Ordering Village Hall Signs:
An ordinance to extend permission for perpendicular signs on in the Public zone, the same as other zones, is noticed for the April 19^th agenda. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended it. This ordinance change is needed before the planned signs can be installed on Village Hall.  I need to let Valley City Sign know by Monday if we are to get them built and installed in time.

Please let me know if you have any concerns about eventual passage. If there are no concerns, I will get them ordered ASAP.

Rotary Club Donations:
The Rotary Club is donating the grandfather clock for the Village Hall lobby. They are working with Maribeth and me on the selection.

Lakeside Beach Sign Up:
It was installed today.

Mill Point Park Dredge Permit Draft Received:
All is moving forward as expected. The work will begin the week of April 5^th, weather permitting.  This will complete the project in time for the May 1 mandatory dredging shutdown.

Girl Scout Troop Adopts Mill Point Park:
Deborah Vetter is the leader of Den 8, Pack 3054.  They intend to spend the better part of Saturday, April 17^th there and will pick up litter and do odd jobs regularly throughout the summer.

Lakeside Trail Grant:
This application was submitted three days ahead of schedule.  We will await their typical process:  any questions and a site visit in June/July.  They will make the announcements in December.  Competition is expected to be fierce.  They got 80 applications last year.

Village Hall Progress:
The fire suppression system is operable now.  Pre-punch list touchups are occurring.  Finish carpentry is continuing.  The final punch list is scheduled for April 19^th and furniture arrives end of April.

Village Hall Moving Dates:
The move will be gradual the first two weeks of May with a total move and telephone switch planned the week after the water bill deadline.  We will be completely live in the new building on Monday, May 24^th.   The rededication ceremony is planned to kick off the Heritage Festival on June 15^th.

Village Hall Rededication:
We are working on the invitation list to include former Council members and staff as well as boards and commissions and Tri-City dignitaries.  The Spring Lake Steel Drum Band will be donating their services.  We figure an open house will be held on Tuesday, June 15^th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM with rededication remarks at 7:30 PM.

Village Hall Construction Costs:
I authorized a change for $339 for extending the picture rail in Maribeth's and my office where it did not include the east wall. I also authorized $258 for a quarter round base shoe mold along the baseboard where the original floor is not level to finish of the upstairs Conference Room better.  I authorized a cheaper wood door for the rental space than the ones elsewhere in the building for $378.  These changes result in a contingency of  $104,800.

Village Hall Historical Picture Selection:
This group was ably assisted by Tom Fischer and picked out about 25 great old photographs to consider expanding, framing and hanging in Village Hall this week.

Skateboard Update:
The Tribune is doing a Tri-Cities skateboarding piece that includes the Village and our ordinances.  It will be published tomorrow.

Time Off Over Spring Break:
My previously reported vacation days during Spring Break changed.  I will be gone Monday, Thursday and Friday instead.

Agenda for April 19^th:
I invited Habitat for Humanity to come at 7 PM to discuss their plans for 3-5 homes on River Street.  We will also discuss the location of the Village President's photos, an engineering contract to design an "Exchange Street Typical" consistent with the recent downtown planning; an engineering agreement to formalize dredging (which will already be in progress); and permission to distribute the Downtown Master Plan land use draft as recommended by the Planning Commission.

Complaint Received on Storm Sewer Overflow at the End of South Lake:
This concern was brought forward this week.  I am including it in a future capital improvement program, assuming the necessary property rights can be secured in advance.

Lake Avenue Reconstruction:
This work will officially begin on April 15^th.  Letters are going out the residents, the schools and to the Police Department to be prepared to assist with enforcement of detour routes/child crossings.  Completion will be by May 26^th.

Chief De Young On Vacation This Week:
Joe Steinhauer is Acting Chief.

Special Work Sessions on FY 05 Budget and Fees (Building, Water Debt Service and Parking):
Monday, April 19 at 5:00 PM.

Joint Parks and Recreation Meeting with Spring Lake Township:
April 22, 2004 at 7:00 PM at SLT Hall.  The focus of the meeting will be on coordinating trails and our Community Recreation Plan projects.  The County Parks Director will attend.

Tri-Cities Meeting on Recreational Authority:
I am told a letter of invitation is forthcoming.  April 28 at 6:00 PM at Grand Haven Charter Township Board Room.

That is all for the week. Call with questions: 842-1393, 844-2581 or 616-638-8910.

Ryan Cotton, Village Manager