At Lee High School’s Copa Rebelde and on other local fields, several local girls high school soccer teams will be in action this weekend.
The Lee High School girls soccer team, on Saturday, May 12, will host its first Copa Rebelde — Rebel Cup, for those of you not bilingual, which most of coach Gabriel Snyder’s team is.
And while the event should feature some great tournament soccer action, it will also be a community celebration of sorts.
“We are lucky to have a team and community that can embrace their cultural heritage as much as they do,” coach Snyder said to WKTV. “Copa is ultimately just a word but that word represents more than a tournament cup. It represents our small community’s strong ties with Latin America.
Deadline for the City of Wyoming’s Fair Housing Seminar is fast approaching. Those interested in the May 21 seminar should register by May 14 by calling 616-530-3164. The event is at the Wyoming Senior Center community Room, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW from 9 a.m. to noon.
The Kentwood’s Brush Drop-Off site is open this Saturday from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Kentwood residents can bring brush to the site located at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Ave. SE.
The site will be open through June 7. Hours are 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday. Burning of brush materials is not allowed within the city. For more information, click here.
Local: Gravel Bottom moves into Ada
Gravel Bottom Craft Brewery will open a new facility as part of the Ada Village redevelopment project on Friday, May 11.
“We’ve put a lot of time and effort into making this feel similar to what the other Gravel Bottom was: welcoming and comfortable,” Matt Michiels, Gravel Bottom owner, said in supplied material.
The new bar will offers 20 taps, which will allow Gravel Bottom to have more “experimental styles” in rotation.
Holland’s Tulip Time still has a lot of activities left before wrapping up this Sunday, on Mother’s Day. Tulips are blooming at a variety of locations including the Window on the Waterfront Park.
The Music Parade is this Saturday at 2 p.m. There is also an arts and craft show, carnival and a number of free activities taking place.
The City of Wyoming will host a seminar for rental property owners and housing professionals.
Free and open to the public, the City of Wyoming invites residents to learn more about housing-related topics. The seminar will take place in the Wyoming Senior Center Community Room, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW on Monday, May 21 from 9 a.m. to noon.
Designed for Wyoming landlords, rental agents, property management personnel, real estate agents and residents, the three-hour training seminar will provide practical, up-to-date information to assist housing professionals in their daily compliance with fair housing laws, and provide information on local agencies and resources who address various housing-related needs.
Topics and speakers include:
“Don’t break the law – what you need to know as a landlord relative to Section 8” will be presented by the City of Wyoming Public Housing Commission
“Fair housing practices update – what are your responsibilities & how are you affected?” will be presented by the Fair Housing Center of West Michigan
“City of Wyoming rental inspections program update – what are the proposed ordinances relative to multi-family dwellings & rental inspections for manufactured housing?” will be presented by the City of Wyoming Building Inspections Department
The Rental Property Owners Association and Wyoming Building Inspections Department will be available after the sessions to answer any questions. To register, please call 616-530-3164 by May 14.
A continental breakfast will be served. Seminar completion certificates will be provided upon completion. The educational seminar is sponsored by the Wyoming Community Development Department and the Rental Property Owners Association.
Shawn Kohlhaas, owner of Culinary Cultivations, talks to participants in the Transformando West Michigan program.
The West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce launched its newest intiative Transformando West Michigan, “Feeding Minds, Mouths, and Pockets.” The goal of this program is to provide Hispanic business owners currently working or with the desire to work in the food industry with the necessary financial tools and food safety knowledge to become successful.
The inaugural class kicked off at Gordon Food Service. The class is six sessions over three months with those who complete the program receiving food safety certification required by the health department of any restaurant operator.
Garrett Bazany in Kentwood’s adapted water ski clinic.
Got your tickets to the Kentwood Parks and Recreation’s The Vibe yet? The event is set for Friday, May 18. The third annual fundraiser benefits the Kentwood’s Adaptive Sports programs, which provide recreation opportunities for individual with disabilities.
Tickets for the semi-formal event are $100 per person and can be purchased online at kentwoodvibe.com or by call 616-656-5270.
Once known as the voice of West Michigan, Buck Matthews is on his farewell tour offering one last piece of advice: write down and share your stories.
Matthews will be at First & Main of Metro Health Village, 6812 Village Dr. SW, Wednesday, May 9, to talk about his latest book, “The Book in Each of Us.” The program is at 2 p.m. In the book, Matthews discuss the experience of writing and encourages others to do the same to share their stories.
The Wyoming Community Enrichment Commission has released its 2018 Concerts in the Park line-up. The series runs from June 5 to Aug. 7. All concert are at 7 p.m. at Lamar Park.
A student-produced film on the history of black musicians in Grand Rapids will be shown Thursday, May 10 at Celebration Cinema North, as well as on Xfinity On Demand cable TV beginning the same day.
A student-produced film, “Rhythm and Race: A History of African American Music in Grand Rapids,” on the history of black musicians in Grand Rapids will be shown Thursday, May 10, at Celebration Cinema North, as well as on Xfinity On Demand cable TV beginning the same day. The screening is at 6:30 p.m. followed by a panel discussion.
Almost 400 cars made their way through the City of Wyoming’s third annual Community Clean-Up Day site this past Saturday.
Hosted at the Grand Rapids First church, organizers said about 25,289 pounds of household hazardous waste and more than 41 tons of refuse was removed along with about 40 mattresses collected. Organizers are waiting for the numbers on recycling.
The Salvation Army was there as well and several items were donated.
The Community Clean-Up Day was established three years ago by one of the three strategic planning committees made up of city employees. When staff first came up with the plan for the community clean ups, they looked at areas of the city that had a particular amount of complaints regarding the improper disposal of refuse, according to organizers, with three specific areas identified. It was decided the event would be hosted in a different part of the city every year. The first year, 2016, it was at Godfrey-Lee Early Education Center. In 2017, it was at North Godwin Elementary School.
Every year the event has grown with the first year having around 332 cars to this year having almost 400 cars.
For those still cleaning, the city does have a Yard Waste Drop-Off site, located at 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW. There are no limits to the size of branches or shrubs, however, residents must unload the yard waste themselves and all containers must be removed from the facility.
Also Kent Recycling offers a number of options for a variety of items to be recycled such as metal, plastic, and paper. For more information, visit reimaginetrash.org.
It’s time to celebrate spring, which the City of Wyoming plans to do by hosting its annual spring carnival at Lamar Park.
The carnival opens on Friday, April 27 and runs through Sunday, May 6, at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. Carnival times are Monday through Thursday from 4 – 8:30 p.m.; Friday from 2-8:30 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from noon – 8:30 p.m.
“What says family fun like a spring carnival?” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, director of community services for the City of Wyoming. “The carnival is a great opportunity for the community to come out and celebrate the change in seasons in a fun and exciting atmosphere.”
The carnival will feature entertainment for all ages, including games, prizes, and carnival fare favorites. A spectrum of rides will be available for carnival-goers, from crowd pleasers, such as a carousel and Ferris Wheel to the adrenaline-inducing Mega Drop and Wipe Out.
Proceeds from the carnival support City of Wyoming parks and recreation services and the Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance or GWCRA. Funds raised support youth scholarships and youth and family programming through the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. The GWCRA distributes funds to the community through its annual grant awarding process.
The spring carnival is made possible through the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department. For more information, call the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164.
Mayor Jack Poll reads a proclamation at last year’s Arbor Day event.
By The Wyoming Tree Commission
The City of Wyoming Tree Commission, “The Tree Amigos,” has four reasons to celebrate Arbor Day 2018.
Tree City USA. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has informed the City of Wyoming that the Arbor Day Foundation has designated the City of Wyoming as a 2017 Tree City USA community. This is the City’s second year as a designee. To receive the designation, cities must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita, and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
Tree-covery Block by Block. On April 21, The Tree Amigos and student volunteers will plant 24 street trees in the City. Planting will begin 9 a.m. in the 4200 block of Flamingo Avenue SW where ten Wyoming residents have signed up for the project. The volunteers will plant another fourteen trees at other residents’ homes in various locations throughout the City. The Wyoming residents will help plant and pledge to maintain the hearty tree sapling in front of their homes. A matching-funds grant from the Michigan DNR Urban and Community Forestry Program and the USDA Forest Service, State and Private Forestry Program helped cover the cost of this project.
Beverly Bryan Community Orchard.NOTE: This event has been moved to May. The Tree Amigos will join West Elementary students and volunteers recruited by Kent School Services Network (KSSN) at Wyoming’s West Elementary School after school to plant ten more fruit and nut trees at the Beverly Bryan Community Orchard. Named for the late wife of the Tree Commission’s vice president Greg Bryan, who provided funding, the orchard was started August 30, 2017 with five, rescued heirloom apple trees, donated by Habitat for Humanity. Other funding comes from a Slow Food West Michigan Biodiveristy Mini-grant, Greater Wyoming Resource Council, District 77 Giveback and private donations in memory of Beverly Bryan.
Arbor Day Proclamation. At 10 a.m. Friday April 27. Wyoming City Commissioner Kent VanderWood will read the 2018 City of Wyoming Arbor Day Proclamation during a special celebration at Wyoming West Elementary School. After the speech, West Elementary students will sing a few songs to celebrate the community orchard.
The City of Wyoming’s annual clean up day is Saturday, April 21.
By Seth Van Ast
Editorial Assistant
Sometimes there are those things around the house that you want to throw away but disposal can be expensive and some items can be a hazardous challenge to handle. Well the City of Wyoming will help residents take care of that as the city hosts its third annual Community Clean-Up Day, Saturday, April 21.
“It came about as an opportunity for people who maybe have refuse or recycling or household hazardous waste at their homes and weren’t sure on how to get ride of those items,” said Terra Wesseldyk, who is with the Wyoming Public Safety Department and is heading up this year’s event. “We wanted to help make Wyoming beautiful, so we developed a program in which people could come to a centralized location and get rid of all those items.”
Recycle Kent will be on hand at this year’s event.
Started in 2016 through a employee committee, the event encouraged many in the city to clean up and dispose of unwanted items. Every year the event has grown with last year, more than 400 vehicles going through the 2017 location at North Godwin Elementary School, which was a 20 percent increase over the previous year’s event. About 15,000 pounds of electronics were recycled including 140 tubed TVs. About 5,096 pounds of household hazardous waste was dropped off and 4,400 pounds of metal were recycled. About 43 dumpsters were filled and 60 toms of refuse was hauled away by Plummer’s Disposal.
Also every year, the event has been at a different location.
“It was developed as a plan in which we would move the location of the clean up to different areas in order to serve each area of the city,” Wesseldyk said. “So that people who weren’t able to bring large items to an area across the city, that if they had it closer to them they would be able to bring larger items to us.”
This year’s event will be at First Grand Rapids, 2100 44th St. SW.
“People will need to enter traveling eastbound on 44th Street and enter at the northeast entrance of Grand Rapids First,” Wesseldyk said. “There will be lines and there will be volunteers showing where to enter. All the other entrances will be barricaded so nobody can go in any of the other entrances.”
Join the challenge by getting rid of old electronics.
Trash, recycling, and household hazardous waste will be accepted with a picture ID to show proof of Wyoming residency. Organizers are asking that people show up no later than 1:30 p.m. The Kent County Department of Public Works, Recycle Kent and the Salvation Army will be on hand to take various items.
The only items that citizens will be charged for dropping off will be mattresses, box springs and tires. All of this is being sponsored by the the Greater Wyomig Community Resource Alliance.
For questions or further information, call 616-530-7226 or visit wyomingmi.gov/cleanup
Capt. Kim Koster has been named the new Wyoming Pubic Safety Chief. She will be sworn in on April 25.
In a unanimous vote, the Wyoming City Council has named Kimberly Koster its new director of public safety during its regular April 16 meeting. She will be sworn in Wednesday, April 25.
In this role, Koster will lead a team of nearly 130 full-time personnel, including 86 sworn police officers and 29 full-time firefighters. She is the first woman to lead the Department of Public Safety. Koster will replace Chief James E. Carmody, who will retire on April 26 after more than four decades of service in public safety including 11 with the City of Wyoming.
“Capt. Koster has been an exceptional officer and instrumental member of our public safety team, and I am fully confident she will soar in this new role,” said Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt. ”She has gone above and beyond in her various positions, and I believe is a role model and trusted figure for our residents.
”We look forward to seeing her future accomplishments as she leads our public safety team in its ongoing mission to protect and to serve our community.”
With more than two decades of law enforcement experience, Koster began her career with Wyoming as a school resource and community policing officer. In this position, she worked with neighborhood groups and organized community events to bridge gaps and build solidarity among neighbors.
She worked her way up through the ranks to detective, sergeant, lieutenant and, most recently, captain, a position she has held since 2010. In this role, she assisted with the formation of the Public Safety Department through the administrative consolidation of police and fire services, created a new staffing model, facilitated dispatch operation transitions and led a collaborative effort in the development of the departments five-year strategic plan.
“It has been an honor to watch Capt. Koster grow professionally and to form such strong bonds of trust with colleagues and the public,” Chief Carmody said. “This department has some of the very best public safety professionals. They work extremely hard, and Kim is at the forefront of this team.
“I have complete confidence in her ability and look forward to watching her take this department to the next level, while providing second-to-none police and fire services to our community.”
As the chief of police and fire services, Koster plans to develop strategies that will improve the delivery of the departments public safety services. She will ensure the open and lasting dialogue necessary to keep the community safe is maintained and members of the community are served with dignity, respect, fairness and compassion.
“The Wyoming community has been such an incredible place to begin and to progress in my career,” Koster said. ”Chief Carmody has been a phenomenal mentor, and I am honored and humbled to have the opportunity to take the reins and lead this first-rate public safety department, which is committed to exceptional service and strong community relations.”
Throughout her career, Koster has been recognized with several commendations, including the Life Saving Award, Chiefs Award of Excellence, Outstanding Young Public Safety Officer and Safe Driving Award.
She served as a 911 communications supervisor, during which time she led the consolidation of police and fire operations in multiple communities, including Wyoming’s, move to Kent County. She has also served as lead detective in homicide investigations and as a crisis negotiator, among other critical roles throughout her career.
With a commitment to training, she graduated with Class 251 of the FBI National Academy. She also attended the Leadership Institute training hosted by Grand Rapids Police Department and the Police and Staff Command training hosted by Northwestern University.
Koster received her associates degree from Grand Rapids Junior College, her bachelors degree in criminal justice from Grand Valley State University and her masters degree in criminal justice administration from Ferris State University.
She resides in Grand Rapids with her wife, Marie, and three of her children, Bonham, Cash and Jett. She also has two adult stepchildren, Samantha and Alex.
Two neighborhood groups plan to hit the streets Saturday, April 14, for annual clean ups along Division Avenue and 28th Street.
At 7:45 a.m., community members are invited to meet at Godwin Heights High School, 50 35th St. SW, for the Division Avenue Annual Clean-Up hosted by the Division Avenue Business Association (DABA). Work will be along Division Avenue from 28th Street to 44th Street. The event is from 7:45 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Abundant Life Church is hosting the Team Up to Clean Up event for 28th Street. Volunteers are asked to meet at 10 a.m. at Marge’s Donut Den, 1751 28th St. SW. Volunteers will be working along 28th Street from Burlingame Avenue to Byron Center Avenue. The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. with lunch provided.
Of course with the National Weather Service having placed the Kent County under a winter storm watch, organizers of the event advise residents to double check that events are taking place before heading out.
For the Division Avenue clean up, visit the Facebook page by clicking here.
PF Michigan Group, LLC (“PFMG”), one of the nation’s largest franchisees of Planet Fitness health clubs, will celebrate the opening of its newest Grand Rapids-area location in Wyoming at 958 28th Street SW on March 20 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The grand opening event, which is being held with the Wyoming-Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce, is a free event and open to the public. It will kick off at 11 a.m. and include a ribbon cutting ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Immediately following, food and light refreshments will be served. The first 100 guests will receive a giveaway, and each guest will be entered for a chance to win a complimentary one-year PF Black® card membership and brand-new, 49” television.
Guests will have an opportunity to tour the new facility and network with other area businesses and residents. In addition, several local lawmakers, including Wyoming Mayor Pro-Tem Sam Bolt, will be present.
“We are very excited to be part of the community in Wyoming, giving residents access to our state-of-the-art facilities,” said Bryan Rief, one of the Northville, MI
-based franchise owners responsible for bringing Planet Fitness to Wyoming. In addition to Wyoming, Bryan and Laura Rief own and operate 38 other Planet Fitness locations throughout Southeastern Michigan, Central Michigan, Grand Rapids and Toledo.
Planet Fitness has plans to open an additional 12 to 15 Planet Fitness clubs in Michigan in the next 2-3 years, said Rief.
“It’s noisy, it’s loud,” said Steven Christensen of an AirBnB located near his home along Mayflower Drive in Wyoming. “You are trying to sit in the living room, trying to relax and people are coming and going, slamming doors all the time. It’s just loud. I had one time with a wedding … I have to go to work at five and they are out there at three o’clock in the morning hooting and hollering it up.”
Christensen and his neighbor Andrew Hanselman attended a Wyoming City Council work session earlier this year to encourage the city to host public hearings on short-term rentals such as AirBnBs, VRBO, and HomeAway, in an effort to create a city ordinance to regulate them.
At its March work session, the Wyoming City Council reviewed an ordinance that would prohibit all short term rentals for non-owner occupied homes. The proposed ordinance will be presented at Monday’s regular council meeting, which is at 7 p.m. at the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW.
“So, if I owned a house, I could rent my room or a room in the house, the basement or something as a short-term rental and that would be completely acceptable,” said City Manager Curtis Holt as he explained the proposed ordinance. “If I own a house and I bought a house just for the idea of an AirBnB that would not be acceptable. If I own a house and let’s say I would be out-of-town for long periods of time and I wanted to hold that house, it would not be acceptable to do short-term rentals with it.”
Holt acknowledged that the ordinance would address the one property the city has received two complaints about. In general, the city has not received a lot of complaints about short-term rentals. He said in a recent search, city staff found about six properties listed as short-term rentals. The most the city has had at one time is around 12, Curtis said.
“Well, understand this short-term rental issue is far more prevalent in tourist destination type towns…,” Curtis said.
The tougher challenge would be enforcement, Curtis said. Mayor Jack Poll said he could see that as if he goes away for the weekend and his children came by to stay, it would be tough to determine if they were renting or just house guests.
Still several council members liked the simplicity of the proposed ordinance and it gave something for the city to refer to when a property owner is blatantly obvious in not following the rules.
The ordinance could have a short life. At the state level, both the House and the Senate have bills — HB5403 and SB329 respectively — in committee that would prohibit municipalities enacting zoning ordinance bans of short-term rentals. Rep. Steve Johnson said during a January Government Matters, cities would still be able to regulate short-term rentals through such means as noise, advertising, traffic or other conditions. The house bill remains in committee, Johnson said.
“There is a battle going with one side on the private property rights of an individual who owns a piece of property versus local control and what control a local municipality can have on it,” State Senator Peter MacGregor said of the proposed Senate bill. In the past couple of months, there has been little movement on either the Senate or House bill.
Holt said municipalities have several concerns about the state bills. It is the belief of many community leaders, including those in the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, that to avoid inspection requirements, landlords would change their leases to 28 days or less.
“The majority of people who own residential properties do a great job,” said Mayor Stephen Kepley during the January Government Matters meeting, “but then you have have five percent who don’t and if they don’t have to do something they aren’t going to do something.”
To prevent a “one bad apple” scenario, Kepley said city officials are hoping to prevent that loophole so as to keep the neighborhoods nice. Currently the City of Kentwood does not have any regulations on short-term rentals.
AirBnB has opposed outright banning of short-term rentals but does support fair regulations. In an October 2017 Crain’s Detroit Business op-ed piece, a representative for AirBnB said “by taking the nuclear option off the table (the banning of short-term rentals), this law would encourage communities to collaborate with local hosts on commonsense rules…”
The most popular Michigan destinations for AirBnB travelers is Detroit followed by Ann Arbor and then Traverse City. Traverse City does regulate short-term rentals like bed and breakfasts. Traverse City’s ordinance requires owners must be present when renters are there, be licensed and cannot be within 1,000 feet of one another.
Last summer, AirBnB did strike a deal with the Michigan Treasury to collect use taxes. It is estimated that about $1.5 million would be generated through the tax. The move also will allow the state to track and collect the six percent use tax that applies to nightly rental charges on stays in Michigan hotels for periods of less than a month. However the six percent use tax, currently, does not come back to the municipalities.
Gezon Park is not the only City of Wyoming park property that will be seeing some improvements in the near future. At its Monday night meeting, the Wyoming City Council approved work to three city parks, Ferrand, Buck Creek, and Lamar, totaling about $624,366.
All of the improvements were part of the city’s 5-Year Community Recreation Master Plan, with one project falling under the 2017 approved library millage proposal for .16 of the .39 library millage money tube used for park improvements.
Ferrand Park was one of four parks that was part of the 2017 library millage. Gezon Park and its master plan process was another park under this proposal along with Ideal and Jackson parks. Ferrand Park is a small pocket park located off of Byron Center Avenue that serves a very dense residential area, according to city staff. Staff added that the park has not had any improvements or new equipment in a number of years. It currently has no shelter, pathways or swings and outdated play equipment.
At its meeting, the Wyoming City Council unanimously approved a contract for $344,376.70 to the lowest bidder, Denny’s Excavating, Inc., for work on the park. This work would include accessible pathways, shelter, new and expanded play equipment that would include swings, and improved turf conditions.
The current restroom facility at the Buck Creek Nature Preserve.
Also unanimously approved by the city council was a bid for $136,990 by by low bidder Vancer Kodde Construction for the replacement of the more than 30-year-old restroom at the Buck Creek Nature Preserve. The Buck Creek Nature Preserve entrance is located just north of the Burlingame and 44th Street intersection on Burlingame Avenue. The city had initially budgeted about $115,000 for the new restroom, adding another $64,290 to the over budget — now totaling $189,290 — to help cover the difference plus other costs associated to the project.
The city staff noted in its report that the city was able to save money on the project by re-using the architectural plans for the Frog Hollow restroom. Those plans, which were designed by Fishbeck, Thompson, Carr and Huber, Inc., were modified for construction in a floodplain. The facility will be converted from wood to brick to ensure a longer life as well as reducing a fire hazard. The new restroom also will meet ADA requirements and will be located in the general footprint of the current building.
The city council also approved a bid of $143,000 for LED sports lighting equipment to Musoc Sports Lighting, LLC. The lighting will be for the north softball field at Lamar Park, 2561 Porter St. SW. By going through a national bid process, the city was able to save about 15-20 percent on the purchase of the lights. However, staff is expecting an increase in costs for installation as “contractors are busy.” The overall cost for the project is estimated to be around $362,730. A bid process is underway for the general contractor to install the lights.
The Wyoming City Council meets the first and third Mondays of the month at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at the Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. The meetings are broadcast live on WKTV Channel 26 and rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays.
A former City of Wyoming dump truck has found new life as a crash attenuator vehicle for the City’s Public Safety Department – Fire Division. The refurbished attenuator, which would have cost $127,000 if purchased new, was built by City staff for less than half the cost.
The crash attenuator is a safety device that reduces the damage to structures, vehicles and motorists resulting from a motor vehicle collision. It is also designed to redirect vehicles away from hazards on the road. In the event of a crash or emergency situation on a roadway, the attenuator will be set up to protect the scene from passersby, thereby ensuring safety for public safety officials, emergency technicians, pedestrians and victims. The vehicle will also be used by the Public Works Department staff while performing repairs on major streets, protecting both staff and equipment. This type of vehicle has not been a part of the City’s fleet in the past.
Prior to its transformation, the crash attenuator truck was used as a dump truck by the City’s Public Works Department. For over 15 years the dump truck hauled debris, assisted in water and sewer emergencies and plowed roads. When it became apparent that its usefulness was coming to an end, staff proposed the transition to a crash attenuator rather than sending the vehicle to auction. Thanks to a $20,000 grant from the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA), the vision quickly became reality.
“The safety of our staff is paramount, but the high price of equipment can be a constraint,” said City Manager Curtis Holt. “We’re fortunate to have a team of smart, visionary people who are constantly coming up with innovative, cost-effective solutions. The grant funding from MMRMA was also integral to making this happen, and we’re grateful for their support.”
Ted Seil, fleet supervisor for the City of Wyoming, led the project and oversaw the truck’s transformation. “Converting the dump truck into a new use was a unique project for the fleet services technicians. We’re pleased with the results and the cost-savings, and we’re happy to know our colleagues will be safe out on the road when responding to emergencies.”
Since the completion of the attenuator truck, it has been used six times. In each case Wyoming public safety officials and staff have remained safe while responding to emergency situations.
The City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department offered three development plan options for Gezon Park which were produced by Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
After a more than 90-minute public information meeting Thursday detailing design plan options for Gezon Park, the city is well on its way to deciding a master plan for utilization of about 52 acres of a 94-acre city-owned parcel of land surrounded by neighborhoods and commercial development.
The meeting, attended by about 30 citizens and held at Metro Health University of Michigan Health Conference Center near the park, was the second public meeting on the master plan, and one one survey is in the books and another currently in process.
The initial electronic survey seeking input on recreation facility needs had more than 1,200 responses.
Rebecca Rynbrandt, Director of Community Services for the City of Wyoming, says she is pleased with the level of community input throughout the process so far.
About 30 people attended the the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department meeting on the Gezon Park master plan. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)
Community involvement “continues to be robust,” Rynbrandt said after the Feb. 8 meeting. “After this meeting, we are launching another survey — limited time, though Monday (Feb. 11) — to be able to ascertain from the larger public, those who were not able to be here tonight.
“We want that participation and that transparency,” she said. “I think, when we have that type of public focus, it reaffirms the values the citizens put on parks and recreation in our community.”
Gezon Park, which was a city-owned well field, encompasses about 94 acres between Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street. It has entrances from both Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street. Baseball fields and restrooms are located near the south Gezon Parkway entrance and the 52nd Street entrance has playground equipment and walking trails. Most of the park remains undeveloped, however.
Prior to and at the Thursday meeting, the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department offered three development plan options for Gezon Park which were produced by Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio.
It was explained at the Thursday meeting that the three presented options are not “pick one” situation but that elements of each could be included in the final plan. Also at the meeting, many citizens expressed they opinion on elements they liked — and didn’t like in the three plans.
While there was general approval of the overall plans for utilization of the park at the meeting, there was also concern expressed about impact on wildlife during and after development, as well as safety within the park at night — especially if the middle of the park gained greater vehicle access. There was also a suggestion of a fenced dog park area.
After the initial public input process, there will be review and recommendation from Wyoming Parks and Recreation Commission and the Wyoming Planning Commission. The plan will then be presented to the Wyoming City Council for its final approval.
Drivers heading down Byron Center Avenue just south of Gezon Parkway may have noticed some large red balls on the utility lines.
Those balls are there to help mark the new helipad site at the City of Wyoming’s Fire Station and Training Center, located at 2300 Gezon Parkway. The Wyoming City Council approved an agreement with Metro Health – University of Michigan Health for the helipad at its Monday night meeting.
“I went out there and saw it all painted up, and it’s pretty impressive,” said Mayor Pro Ten Sam Bolt just before the vote which was unanimously in favor of the agreement.
The helipad is about 100 feet by 100 feet located behind the Fire Station and is visible from the Family Fare located next door. The helipad includes lighting, signage and wind cones.
The large red balls marking the utility lines which were put in preparation for the Metro Health – University of Michigan Health helipad.
The agreement is for one year with possible extensions. The agreement allows for ambulances, emergency vehicles and personal access through the Fire Station and Fire Training Center driveways to the helipad site. Metro Health — University of Metro Health contractors, employees, maintenance providers as well as patients would have access to the site as needed, according to the agreement. The hospital is located just a half mile south of the helipad at 5900 Byron Center Ave. SW. The hospital is required to carry liability and property damage insurance.
Councilmember Kent Vanderwood said he has been talking to friends who work at the hospital about the partnership between Metro Health and University of Health, which is just a year old in January.
“I’m talking to everyday employees who work there and they feel really, really good about it,” he said “So I think this is another step in that direction making it even better, stronger.”
City Manager Curtis Holt indicated there is a need for the helipad as he said he received a request from the hospital to use it for an emergency on Saturday before the agreement had been approved. Holt said he did give the go ahead with Wyoming Public Safety Director James Carmody indicating during the meeting that, to his knowledge, the helipad was not used over the weekend.
After an award-winning career spanning more than four decades, Wyoming Director of Police and Fire Services Chief James E. Carmody has announced his retirement, effective April 26.
Chief James Carmody
Chief Carmody has served in his role since 2006, leading a team of nearly 130 full-time personnel, including 86 sworn police officers and 29 full-time firefighters. During his tenure with the department, he has built a strong foundation of community trust and led his team to serve and protect the public during natural disasters, organized crime and medical emergencies, among others. Carmody also developed innovative programs improving the department’s ability to address key issues, while bringing a hands-on approach to police services.
Under his leadership, the City of Wyoming:
· Consolidated police and fire services into a single Department of Public Safety, improving efficiencies while expanding services and saving money
· Worked to secure accreditation for the Department from the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies, making Wyoming one of the few CALEA-certified departments in Michigan
· Developed cross-training of City employees so they can serve as on-call firefighters, supplementing full-time firefighters as needs arose
· Directed safety and recovery efforts during two tornadoes that did significant property damage in the City
· Instituted a community policing model that placed officers in every Wyoming school every day of the school year in an effort to build relationships
· Built stronger relationships with the business community by developing an after-hours program of checks and visits
“Chief Carmody has been a significant asset and leader not only within our City offices, but especially for our residents, whom he has built countless positive relationships with,” said Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt. “I’m deeply honored to have served with him for more than a decade and am incredibly proud of his accomplishments and contributions to improve Wyoming.
“Jim has become a personal friend as well over the years, and I know that I speak for all of us at the City in wishing him the best as he begins his next chapter.”
With more than four decades of law enforcement experience, Carmody began his career as a police officer in Port Huron in 1975, where he held positions of increasing responsibility – up to a major – until joining the City of Wyoming as chief. In 2013, he managed the development of a joint public safety department and was named public safety director with responsibilities for both police and fire services in Wyoming.
“The departure of Chief Carmody is tremendously bittersweet,” said Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll. “He has exemplified superb professionalism and leadership during his time here, while bringing an incredible amount of energy, passion and commitment to his profession, his City and his department.
“We wish him well as he transitions into his retirement and thank him for his remarkable service throughout the years.”
As it begins its search for Carmody’s replacement, the City plans to look first at internal candidates before expanding beyond the department.
In his letter to Wyoming’s City Council, Carmody wrote: “…I leave you with an organization that is at the top of its game. The police and fire services that are provided to the residents and visitors of the City of Wyoming are second to none. You have, without question, some of the very best public safety professionals who work extremely hard every day for you and the people of this City.”
During his career, Carmody has received multiples awards and recognitions for exemplary service. Most recently, Carmody was recognized as Michigan Police Chief of the Year in 2016 by the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police.
Carmody received his bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University and his master’s degree from the University of Michigan. He also graduated from the FBI National Academy, the Michigan Police Executive Development School and the Michigan Law Enforcement Leadership Institute.
Carmody has served as longtime assessor with CALEA, evaluating departments across the country and in Mexico. He has also served on Michigan District 5 MACP as executive board alternate representative. In 2017, he was appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to serve on the Governor’s Traffic Safety Advisory Commission.
Carmody sits on the interview panel for Congressman Bill Huizenga, R-Zeeland, reviewing high school students who have applied for appointment to West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy and the nation’s other military service academies. In January 2016, Carmody represented the MACP and Michigan’s law enforcement community when he attended Pres. Barak Obama’s final State of the Union address in Washington, D.C.
A passionate advocate for law enforcement, he has taught several police executive training classes that focus on topics ranging from suicide prevention to officer-involved shootings.
Carmody and his wife, Ralene, will continue to make their home in Wyoming.
Thursday, Feb. 8 , Wyoming residents will get their first look at three design concepts for Gezon Park.
At 6:30 p.m. at the Metro Health University of Michigan Health Conference Center, 2225 Main St. SW, the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department will present the design concept.
For the past couple of months, the city has been collecting residents’ input, first through an online survey and then with a public meeting in January, about what amenities residents would like to have at the park.
The survey results indicated a mix of desired uses with the top ones being nature/natural trails, walking, playgrounds and splash pads.
For the complete survey results, click here. For the Jan. 18 public meeting presentation, click here.
Gezon Park, which was a city-owned well field, encompasses about 94 acres between Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street. It has entrances from both Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street. Baseball fields and restrooms are located near the parkway entrance and the 52nd Street entrance has playground equipment and walking trails. Most of the park remains vastly undeveloped, said Wyoming’s Community Services Director Rebecca Rynbrandt.
Mark Robertson, with Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio, the company that has been working with the city on the park design, said of the existing 94 acres, about 52 acres are available for development due to the existing water tower and other natural land features.
After the meeting, a proposed Gezon Park master plan will be presented to the Wyoming Planning Commission for its approval. The plan will then be presented to the Wyoming City Council for its final approval.
Mark Robertson, of Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio, talks to residents about what they would like to see at Gezon Park.
Through a survey and a recent meeting with residents, Wyoming City officials said it appears that the new master plan for Gezon Park will need to have a balance between what is at the park now and the amenities some would like to see added.
Last week, the City of Wyoming’s Department of Parks and Recreation hosted its first public meeting on the new master plan for Gezon Park at the KDL Wyoming Branch. With about 70 residents in attendance, representatives from Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio revealed the results of an online survey the city conducted earlier. Mark Robertson, of Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio, noted the survey received more than 1,200 responses, which was pretty impressive.
Community Services Director Rebecca Rynbrandt said the city was pleased with the responses and the turnout at the Jan. 18 meeting. She stated at the meeting, that three proposed plans will be presented at the second public meeting set for Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Metro Health University of Michigan Health Conference Center, 2225 Main St., located in the hospital. The master plan proposal will then be sent to the Wyoming Planning Commission and finally to the Wyoming City Council for final approval.
Gezon Park is located between Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street with entrances along both roads. The 94-acre park, which according to Rynbrandt was a former well field, has only about 52 acres available for development due to the existing water tower and other natural land features.
Area residents listen as representatives from Johnson Hill Land Ethics Studio discuss recent survey results for Gezon Park.
Many at the Jan. 18 public meeting who spoke indicated that they lived near the park and were happy the way the park is now, with the center area mostly left natural and a variety of animals living in the park.
The survey results indicated a mix of desired uses with the top ones being nature/natural trails, walking, playgrounds and splash pads. Gezon Park does have a playground at the 52nd Street entrance with unpaved walking trails. At the Gezon Parkway entrance, there are ballfields.
The survey also showed that the largest respondents were in the ages of 38-55 and lived more than a mile away from the park.
A large number of respondents indicated they had children or visited parks with children. For those with children, the top organized programs were nature education along with baseball and soccer. Non-organized activities included playgrounds, splash pads, walking/hiking paths and biking paths/trails.
As for personal non-organized activities respondents visited a park for, walking, relaxation and trails ranked high with baseball being the number one organized activity. Also it was indicated that facilities should be provided for large gatherings.
Most of those who spoke at the meeting said they enjoy the quiet of the park and want to preserve the wooded area with the trails. Several indicated some parking issues that have developed due to park usage. A couple of residents said they would not mind more development on either end of the park, but wanted to keep the center mostly natural. One person did mention the possibility of a dog park but several residents raised concerns about property values.
With the new year, comes a new WKTV Journal. To give you more of what is happening in your community, we have extended our newscast so we can provide expanded coverage about what is taking place in local business, sports, entertainment and more.
In this newscast, explore the issues facing migrant laborers talking with representatives from the Migrant Legal Aid. LocalFirst Marketing Manager Mieke Stoub to talk to us about LocalFirst, its impact and the organization’s upcoming 8th Annual Meeting.
We then take a look at the City of Wyoming’s efforts to develop a new master plan for Gezon Park. And finally, local author and producer Rose Hammond stops by to discuss her work on the documentary “In Between the Woods: Idlewild and Woodland Park, Michigan.”
Gezon Park is one of four parks in line for improvements and renovations.
There are new possibilities on the horizon for Wyoming’s Gezon Park. The City of Wyoming’s Community Services Division is looking for ideas on the future design of the park at its first public meeting.
On Thursday, Jan. 18, the city plans to unveil the results of its initial electronic survey seeking input on recreation facility needs – more than 1,200 responses were received. The city is seeking further input at its first in-person meeting. The meeting will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Wyoming Library, 3350 Michael Ave SW.
“With the growth in the City’s southern region, from developments at Metro Health Village to expanded residential housing along Wilson Avenue, we need the facilities of Gezon Park to align, not only the community needs of today, but well into the future,” said Rebecca Rynbrandt, Director of Community Services. “We received great feedback through our electronic survey and continue to look to the public to guide the conversation at our first public meeting.”
A second public meeting will take place Thursday, Feb. 8. Gezon Park currently has entrances at 1940 52nd St. SW to the north and 5651 Gezon Ct. SW to the south, spans 94 acres and currently features multiple athletic fields and small playground. The vast majority of the park remains undeveloped.
With such accomplishments as resurfacing more than 40 miles of roads, the approval of four new hotels, the opening of 28 West Place and the passage to open the library millage for park improvements, Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll said “How can I walk away from that?”
So in his State of the City address last night, Poll, the longest-serving mayor in the City of Wyoming’s history, officially announced that he would seek his fourth term as mayor.
“So therefore, if the residents desire that I continue as their mayor, I will be placing my name on the ballot in this year’s election year, to serve four additional years,” Poll said during the Monday night meeting.
Poll has served as the Wyoming mayor since 2009. Before that, he served on the Wyoming City Council from 2001-2005 and 2007-2009.
After the Jan. 15 meeting when Poll presented his State of the City Address, he said that he is considering retirement from his full-time job. Poll is pharmacist for Family Fare.
Mayor Jack Poll
“So basically, during the next term, of the four years, I will be retired for about three of them, allowing me to be more of a full-time mayor attending more events for the city,” Poll said.
Also after the meeting, Mayor Pro-Tem and Council Member at Large Sam Bolt said he would be seeking his third term on the council.
“I still enjoy it,” Bolt said. Council Member at Large Kent Vanderwood, whose seat is also up for election this fall, was on vacation and did not attend the Jan. 15 meeting.
To a packed house of city officials and residents, which included Poll’s wife, Mary, and family members, Poll said he hoped to provide a “snapshot” of what has taken place in the city with his State of the City address, noting it has been “a very busy year.”
“This is a long list of accomplishments but it hardly scratches the surface when we consider all that city leaders and staff have done over the last year, primarily in collaboration with one another,” Poll said.
Highlights included:
• For infrastructure, the city completed two water main projects that total almost two miles of water main, resurfaced about 43 lane miles and added two miles of non motorized trails.
• For the water plant, which, according to Poll, continues to provide the highest quality water in the state, is looking to add a second Lake Michigan intake and a third transmission pipeline, expanding the plant’s capacity which will help the community to grow, Poll said.
• Parks and Recreation has focused on storm clean up and replacement of trees along with improvements at Palmer, Kelloggsvile, Lemery, and Pinery parks.
• The library milage allowed for new technology and LED lighting in the library and was opened by voter approval to allowed for park improvements for Ideal, Ferrand, Gezon and Jackson parks.
• The Planning Department has approved in 2017 four hotels, annexed 60 acres of industrial development, worked on the 28 West Place project and a number of other developments including The Havens. Inspections also approved permits for about $70 million new and renovated construction projects.
• The city also was able to implement a new medicare advantage prescription drug plan for retirees that will allow the city to reduce its longterm liability by $42 million.
Public Safety continues to make community outreach its main focus. Police officers logged 6,000 visits to local schools, 8,500 business contacts and 7,000 physical business checks. The police department also has instituted a cadet program to recruit students. On the fire side, staffing at station 3 and 4 has allowed response times to be cut in half along with there being training on speciality skills for water, ice and trench rescues. Also a partnership with Metro Health – University of Michigan Health has allowed for a helipad to be placed at Station 3.
“We are blessed with employees who are so highly respected in West Michigan, across the state and even at the federal level,” Poll said. “I have watched the skillful handling of tragedies both natural and produced, deep thinking and solving of situations that seemed impossible. I can stand here today and say, we made it through them all. Our city is better today because these trials have become victories that make Wyoming a beacon of bright light shining in West Michigan.”
For 2018, Poll said the city will continue to work on those areas with a number of opportunities and challenges on the horizon.
“Above all these things, financial sustainability remains our top priority and biggest challenge we face,” Poll said. “The city council and I will continue to look for ways to insure that we can provide services at the highest level to our residents and businesses.”
Poll said while many things have been discussed, such as a millage increase and an income tax, city leaders “don’t know yet what the best solution is. However through all the ideas we proposed, we ask that you, our friends and neighbors, and the partners that come along beside us, give thoughtful consideration and examine all sides of the issues…
“The only way we will continue to be a city of vision and progress is if we work through these challenging times together.”
The community is invited to attend Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll’s annual State of the City Address on Monday, Jan. 15, at 7 p.m. The Address will be delivered at the beginning of the regularly scheduled City Council meeting in the Council Chambers of Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW. Individuals who are unable to attend in person are invited to watch the Address on WKTV or stream it live at wktv.org.
Mayor Poll will give an overview of the City’s activities from 2017 and a preview of its initiatives for 2018. He is also expected to announce his future political plans, as his current term expires in November of this year. Prior to being elected mayor, Poll served on the Wyoming City Council from 2001-2005 and 2007-2009.
For more information, visit www.wyomingmi.gov or follow the City on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityofWyoming. You can watch the the Wyoming City Council meeting live on WKTV Channel 26 and it is rebroadcast again at 7 p.m. on Fridays.
Key conference games, as well as Wyoming Lee’s annual Hall of Fame games, are on the schedule this week as WKTV’s sports crew will be on the road Jan. 12 with a doubleheader of boys and girls basketball at Wyoming High School when the South Christian Sailors challenge the Wolves in a pair of key early year OK Conference Gold games.
On the girls side, Wyoming enters with an 0-1 conference record, 4-3 overall, after opening up OK Gold play with a tough 49-46 road loss at Thornapple Kellogg Friday, Jan. 5, and before another road game Tuesday, Jan. 9, at Forest Hills Eastern. South Christian will enter 1-0 in conference after a 59-29 home win over Forest Hills Eastern Friday, 5-2 overall, before hosting Grand Rapids Christian Tuesday.
On the boys side, Wyoming enters with an 1-0 conference record, 4-2 overall, after opening up OK Gold play with a 67-37 win at Thornapple Kellogg and before a home game Tuesday, Jan. 9, against Forest Hills Eastern. South Christian will enter 1-0 in conference, 4-1 overall, after a 56-50 win Forest Hills Eastern Friday and before a road game at Christian Tuesday.
Wyoming Lee will host Kelloggsville on Friday in the school’s annual Hall of Fame game.
The remainder of the tentative January Featured Game broadcast schedule is:
Tuesday. Jan. 16 — Boys Basketball: West Ottawa at East Kentwood
Tuesday, Jan. 23 — Boys Basketball: NorthPointe Christian at Godwin Heights
Thursday, Jan. 25 — Boys Swimming: Grandville at East Kentwood
Currently, each Tuesday game will be broadcast that night on WKTV Comcast Channel 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat on Wednesday at 5 p.m. Each Friday game will be aired that night on WKTV 25 at 11 p.m. and repeat Saturday at 11 a.m. The games can also be seen on AT&T U-verse 99.
All games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktv.viebit.com.
For a complete schedule of all local high school sports action each week, any changes to the WKTV feature sports schedule, and features on local sports, visit wktvjournal.org/sports/
Local high school sports events this week are as follows:
Monday, Jan. 8
Boys/Girls Bowling
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights
Unity Christian @ Wyoming
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Catholic Central @ Tri-Unity Christian
Tuesday Jan. 9
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Kelloggsville
Wyoming @ FH Eastern
Caledonia @ East Kentwood – WKTV Featured Game
Holland Black River @ Grand River Prep
West Michigan Aviation @ Martin
Zion Christian @ Holland Calvary
West Michigan Lutheran @ WMAES
Hopkins @ Tri-Unity Christian
Christian @ South Christian
Boys Basketball
Kelloggsville @ Godwin Heights
FH Eastern @ Wyoming
Wyoming Lee @ Calvin Christian
Caledonia @ East Kentwood
Covenant Christian @ Potter’s House
Holland Black River @ Grand River Prep
West Michigan Aviation @ Martin
West Michigan Lutheran @ WMAES
Hopkins @ Tri-Unity Christian
South Christian @ Christian
Girls Cheer
@ East Kentwood – Falcon Invite
Wednesday, Jan. 10
Boys/Girls Bowling
Godwin Heights @ Belding
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
Wyoming @ Zeeland East
Potter’s House @ Wyoming Lee
Boys Wrestling
Godwin Heights @ Coopersville
NorthPointe Christian @ Kelloggsville
FH Eastern @ Wyoming
TBA @ Wyoming Lee
Hudsonville @ East Kentwood
Girls Cheer
Godwin Heights @ NorthPointe Christian
Kelloggsville @ NorthPointe Christian
Wyoming Lee @ NorthPointe Christian
Boys Hockey
Catholic Central @ East Kentwood
Thursday, Jan. 11
Boys/Girls Bowling
Wyoming Lee @ Tri-Unity Christian
Boys Swimming
West Ottawa @ East Kentwood
Friday, Jan. 12
Girls Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
South Christian @ Wyoming – WKTV Featured Game
West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House
Holland Calvary @ Grand River Prep
Calvary Christian @ Zion Christian
West Michigan Lutheran @ Creative Technologies
Tri-Unity Christian @ Covenant Christian
Boys Basketball
Godwin Heights @ Hopkins
South Christian @ Wyoming – WKTV Featured Game
Kelloggsville @ Wyoming Lee – Hall of Fame Game
West Michigan Aviation @ Potter’s House
Holland Calvary @ Grand River Prep
Calvary Christian @ Zion Christian
West Michigan Lutheran @ Creative Technologies Academy
It may have been a short Wyoming City Council meeting this past Monday, but it was a busy one with the council hiring a new finance director for the city and approving a tower for Kent County’s new dispatch system.
In 2016, Kent County voters approved a 70-cent surcharge on their telephone and internet connections. The estimated $4.5 million a year would be split between converting the county’s current public safety dispatch system and countywide fire dispatch services.
The City of Wyoming was approached about placing one of three of the towers needed for the new 800 MHz radio system on the Gezon Water tower, City Manager Curtis Holt told the council at the meeting. The new system would allow all police, emergency responders and state police personal as well as neighboring county police and fire to be interconnectable as they would all be utilizing the same radio system, Curtis said.
The agreement is slightly different then other tower agreements the city has.
“This is a no cost agreement,” he said. “We are not charging for this location. We are not charging for this location because it benefits our public safety.”
He said the other municipalities hosting towers, which are the City of Grand Rapids and Kent County, are not charging as well to help keep costs down, Curtis said.
Curtis also pointed out that the agreement has a maintenance section where as during maintenance of the water tower, the county, at its own cost, would have to move the dispatch tower to a temporary location.
The council unanimously approved the agreement. Curtis said the Gezon Water tower will be undergoing a painting project this spring with the new dispatch antennas being installed after that project is completed.
The Wyoming City Council also approved an amended agreement with Kent County for dispatch services since effective Jan. 1, the city will not be charged for fire safety dispatch since that is covered under the new surcharge.
Rosa Ooms has been named the city’s new finance director.
New City Finance Director
After several years without a finance director, the Wyoming City Council approved a motion to promote Rosa Ooms to the position.
According to the city’s website, the finance department at the City of Wyoming works in the following areas: payroll, payments to vendors, insurance plans such as medical, dental, vision, liability, property, life, and workers compensation, cash management, retirement plans, budget, and bonding. Robert Luders left the finance director position in 2015. The city has been working with a contracted CPA firm since 2014.
According to Mayor Jack Poll, Ooms, who has been the city’s deputy finance director, has been in the department, working with staff. “…[from] what she has shown and where we anticipate the finance department to go that she will be an excellent leader in there,” he said.
During the council meeting, City Manager Curtis Holt also spoke highly of Ooms and her work in the city’s finance department.
“We have been through kind of some ups and downs with our finance department since our finance director retired…,” Holt said. “Rosa has really stepped up and done a great job with our finance department. Our entire finance department is really operating very, very well. We are really pleased with what we are doing and I think that is kind of a tribute to Rosa and her leadership over this kind of tumultuous period. Congratulations to her and I think it is well deserved and I thank her for doing this.”
The City Council unanimously approved the recommendation with Ooms officially starting her new position on Jan. 8.
The next regular Wyoming City Council meeting, set for Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. in the council chambers at Wyoming City Hall, 1155 28th St. SW, will include the State of the City address from Mayor Jack Poll.
In our last newscast for 2017, we take a look back at the Year of the Rooster, according to the Vietnamese calendar. In 2017, the City of Kentwood marked its 50th anniversary with a variety of special events that included a weekend-long celebration in August. Mayor Stephen Kepley was re-elected to a second term as the city’s mayor and newcomers Emily Bridson and Tom McKelvey joined the Kentwood City Commission.
There also was a host of activities in the city of Wyoming as well from its second annual Clean Up Day to the Metro Cruise. Both cities also approved The Rapid millage continuing busing within the cities.
Ever wanted an ultimate Frisbee court? Hoping to have a splash pad at your park? How about more walking trails? Now is the time for Wyoming residents to speak up as the City of Wyoming asks for their input on what Gezon Park should offer.
Through Jan. 11, the City of Wyoming is seeking Wyoming residents’ input on a new master plan for Gezon Park.
The Gezon Park project is part of the library millage proposal that Wyoming voters approved in May. Voters approved a proposal that allowed the city to open up its current library millage to help with park improvements. About .16 of the .39 library millage, about $800,000 a year, is being used to help pay a 15-year bond of $4.4 million.
The master plan will be the basis of the future park development plans. Residents are encouraged to take a survey at www.surveymonkey.com/r/GezonParkMasterPlan. The survey only takes about a couple of minutes to complete. The survey will be available until Jan. 11. After the survey information has been processed, there will be two public meetings on the park as well. The first is scheduled for Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. KDL Wyoming Branch, 3350 Michael Ave. SW. The second will be on Feb. 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Metro Health University of Michigan Health Conference Center, 2225 Main St., located in the hospital.
Gezon Park, which includes 94 acres with two entrances, 5651 Gezon Ct. SW and 1940 52nd St SW, actually had a site plan developed in 1996. However much has changed since then, noted Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt, who oversees the parks.
“With the growth in the City’s southern region, from developments at Metro Health Village to expanded residential housing along Wilson Avenue, we need the facilities of Gezon Park to align, not only the community needs of today, but well into the future,” Rynbrandt said. “We really look to our community and area residents to guide this process so Gezon can be exactly what is needed for the area.”
The walking path at Gezon Park during the summer.
While Gezon Park runs from Gezon Parkway and 52nd Street, only the entrance areas have been developed. The north end of the park (the 52nd Street entrance) serves as a neighborhood park with basketball courts, a picnic shelter, playground area and walking trail.The south end of the park (the Gezon Parkway entrance) is an active sports park with baseball, softball, and football fields along with restroom facilities. The vast majority of the park remains undeveloped. The City of Wyoming Water Treatment Plant is located adjacent to the park on the City property as well.
Gezon Park is one of four parks included in the proposed park improvements. The other parks are Ferrand Park, a pocket park on Byron Center Avenue; Jackson Park, located at 1331 33rd St. SW; and Ideal Park, located at 5843 Crippen Ave. SW.
For more information about Gezon Park or the greater Wyoming Parks system or program, contact the City of Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department at 616-530-3164 or parks_info@wyomingmi.gov or visit www.wyomingmi.gov.
While at the 2017 Wyoming Gives Back holiday event and the 2017 Kentwood Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, WKTV was able to capture several holiday greetings from officials and residents. Below are just some of those sending out their holiday wishes to West Michigan. To see all of the Wyoming holiday greetings, click here. To see the Kentwood holiday greetings, click here for the ones from the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and here for the ones from the Kentwood City Commission.
Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley
Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll
State Rep. Tommy Brann
Kentwood City Commissioner Betsy Artz
Wyoming Mayor Pro-Tem Sam Bolt
Kentwood City Commissioner at Large Richard Clanton
Wyoming City Council member Rob Postema
Kentwood Second Ward City Commissioner Tom McKelevy
UPDATE: The precautionary boil water advisory for affected areas near Burlingame & 44th has been lifted. Residents are free to use their water as normal.
By City of Wyoming
Due to 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 our environment. Corrective measures are currently being undertaken to correct the situation.
What should I 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.
What happened? 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 December 12, 2017. 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 backflow into the water supply system.
Working in the trenches to restore water pressure
The City is 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 standards. We will inform you when tests show no bacteria and you no longer need to boil your water. If all goes well, water pressure should be restored by the end of the day today. Bacteriological test results should be available by the end of the day tomorrow. When water is restored, please remove your aerators and flush your water outlets for a minimum of 5 minutes.
This 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.
For more information, please contact Jaime Fleming, Laboratory Manager with the City of Wyoming at 616.261.3572. Please communicate as necessary with other people who may drink this water
One of the unique aspects of the Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Government Matters meetings is that you sometimes get differing views on the same issue — for instance, local city and state leaders in a debate on the current difficulties for local governments dealing with inequities in state revenue sharing.
The monthly meeting brings together government leaders of all levels to discuss issues of importance and presents those discussions through WKTV’s live, delayed and on-demand broadcasts.
At the Monday, Dec. 11, meeting at Kentwood City Hall, City of Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley and City of Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt offered their assessment of state government actions when it comes to an abundance of regulations and a lack of consistency and clarity when it came to historic and current state revenue-sharing.
“There was a promise made on state revenue-sharing … (now) we can’t count on that,” Holt said at one point. “We used to have a partner in the state” government.
Among the other multi-level government discussions topics at the meeting — and available on the WKTV video — were the status of federal tax reform, the impeding Kent County action to hire a new top administrator, and economic development Wyoming’s 28th Street areas, including the old Klingman’s building.
The Chamber’s Government Matters meetings include representatives of the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, Kent County, local Michigan House of Representatives and Senate, and, often, representatives of other regional, State of Michigan and Federal elected officials. The next meeting will be Jan. 8, 2018 at Wyoming City Hall.
The meetings are on the second Monday of each month, starting at 8 a.m. WKTV Journal will produce a highlight story after the meeting. But WKTV also offers replays of the Monday meetings on the following Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26. Replays are also available online at WKTV’s government meetings on-demand page (wktv.viebit.com) and on the chamber’s Facebook page.
Santa is coming to Wyoming for a special event: the annual Great Candy Cane Hunt set for Saturday, Dec. 9.
There is still time for people to register for the hunt, which is from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Registration is $4 for resident hildren 3-14 years old ($6 for non-residents). Additional family members who are over the age of 14 may attend and enjoy lunch for $2.
The annual event features a candy cane hunt, lead by St. Nick himself, outside the Wyoming Public Safety Department, 2300 DeHoop Ave. Activities including lunch will be moved inside to the Wyoming Senior Center, 2380 DeHoop Ave. SW.
Pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, call 616-530-3164.
Carlos Ochoa is aware of just how much a problem it is when leaves and yard waste are pushed into the street. A City of Wyoming Public Works employee, it is his job to clean the streets in the fall with the extra leaves creating extra trips to Wyoming’s yard waste drop off site.
“We pick up a lot of leaves especially this time of the year,” Ochoa said. “Starting right now, I go about one mile and then I have to unload and that is a five-yard truck that I have there.
“It is a safety issue, because during winter hours if we don’t get all the leaves picked up, the water will create puddles and then [that] will create ice, then [that] creates accidents. It’s a big problem.”
Public Works Assistant Director Aaron Vis said the leaves and grass clippings in the street have been a problem with city officials visiting about 60 properties every year. Because of safety concerns such as flooding caused when the leaves block the basins along with aesthetic issues — “no one wants to drive down a street with grass or leaves on it” according to Vis — last spring the Wyoming City Council put enforcement strength into its existing leaf policy to discourage leaves being placed in the streets.
“If we notice that you have placed grass or leaves in the street, we provide you with a notice and you have three business days to get it taken care of,” Vis said. “If it is not taken care of, the city has a contractor that we work with who will stop by, take care of it by removing it from the street and then you, the property owner, will be charge cost plus 100 percent. If the property owner fails to pay it, then that charge gets placed against the property on the tax rolls.”
The City of Wyoming has a yard waste disposal site for its residents.
The City of Wyoming offers a number of options for yard waste and leaf disposal. The first being the city’s Yard Waste Drop-Off Site. Located right next to the Public Works Faclity, 2660 Burlingame Ave. SW, the drop off site is open year round (except holidays) with hours being 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. December – March. To use the site, you need only bring ID or proof of residency.
“Over the last three years, we have averaged about 65,000 people who have used this site,” Vis said. “In an average year, we dispose of about 14,000 yards of wood chips, tree branches, and about 4,000-5,000 tons of leaves and grass clippings are collected.”
Another option to residents are the leaf containers.
Another disposal option is the leaf containers which are available as rentals to residents for $10 a weeknight and $20 for the weekend.
“The third option is on the first Saturday in December, the city has a contractor that comes through and picks up leaves from [residents’ properties] provided they are properly placed in a paper bag,” Vis said. This year’s curbside pickup is set for Dec. 2. All brush must be tied in bundles no longer than four feet and all yard waste must be placed on the curb by 6 a.m.
For more information about leaf disposal in the City of Wyoming, visit the city’s website and then go to the Public Works portion of that website. On the left side, there is a section called “All About Leaves.”
It is not that the Kent County Clerk’s office, or city clerks in both the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood, were expecting issues with the county’s new election equipment in the system’s debut Nov. 7 — an election dominated by local millage requests and city elections of little controversy.
But the election day did produce the as-expected small voter turnout while also revealing a few issues with the new equipment now easily remedied before elections of more state and national interest, and higher voter volume, come in 2018.
“Any time there is a transition as large as this — the first change in equipment and learned practices and procedures in over a decade — there are going to be challenges and areas to improve upon,” Robert Macomber, Chief Deputy County Clerk, said to WKTV Friday, slightly more than a week after the recent voting day, and after that day’s meeting between the county clerk’s office and local city clerks. “This ‘off-year’ election offered the county a tremendous opportunity to implement the changes when turnout was smaller, but still having elections in a large number of precincts and varying size of municipalities.”
Vote turnout was small, with only 11.2 percent of Wyoming’s 49,658 registered voters doing so, and 12.8 percent of Kentwood’s 35,178 registered voters doing so.
The voting system issues exposed on Nov. 7 were also small, according to Macomber, City of Wyoming City Clerk Kelli VandenBerg, and City of Kentwood City Clerk Dan Kasunic — most notably delays in reporting results from the precinct level to the county level, and inability of some voters to use new “adaptive” ballot marking devices.
Voting machines in the cities of Wyoming and Kentwood looked similar to ones voters were used to. (Supplied)
After more than a year review and selection process, Kent County Clerk and Register of Deeds Lisa Posthumus Lyons early this year selected Dominion Voting Systems, Inc. as the vendor for Kent County’s new election equipment and local firm ElectionSource for associated software. The plan for the new voting machines was to have them used by all voting bodies in Kent County starting with the November election.
Some clerks across the state planned to use their new machines at the August 2017 election, and all municipalities are required to have the new machines in place by the August 2018 election.
Some experiences familiar, some were new
It appears the new machines — which still feature individual manual voting cards and stand-alone tabulators not connected to the internet — worked as expected and it was pretty much the same voter experience as with the old equipment. But a new system by which precinct totals are uploaded to a new county-controlled interactive precinct map experienced some delays, and, at least in Wyoming, special needs voters experienced some issues.
“Anytime you have change, there will be some reconciliation between what you expect to happen and what actually happens,” VandenBerg said to WKTV. “The equipment is new, but the concept or function of the new equipment is essentially the same. I think our poll workers responded very well and I did not receive any complaints from voters.
Kent County’s new voting machines operated much like the ones the public is familiar with — and they are never connected to the internet. (Supplied)
“For the average voter who marks and casts a ballot in the tabulator, I doubt their experience differed from previous elections. For voters using the adaptive equipment — ballot marking device, the difference would have been more notable. I am aware of a couple of instances where the selections made by voters or poll workers did not enable the audio on the adaptive devices. Based on required testing before each election, I know the audio works and so I know this is a topic that we will spend more time on in future trainings.
VandenBerg said she has “shared some recommendations (with the county on the issue) … but also have some training strategies in mind if those recommendations cannot be incorporated.”
In Kentwood, Kasunic also saw and dealt with a few small issues.
“As with any new equipment, it is expected to have some challenges, all of which were dealt with quickly and without any interruption of the election process,” he said to WKTV. “All of these have been addressed with the state, county and vendor.”
Kasunic added that he thought “all of the reporting went better than we thought, with a couple slowdowns because we have new equipment and procedures.”
Those “slowdowns” in reporting are probably getting the most attention by the clerks.
“One area that I thought might be problematic was the transmission of results at the end of election night,” VandenBerg said. “This equipment allows each precinct to modem results directly to Kent County and only 2 of Wyoming’s 26 tabulators were unable to modem results. Neither was the result of equipment failure, but rather an oversight by the poll workers adapting to a new process. In these cases, each (local) clerk has been provided equipment to allow for the transmission of results and I did so within a few minutes of receiving the necessary information from the precinct.”
New county system for rapid reporting of results
The changes to reporting are part of a new county system of quickly getting results out the public as well as to county, state and — eventually — federal officials.
“Election night reporting is the area where we’ve made the most noticeable change to the public,” Macomber said. “In previous elections, Kent County voters would often not have access to complete results in some instances until midnight, and that data was in non-interactive form. With our new equipment, the precincts modem the results to the county and on election night we had our first results within minutes of the polls closing.”
The new reporting system allows for public access through an interactive, map-based reporting feature developed by ElectionSource and accessible via the county’s website: accesskent.com.
“For this past election we unveiled an initial version, with the fully-functional version being ready for 2018’s elections,” Macomber said. “The public response to the faster, user friendly reporting feature has been very positive.”
But, VandenBerg added, it is not just night-of reporting which should be looked at: “I do think there is room for improvement on the reporting side, especially as it relates to canvassing and archival purposes. … I have shared some recommendations on that as well.”
And, Kasunic also advocated for a reporting tweak: “The county is working with the vendor to add features to the reporting to provide percentage of turnout of voters on election night.”
The lessons learned from the Nov. 7 election, and the results of the meeting with local clerks, will likely lead to some changes at the county level.
“This election provided the county and local clerks the ability to implement and identify the ways our internal procedures and controls conform to — or are challenged by — the new system,” Macomber said. “Where there were challenges, we’ll be working with our vendors, the state elections bureau, and our local clerks to implement changes that ensure consistency, security, and transparency.”
Two members of the Kent County Board of Commissioners were present at the October’s Wyoming-Kentwood Chamber of Commerce’s monthly Government Matters meetings Monday — and if you think the county’s budget planning process is not big news consider that its proposed 2018 budget will total nearly half of a billion dollars.
The monthly meeting brings together government leaders of all levels to discuss issues of importance and presents those discussions through WKTV’s live, delayed and on-demand broadcasts.
At the Monday, Nov. 14, meeting at Kentwood City Hall, commissioners Harold Voorhees (District 8/City of Wyoming) and Harold Mast (District 12/Wyoming and Kentwood) both discussed aspects of the county’s $417.6 million budget, set to be approved at a board meeting Thursday, Nov. 30. at 8:30 a.m. The Kent County Board of Commissioners govern a huge range of programs and expenditures ranging the sheriff’s office, to the county’s elections, to veterans services.
Among the other multi-level government discussions topics at the meeting were the the status of federal tax reform — including two local businessmen voicing support for the lowering of business tax rates, as well as continued upgrades at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport and state efforts to combat opioid addiction and abuse.
The Chamber’s Government Matters meetings include representatives of the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming, Kent County, local Michigan House of Representatives and Senate, and, often, representatives of other regional, State of Michigan and Federal elected officials. The next meeting will be Dec. 11 at Kentwood City Hall.
The meetings are on the second Monday of each month, starting at 8 a.m. WKTV Journal will produce a highlight story after the meeting. But WKTV also offers replays of the Monday meetings on the following Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Comcast Cable Government Channel 26. Replays are also available online at WKTV’s government meetings on-demand page (wktv.viebit.com) and on the chamber’s Facebook page.
Captain Paul J. Ryan of the United States Navy will be the keynote speaker at the Veterans Day Ceremony
The City of Wyoming will hold its annual Veterans Day Ceremony on Friday, Nov. 10, at 6 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Garden, 2300 DeHoop Avenue SW.
Captain Paul J. Ryan of the United States Navy will be the keynote speaker for the event. Captain Ryan is one of our most decorated Michigan Veterans, having received many awards, most notably the Office of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Public Service. Captain Ryan retired from active duty in 2005 and is currently the Vice President and Senior Trust Officer for Fifth Third Bank. The Lee High School band will perform at the event along with the Wyoming Department of Public Safety Honor Guard; Mayor Pro-Tem Sam Bolt will host the ceremony.
“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,” according to Rebecca Rynbrandt, Director of Community Services for the City of Wyoming. “Our Memorial Day and Veterans Day Ceremonies are a tribute to that service and protection.”
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety, 2380 DeHoop Avenue SW, will also be accepting donations for the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans during the month of November, Monday – Friday from 8:00 am – 4:00 pm. Items sought for donation include $25. gift cards for local fast food restaurants, Meijer, Wal-Mart, Dollar Tree, Gordon Food Marketplace, etc., candy bars, pens, batteries, stamps, grooming/hygiene items, and clothing that is new or gently used.
A team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will arrive on Monday, Nov. 6, to examine all aspects of the Wyoming Department of Public Safety policy and procedures, management, operations and support services, Chief James Carmody announced today.
“Obtaining confirmation that the Wyoming Department of Public Safety meets the standards set forth by the Commission is part of the process by which we achieve professional excellence. Accreditation is consistent with our mission to ‘efficiently and effectively manage our resources to deliver the highest level of police service to the Citizens of Wyoming’”, Carmody said.
As a part of the on-site assessment, the public and agency employees are invited to offer comments on the agency’s services and overall performance at a public information session to be held at 5:30 on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at the Wyoming Senior Center building located at 2380 DeHoop Avenue SW.
If, for some reason, an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone. The public may call 616-530-7313 on Tuesday, Nov 7, between the hours of 1 and 3 p.m.
The telephone comments as well as those made at the public information session are limited to 5 minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with the Commission’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the Wyoming Public Safety Department. For further information, contact Lt. Mark Easterly at 616-530-7308.
Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Wyoming Department of Public Safety’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA), 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155.
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety must comply with 484 standards in order to maintain accredited status. The assessment team is comprised of law enforcement practitioners from similar, but out-of-state agencies. The team will review written materials, interview individuals, tour the facilities, and visit offices and other places where compliance can be witnessed. Once their review is complete, the assessors will report back to the full Commission which will then decide if the agency is to be granted reaccredited status. Accreditation is for the next four years, during which the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited. The Wyoming Department of Public Safety was originally accredited in 2012.
For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. please write the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Boulevard, Suite 320, Gainesville, Virginia, 20155 or call 800-368-3757 or 703-352-4225 or www.calea.org.
