks and public works employees have been cross-trained to help the fire department during structural fires and the department has developed a special response program that includes water, ice, trench, hazmat, and machine rescue.
“We really have been progressive the last three years,” Bennett said after the meeting, pointing out that a combination of full- and part-time firefighters allowed the city to have the Gezon Fire Station operational 24/7. Members of the department also have been involved in a number of community events such as Soups-On, WinterFest, WY-FI Concerts in the Park, Relay for Life, Pumpkin Path and National Night Out.
He said he sees the department continue to build on that progress to provide the best service it can to the city and its residents. This includes continuing the accreditation process for the Wyoming Fire Department.
“We’ve appreciated your service over the last couple of years and trust that the fire department will continue to show great progress and there has been a lot of good continued to happen since Chief Lark and you have been here and we trust that will continue on,” said Mayor Jack Poll at the meeting.
It’s time again to grab a chair, a cooler and head to Lamar Park for the City of Wyoming’s Concerts in the Park.
The annual event is set to kick off at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 5, with its Kids’ Night featuring The Porters. The Grand Rapids-based group, which includes Matt Porter, Lynn Porter, Barbara Weatherhead, and Pete Weatherhead, performs interactive music and movement for children.
As part of the fun for this year’s Concerts in the Park, each night will have a theme. Those who participate in the theme will be eligible to enter a drawing for a gift card that will be given out at the end the concert. The June 5 theme is to dress like your favorite Disney character.
A deaf interpreter will be at the June 5 show as well as the June 19 show which will feature The Adams Family.
The rest of the Wyoming Concert Series’ performers and themes are:
June 12: Delilah DeWylde with the theme of flowers
June 19: the Adams Family with the theme of retro
June 26: the WY-FI concert with Valentiger and Kari Lynch with the theme of patriotism
July 10: Cabildo with the theme of wear your bright colors
July 17: Soul Syndicate with a beach theme
July 24: Blue Soul Express with a Mardi Gras theme
July 31: Matt Gabriel and wear you cowboy hat
Aug. 7: the National Night Out with Yellow Brick Road, Elton John and Billy Joel dueling pianos, with a super hero theme
All concerts, unless noted, start at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park, located 2561 Porter St. SW. Free parking is available at Lamar Park. All the concerts will air on WKTV 25 Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and again Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. For all details and up-to-date information, visit www.facebook.com/wyomingcec.
Kentwood Summer Concert Series
The Kentwood Summer Concert Series kicks off the following week on June 14 with The Adams Family. The Kentwood series is every Thursday (except for June 28 and July 5) through Aug. 2 The event takes place at 7 p.m. on the lawn behind the Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Rd. SE. The series is free with participants encouraged to bring their own lawn chair and drinks. Food trucks will be at each show.
Many communities will be honoring those who have given their lives to serve this Memorial Day, set for May 28, including the communities of Wyoming and Kentwood.
City of Wyoming
Veterans lay a wreath during Wyoming’s 2017 Memorial Day ceremony.
The City of Wyoming will host its annual Memorial Day Ceremony at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 28, at Veterans Memorial Garden, 2380 DeHoop SW. The community is welcome and encouraged to attend.
The ceremony will feature guest speaker retired Sergeant Brian Gravelyn who served in the Marine Corps Reserves. During his service he was activated twice and deployed once to Iraq. He is the recipient of several distinguished medals and ribbons.
“The City of Wyoming is honored to recognize those who have served and those who continue to serve our country in the armed forces in order to protect our freedoms,” said City of Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll. “The Memorial Day Ceremony is a tribute to that service and protection and we are grateful to continue the tradition of this ceremony in our very own Veterans Memorial Garden.”
The ceremony will feature the Lee High School band led by Kevin Gabrielse and the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Honor Guard who will fire a rifle volley salute. Poll will host. The program will air on WKTV Channel 25 at 8:30 p.m.
City of Kentwood
Wreaths are laid during the Kentwood Memorial Day ceremony.
In Kentwood, the Amvets Post and the American Legion D.W. Cassard Post 208 have shared the responsibilities of hosting the annual parade and service with one group hosting it one year dn the other hosting it the nest. For 2018, the Cassard Post 208 have organized the event.
According to the D.W. Cassard Post’s website, the parade is set for 9 a.m. Monday, May 28. It kicks off from the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), near the corner of 48th Street and Eastern Avenue. From there, it will head west down 48th Street to Kentwood’s Veteran’s Memorial Park located in front of the Kentwood Activities Center, 355 48th St. SE. At the park, there will be a ceremony including the laying of five wreaths, one for each of the branches of the military service: Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. The service will last about an hour. The Kentwood Memorial Day celebration will air at 12:30 p.m. and again at 8 p.m. on WKTV Channel 25.
WKTV Programming
Throughout Memorial Day, WKTV Channel 25 will be featuring a variety of Memorial Day program. The rest of the day’s schedule includes 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m., A Saltue to Honor; 10 a.m., Memorial Day Tribute; 10:15 a.m. and 9 pm. ,The Lost Boat Ceremony; 1 p.m., Lest We Forget; and 6:30 p.m., Vietnam Moving Wall.
It was a little wet and rainy on Monday but it didn’t stop Wyoming residents or employees from enjoying this year’s National Public Works event at the Wyoming Department of Public Works.
“It seems like it has been 20 years that we have been doing this and we haven’t had a night where it has been raining,” said Public Works Director Bill Dooley. “It is uncanny how every single year, even if it was raining earlier in the day by the time it got to this event, the sky would open up and it would be sunny and warm. So, we are a little disappointed that it is rainy but we are probably due for something like this.”
In 1960 the American Public Works Association established National Public Works Week to create a better understand of the various responsibilities of a Public Works facility in maintaining the infrastructure of its community. This includes such areas as ground maintenance, sewer and water, potholes and road maintenance, and snowplowing to list a few of the many services provided by these departments.
Having hosted a Public Works Week Open House for the past 24 years, the event has become one of the City of Wyoming’s most anticipated activities for families.
While the rain did curb this year’s numbers – Dooley estimated the department will only go through about a third of its usually 2,000 hot dogs – many still came out to enjoy the event and learn more the Wyoming Department of Public Works.
“We do this because we want the community to feel really comfortable with who we are,” Dooley said. “We’re the public works organization and we take care of the streets, water system and the sewer system and there is a lot of aspects in doing that. So, we want to make sure that the public feels comfortable with us helping them.”
The event is focused around families with the department sending flyers out to the area schools. With that in mind, the activities are children-focused with the food being hot dogs, balloons and coloring books, and the vehicles Dooley said, adding “little children like to sit in the trucks and be around them…”
“We so look forward to this,” Dooley said. “Unfortunately, the weather isn’t perfect, but even if there was only 10 families here we would be so happy to have them and welcome them and just spend time to get to know them. So, we will do this every year as it is a lot of fun for us.”
Students get up close to check out the trucks during Wyoming’s Department of Public Works open house
By Allison Biss
WKTV Editorial Assistant
The City of Wyoming is celebrating National Public Works Week once again on Monday, May 21, at the Wyoming Public Works Department, 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW. The event that attracts more than 1,500 visitors gives the public the chance to learn about the Public Works Department and its services, meet community members and much more.
“This is a great time for us to show them who we are and what we do in the community and how we can make a better community,” said Carlos Ochoa, a Wyoming Department of Public Works employee.
From 5-8 p.m., staff will be present to talk to visitors about the work they do for the community as well as show off various pieces of equipment that they use. For the children, the equipment on display is the highlight of the event.
Public Works employee Carlos Ochoa shows off one of the trucks that collects leaves.
“Kids get to sit in a backhoe or a loader, sit in a street sweeper,” said Wyoming Department of Public Works Assistant Director Aaron Vis. “The weather is always good every year and of course, there is free food – free hot dogs, free drinks, free chips so I think that’s what brings people out.”
Besides the big trucks and hot dogs, residents can enjoy learning about those who help shape and maintain their community. This event is not only enjoyable by community members, but by public works staff as well.
“Oh, I love seeing the citizens,” said Public Works employee Jerry West. “We actually get to work with people from different departments too, which is fun. We don’t get to see each other all the time so yeah, it’s a blast to see the citizens, just let them know what we do and how we tick.”
“It’s a great event for the public to get to see what goes on in the city and what we do,” said Wyoming Mayor ProTem Sam Bolt.
For public works employees, this event is not just about displaying their work within the community.
“We reach a lot of people,” Vis said. “We have 72,000 customers in our city so for us to get some of them in every year and take a look at what we do, we appreciate it. It’s our way of saying thank you back to the community.”
National Public Works Week is May 20-26 and is celebrated by many communities across the country.
Wyoming Department of Public Works open house is set for Monday, May 21.
Scott G. Smith will be joining the city as its new attorney on July 1.
In a unanimous vote, the Wyoming City Council has hired Scott Smith as its city attorney during its May 14 meeting.
In this role, Smith will serve as the chief legal advisor to the City, responsible for providing legal services to the City Council, city manager, all departments, and City boards and commissions. He will render legal opinions, prepare contracts, ordinances, resolutions, leases and other documents, and assist in drafting proposed legislation on matters of interest to the City. He will defend the City in cases filed in all courts and assist with managing the hiring and work of outside attorneys retained to provide legal services to the City in various specialty areas. Smith will begin his duties on July 1.
With the hiring of Smith, the City will bring its legal services in-house for the first time in its history. Wyoming had previously contracted with Jack Sluiter and his firm Sluiter, Van Gessel & Carlson PC, who will continue to do project work. Sluiter has indicated his intention to slow down his practice as he prepares to retire.
“As Wyoming continues to grow and the nature of our work becomes more complex, we feel the time is right to bring legal services in-house,” said Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt. “We have long partnered with Scott Smith on innovative development projects, policy recommendations and other issues and have admired the depth and breadth of his knowledge on municipal matters.
“We have appreciated the fine work of Jack Sluiter and his legal team over the years. We look forward to building on that foundation and are delighted to welcome Scott to our team. We know having him contribute to our efforts on a daily basis will greatly benefit our City.”
Smith comes to the City with nearly four decades of municipal law experience, most recently with the firm Dickinson Wright PLLC. He has worked with dozens of public entities and authorities across Michigan, providing general counsel on municipal matters as well as special counsel regarding joint emergency services, brownfield and downtown development, local development financing, utilities, tax increment financing, district libraries and utilities.
He has been a part of several legislative workgroups, most recently serving on Lt. Gov. Brian Calley’s personal property tax legislative work group. He has also authored the municipal partnership act, 2011 PA 258, as well as amendments to other intergovernmental contract statutes, the brownfield redevelopment financing act, 1996 PA 381 and tax increment financing legislation such as 2018 PA 57.
“The City is on the brink of some exciting developments, and we need a strong internal team to get the work done,” said Mayor Jack Poll. “Scott has been a trusted advisor to the City for many years, and we know he will help us turn our vision into reality. He is thoughtful, innovative and an extremely strong collaborator.”
Smith earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School and his bachelor’s from Wheaton College in Illinois. He is active in the community, serving in board capacities for Grandville Baptist Church, Wedgwood Christian Services, Lake Ann Camp and Freedom Baptist School.
He resides in Grandville with his wife, Mari, and has two sons who live nearby with their families. He and Mari are the proud grandparents of five, soon to be six, grandchildren.
