Village Manager’s Office

To:         Village Council, Staff, Media and Web Site

From:    Ryan Cotton, Village Manager

Date:     September 15, 2005

 Re:             Council Information Letter 

 

Bypass Meeting Tomorrow:  Come to Village Hall at 1:30 PM if interested.

 

Elm Tree Will Remain:  The property owners affected are fine with inclusion of some of their land with the new curb cut relocation.  MDOT has been especially helpful and is working on the permanent easement paperwork.

 

Care for Two Elm Trees:  One of these two trees looks stressed.  West Michigan Tree Service is looking at them both and will recommend a plan to maximize their health.  More to follow…

 

Historic Conservation Commission:  They will consider a permanent home for the Savidge Street marker that MDOT signifies needs to move.  They will also discuss their lists of homes/structures that ought to not be permitted to be demolished without extra Village Council scrutiny.

 

CBDDA:  They will consider a recommendation to first extend and then to hibernate the TIF district.  They will also consider a timeline for recommending a Brownfield TIF district(s).

 

Planning Commission:  They will consider the condominiums behind the Ace Hardware; a minor amendment to the PUD pertaining to the Dance Studio instead of offices at the office building where Harbor Steel used to be; the Master Plan revision process and a draft sign ordinance amendment.

 

Parks Commission:  They will consider the precise route of the Grand River Greenway conceptual plans and the conceptual possibility of bridging the Village Cove inlet. 

 

New Intern Begins in Police Department:  A gentleman will be helping us from the Grand Rapids Community College police program.  Thanks to Roger and the whole team for being open to this additional help. 

 

Spring Lake Wesleyan Church to Offer Fifty Volunteers:  On October 22nd from 9AM to 12 Noon a group is being organized to accomplish a number of projects in the Village:

 

We will be working with them to:

 

1.     Scrape, prime and paint the Tri-Cities Connector Path railings, pick up litter and pull weeds on the same;  

2.     Scrape and paint the low lying bollard lights around Barber School and elsewhere; 

3.     Kill the weeds and mulch the base of each of the new wayfinding signs;  and

4.     Scrape, prime and paint the West End Community Boardwalk railings. 

 

New Harbor Transit Council Representative Needed:  The ideal person for their board would be on Council, over 60 and disabled.  I do not think we have any one who qualifies!  The next best person is just a regular Council Member.  For you to consider until an October 3rd agenda item.

 

Next North Bank Regional Meeting:  This meeting is set for September 20th at 4:30 PM at Nunica Town Hall.  The idea is to brainstorm, and hopefully agree, on some mutual understandings regarding the importance of parks, recreation, history and traffic flow to our communities (Ferrysburg, SLT, SLV and Crockery).  Please consider yourself included and invited.  They want me to chair a focus group on Parks.

 

YMCA Board:  The President of the YMCA Board asked me if I could serve.  I will put this on the agenda for October 3rd .  Let me know if you feel it is a bad idea.

 

 

No Trucks on Local Streets:  Doug and the crew got these sings up this week.  Let me know if you see any truck violations.  So far, so good.

 

Village Staff Join SL Township Staff in Cancer Research Relay for Life:  See one of us if you would like to make a donation.  One or more of the combined team will be walking the Lakeshore Middle School track for 24 hours.

 

New Spare Pump Needed for Pump Station Near Village Cover:  Public Works had to install the former spare one this week.  We will replace it so we are prepared once again the next time it fails.  The cost is just under $4,000.  Good business to get into!

 

Tri-Cities Garden Club Working to Beautify the Village:  Alice Jablonski planted the mums on Rotary Drive last week.  She is also working on a plan for the hanging pots along Rotary Drive next spring.  She is further going to landscape the new wayfinding sign with our purchase of  the plants.

 

Taxes Are In:  The front counter and Maribeth worked hard this week handling the taxes as they came in.  They also kept the candy dish full as a token of our appreciation.

 

Budget Document Coming:  Mary put the finishing touches on the complete, everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-the-Village budget document this week and will be getting you a bound version shortly.

 

 

***Upcoming Meetings***

 

Development Area Citizens Council Meeting, CBDDA and Brownfield Authority Meeting on TIF Hibernation and Brownfield TIF:  Friday, September 16th at 7:45 AM at Village Hall.

 

Bypass Public Meeting Potential Dates:  MDOT is asking municipal officials to set aside time on Friday, September 16th to meet and discuss how these plans are moving forward.  The time will be 1:30 PM.

 

Village Council Work Session:  Monday, September 19 at Barber School.

 

Historic Conservation Commission:  Tuesday, September 20 at 7 PM at Village Hall.

 

CBDDA:  Thursday, September 22 at 7:30 AM at Village Hall.

 

Planning Commission:  Tuesday, September 27 at 7 PM at Barber School.

 

Parks Commission:  Wednesday, September 28 at 7 PM at Village Hall. 

 

Wetlands Public Hearing:  Thursday, October 6 at Barber School.

 

 

That is all for the week.  Call with questions:  842-1393, 844-2581 or 616-638-8910 or ryancotton@hotmail.com or ryan@springlakevillage.org.

 

Ryan Cotton,

Village Manager