CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS CITY COMMISSION TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2025 7:00 PM | ||||
Welcome to the Grand Rapids City Commission Meeting. This session is the final process in the consideration of the items listed on the following agenda. All of these agenda items have been thoroughly reviewed and discussed in the various Standing Committees of the City Commission which meet on Tuesday morning. To view supporting documents for agenda items, please visit: www.grandrapidsmi.gov/commission.
Persons who need reasonable accommodation to participate, are asked to contact the City Clerk’s Office at 616-456-3010 or [email protected]. | ||||
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| Expected Meeting Procedures |
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| 1. | Depending on the meeting there can be multiple opportunities for public comment. |
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| - | The First is limited to items on the Commission’s agenda that are slated to be voted on |
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| - | The Second is for specially scheduled required public hearings |
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| - | The Third is for any issue you would like to bring to the attention of the Commission |
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| 2. | You may only speak once on each issue. |
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| 3. | All comments are to be limited to 3 minutes. |
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| 4. | City Commission meetings are to be a safe place for everyone involved, as such: |
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| - | No clapping, cheering, or holding up of signs |
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| - | Please refrain from swearing, name calling and/or making derogatory comments. The City’s Human Rights Ordinance prohibits discrimination against any individual in the exercise of civil rights because of actual or perceived color, race, religion or creed, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, nation of origin, genotype, age, marital status, familial status, medical condition, disability, height, weight, or source of lawful income. |
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| 5. | Do not request or expect comment from the Commission. |
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| 6. | Please silence mobile phones and devices. |
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I. | CALL TO ORDER |
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II. | MOMENT OF SILENCE |
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III. | PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE |
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IV. | ROLL CALL |
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V. | PUBLIC COMMENTS ON AGENDA ITEMS – Prior to consideration of the official business, citizens may speak to subjects on today's agenda which are slated to be voted on. The items to be addressed during this time are located in the highlighted section headings. (Please limit comments to 3 minutes.) |
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VI. | APPROVAL OF MINUTES |
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1. | Minutes of 02/11/2025 2:00 PM |
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VII. | PETITIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS – Communications addressed to the City Commission are distributed to all members and are acknowledged for information, or are referred to a committee or staff for follow up. |
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1. | Communication received from Ricardo Benavidez regarding his resignation from the Community Relations Commission. |
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2. | Communication received from R. Prescher regarding the City Comptroller |
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3. | Communication received from Scott Atchison explaining the history of Downtown Development Authority, Downtown Improvement District, and Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc. |
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4. | Communication received from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression regarding public comment policies |
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VIII. | REPORTS OF CITY OFFICERS – The City Manager, City Attorney, City Clerk, City Treasurer, and City Comptroller may submit reports or information directly to the City Commission for consideration. |
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1. | Comptroller's Warrant Report for the period of January 28, 2025 through February 10, 2025 in the amount of $30,895,595.94 and Monthly Travel Report |
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2. | Treasurer’s Report for Period of January 28, 2025, through February 11, 2025 |
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IX. | CONSENT AGENDA AND REPORTS OF STANDING COMMITTEES |
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A. CONSENT AGENDA APPROVAL |
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B. COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS The Committee considers and makes recommendations on appointments to the City's various boards and commissions. |
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1. | Resolution confirming Mayor LaGrand's appointment of Ryan Wheeler to the Uptown Corridor Improvement Authority. |
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2. | Resolution confirming Mayor LaGrand's appointment of Aidan Van Doren to the Uptown Corridor Improvement Authority. |
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C. FISCAL COMMITTEE The Committee considers and makes recommendations on matters referring to bids, claims, and other financial matters of the City. |
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1. | Resolution authorizing a Budget Substitution of $30,000 for Resurfacing of Plainfield Avenue from I-96 to Airway Drive |
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2. | Resolution authorizing a Budget Substitution of $816,363 for Cesar Chavez Ave from Clyde Park to Hall Reconstruction |
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3. | Resolution Authorizing increase of $34,302.98 to Kent County Drain Commissioner for FY2025 Maintenance Assessments for Knapp's Corner Drain for a Total Not to Exceed $434,302.98 |
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4. | Bid List Resolution for February 25, 2025 |
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D. COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE The Committee considers and makes recommendations on matters concerning public service, public improvements, streets, traffic and public buildings. |
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1. | Resolution authorizing Professional Services with Geotech, Inc. for Butterworth Landfill Solar Array in the amount of $60,500 with total amount not-to-exceed $66,700 |
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2. | Resolution awarding a contract with Redline Excavating LLC for Improvements to Richmond Park Parking Lot in the amount of $457,908.60 with total amount not-to-exceed $600,000 |
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3. | Resolution awarding an agreement with EV Construction, Co. for Construction Management services for Division Avenue Fire Station Construction in the amount of $10,000,000 with a total not-to-exceed amount of $12,439,275 |
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4. | Resolution approving an increase of $650,000 for Trench Repairs – Contract 2023-1 for a total not-to-exceed $2,285,000. |
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5. | Resolution approving an increase of $710,000 for Sidewalk Repairs at Various Locations- 2024 for a total not-to-exceed $1,370,000 |
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6. | Resolution approving a Construction Agreement and accepting a Public Utilities Easement for Covenant Living of the Great Lakes - The Cottages |
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7. | Resolution approving a Construction Agreement and accepting a Public Utilities Easement for Wildflower Townhomes |
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8. | Resolution approving a Construction Agreement for Public Infrastructure Improvements Related to Amway Stadium (f/k/a GR Soccer Stadium) |
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9. | Resolution accepting an easement at 3099 28th Street SE for $1.00 |
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E. COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE The Committee considers all matters that are desired to be deliberated in committee by the full City Commission. Most ordinances and licensing matters are brought before this committee. |
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1. | Resolution Approving a Development District Liquor License for Ramon1088, LLC |
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2. | Resolution approving a Second Amendment to the Act 381 Combined Brownfield Plan Amendment – RDG-Walker, LLC for the Walkerview Development Project |
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3. | Resolution approving a Brownfield Plan Amendment for the M-Village redevelopment project located at 1865 Eastern Avenue SE and 716 Elliot Street SE |
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4. | Resolution approving a Brownfield Plan Amendment for the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Headquarters redevelopment project located at 1101 Godfrey Avenue SW (Unit #2) |
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5. | Resolution approving the submission of a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone Exemption Certificate application for Annex Fulton, LLC at 657 Fulton Street W |
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6. | Resolution approving the submission of a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone Exemption Certificate application for Abode Fulton, LLC at 617 Fulton Street W and 17 Seward Avenue NW |
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7. | Resolution approving a ten-year Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Exemption Certificate, pursuant to PA 146 of 2000, for 1007 Wealthy Street, LLC at 1007 Wealthy Street SE |
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8. | Resolution establishing an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District, pursuant to PA 146 of 2000, for 1007 Wealthy, LLC at 1007 Wealthy Street SE |
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X. | ITEMS REMOVED FROM CONSENT |
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XI. | ORDINANCES TO BE ADOPTED |
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1. | Ordinance amending Section 1 of the Budget Ordinance 2024-23 for Fiscal Year 2025 (Amendment No. 7) |
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XII. | CITY COMMISSION RESOLUTIONS – Resolutions to be deliberated by the City Commission but which come directly to the City Commission rather than from one of the Standing Committees. |
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XIII. | PUBLIC HEARINGS – Public hearings are scheduled to allow citizens to speak on subjects which will be before the City Commission for action at a future date. Speakers may address the Commission once on each hearing. |
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1. | Public hearing to consider an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District, pursuant to PA 146 of 2000, for Laura Chivis-Scott at 1032 Martin Luther King Jr. Street SE |
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2. | Public hearing to consider an application for a twelve-year Obsolete Property Rehabilitation Exemption Certificate, pursuant to PA 146 of 2000, for Laura Chivis-Scott at 1032 Martin Luther King Jr. Street SE |
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XIV. | PUBLIC COMMENTS – At the conclusion of the official business and public hearings, the agenda provides for public comment on any other matters citizens may wish to bring to the attention of the City Commission. (Please limit comments to 3 minutes.) |
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XV. | COMMENTS BY COMMISSIONERS |
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DOCUMENTS FILED |
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XVI. | ADJOURNMENT |
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CITY COMMISSION
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
TERM | DEFINITION |
Adjournment | To close the meeting. |
Adopt | To accept or approve; i.e., an ordinance, a resolution, a motion, etc. |
Amend | To modify; i.e., an ordinance, a resolution, a motion, etc. |
Call to Order | Formal opening of a meeting. |
City Charter | Legal document establishing a municipality (city). |
City Commission | Local form of government consisting of the Mayor and six Commissioners. |
City Officers | Includes: Mayor, President of the City Commission, City Manager, City Attorney, City Treasurer, and City Clerk. |
Closed Session | A meeting in which the proceedings are of a confidential nature.Only members and invited guests may attend, and all are honor-bound to maintain confidentiality. |
Consent Agenda | Matters listed as Consent Agenda items are considered to be routine or matters of unanimous consent by the City Commission. There will be no separate discussion of these matters, and they will be enacted by one motion. |
Motion | A proposal that the Commissioners take a specific action or stand on an item being presented to the City Commission. |
Ordinance | A piece of legislation enacted by a municipal authority. |
Postpone | A motion to postpone is made if the City Commission needs more time to make a decision. A postponement cannot go beyond the next session. |
Quorum | Number of voting members who must be present in order that business can be legally transacted. |
Recess | Short intermission within a meeting. |
Recognize / Obtain the Floor | Acknowledgment by the presiding officer of the City Commission that a member has the right to address the assembly. |
Rescind (Repeal) | Allows the City Commission to repeal an action previously taken; i.e., ordinances, etc. |
Resolution | A decision by the City Commission to do or not to do something. |
Robert’s Rules of Order | A guide to fair and orderly meeting procedures. |
Suspend the Rules | This motion is used when the City Commission wants to do something that violates its own rules. The motion does not apply to an organization’s bylaws, local, state, or national law; or fundamental principles of parliamentary law. An appropriate suspension of the rules, used on occasion by the City Commission, would be a motion to change the agenda. |
Table, Lay on the | This motion puts aside an item, and everything adhering to it, currently being presented to the City Commission.The item remains “on the table” until taken off. |
Table, Take (Remove) from the | The motion to Take from the Table is used when the City Commission wants to continue considering a motion that was Laid on the Table earlier in the present session or in the previous session of the City Commission. When a motion is Taken from the Table, it has everything adhering to it exactly as it was when it was Laid on the Table. |
Revised: 10-17-2024 | Source(s): Robert’s Rules of Order City Commission Standing Rules |
CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS COMMISSIONERS
First Ward | Drew Robbins AliciaMarie Belchak | 616-456-3035 616-456-3035 | |
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Second Ward | Milinda Ysasi Lisa Knight | 616-456-3035 616-456-3035 | |
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Third Ward | Kelsey Perdue Marshall Kilgore | 616-456-3035 616-456-3035 | |