My parents are from California; half of my siblings and I spent our early childhood in southern California and San Jose. I still remember earthquakes, seeing smoke from the wildfires off in the distance when we traveled, and temperatures in summer so hot we were not allowed to play outside. And the rains; they could last for days. Other than those elements of nasty weather and geological activity, California is a beautiful state with so much potential for play and the visual abundance of gorgeous scenery exploded wherever your eyes landed; except for Los Angeles…just kidding.
Harvey, Irma, and Maria have come and gone. The reconstruction is underway in the Houston metro area and other parts of Texas, also in the entire State of Florida, and currently in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico. The hurricanes that brought so much destruction and sometimes death seems alien with the juxtaposition of the raw beauty of Texas, the magnificent splendor of Florida, and of course our Caribbean brother Puerto Rico with its lush rain forests and stunning beaches. Yes, there is devastation and loss of life from the hurricanes, but there is the beauty, a song of Sirens that pull at the souls of the people who live there and for those of us who visit. Ironically, the islanders risk the hurricanes because of its beauty and rich splendor.
We’ve all seen photos from the Apollo moon missions looking back at planet earth and of course the vast numbers of photos taken from the various Shuttle missions, and now the International Space Station (ISS). I’m sure many of you have contemplated how could such a beautiful, blue, and seemingly peaceful planet holds the power to bring devastation to entire states and island nations? Why is it happening and more curious to me, why isn’t it happening more often as the entire crust of the earth floats on molten magma, ready to blast through at any moment? Global warming debate aside, the questions exist.
I often wonder why someone would live in an area that routinely lies in the path of mother nature’s strongest weather phenomena or some geological fault that runs along tectonic plates that shift without warning. I continually embarrass myself when I realize, where in the world is there a safe place to live? From earthquakes, volcanos, sink holes, forest fires, mud slides, severe weather phenomena (tornados, hurricanes, lightning, tsunamis, rogue waves, blizzards, avalanches, monsoons), to the most frightening fact that Yellowstone National Park sits atop a Super Volcano that is overdue to erupt once again; where does one move to that is free of personal risk?
The answer is, there is no location on earth without risk of natural disasters. Even though Coopersville doesn’t have the inventory of possible disasters at its door as other regions, there is still the occasional tornado, intense rains and winds, and the sporadic winter blizzard poking its head here and there. It’s certainly a dangerous world out there, or more to the point from J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings:
Harvey, Irma, and Maria have come and gone. The reconstruction is underway in the Houston metro area and other parts of Texas, also in the entire State of Florida, and currently in the U.S. Territory of Puerto Rico. The hurricanes that brought so much destruction and sometimes death seems alien with the juxtaposition of the raw beauty of Texas, the magnificent splendor of Florida, and of course our Caribbean brother Puerto Rico with its lush rain forests and stunning beaches. Yes, there is devastation and loss of life from the hurricanes, but there is the beauty, a song of Sirens that pull at the souls of the people who live there and for those of us who visit. Ironically, the islanders risk the hurricanes because of its beauty and rich splendor.
We’ve all seen photos from the Apollo moon missions looking back at planet earth and of course the vast numbers of photos taken from the various Shuttle missions, and now the International Space Station (ISS). I’m sure many of you have contemplated how could such a beautiful, blue, and seemingly peaceful planet holds the power to bring devastation to entire states and island nations? Why is it happening and more curious to me, why isn’t it happening more often as the entire crust of the earth floats on molten magma, ready to blast through at any moment? Global warming debate aside, the questions exist.
I often wonder why someone would live in an area that routinely lies in the path of mother nature’s strongest weather phenomena or some geological fault that runs along tectonic plates that shift without warning. I continually embarrass myself when I realize, where in the world is there a safe place to live? From earthquakes, volcanos, sink holes, forest fires, mud slides, severe weather phenomena (tornados, hurricanes, lightning, tsunamis, rogue waves, blizzards, avalanches, monsoons), to the most frightening fact that Yellowstone National Park sits atop a Super Volcano that is overdue to erupt once again; where does one move to that is free of personal risk?
The answer is, there is no location on earth without risk of natural disasters. Even though Coopersville doesn’t have the inventory of possible disasters at its door as other regions, there is still the occasional tornado, intense rains and winds, and the sporadic winter blizzard poking its head here and there. It’s certainly a dangerous world out there, or more to the point from J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings:
“Swept off to” sounds foreboding in light of the recent disasters. With so much pain, misery, and sadness occurring from natural disasters, we should stay centered on the simple truth that as lovely and extraordinary as our planet may be, it requires its inhabitants to acknowledge that life on planet earth is glorious and full of “dangerous business.” Enjoy this life. Enjoy YOUR life. One never knows.
Our council meeting agenda has a bit of substance Monday night versus what we’ve experience of late. We have a variety of topics requiring thoughtful discussion and action so please contact me if you require further explanation or additional support material before Monday night. Forecast is showing rain part of the weekend, which we need. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the beginning stages of fall now that the colors are beginning in earnest. Pulaski Days start this Friday so have fun and be SAFE out there!
Downtown Pocket Park
As of this writing, the footings have been poured for the Pavilion posts and the pad will be poured yet this week. The Pavilion itself has been delivered and is currently stored at the DPW site, with plans to erect it after the concrete has cured, possibly as soon as next week. The water feature sub-assemblies are scheduled for delivery mid to late October. Most of the underground work is complete especially for electrical conduit/sleeves for final wiring to various units within the Pocket Park. Physical, above-ground, progress is beginning to show. YES!
DDA Billboard
As written for the last council packet, the DDA has a message on vinyl and electronic billboards around the Grand Rapids metro area; have you seen them AND have you visited the website?
Have you noticed the DDA billboard on west bound I-96 just past Fruit Ridge in Walker? We will also have “time” on a few electronic billboards located in the Grand Rapids Metro area with one specifically near Fifth Third Ball Park. The purpose of these billboards is to make more people aware of the investment in our DDA and our downtown, attributes of the community, so that ultimately more investment will take place to enhance economic vitality. In other words, please “CHECK US OUT.” As part of this new campaign, we’ve also completely revamped the DDA website to make it mobile friendly and to reflect the professionalism, vision, and vitality of DDA projects and their goals and the community in general. Check it out at http://www.coopersvilledda.com
Water Project Phase I
The project continues to move forward. City staff is working closely with Allendale Township and Ottawa County to formulate a final plan for a new booster station. Part of this plan includes the feasibility of acquiring additional real estate for the larger booster station facility. Allendale will continue to have space for their water pumps to provide redundancy and possible expansion if required as part of the project.
UPDATED: Road and Sidewalk Construction
Crews will be resurfacing and re-striping roads and the only section remaining will be worked on starting THIS WEEKEND – FRIDAY at Noon and Monday:
Further updates will be provided on the city’s Facebook page and website. Any questions, please call city hall at 616-997-9731 or email [email protected]. Thanks for your patience while we make the city shine!
REPEAT: 2017-2018 Fiscal Year
Beginning July 1, 2017, the City of Coopersville began its new fiscal year. The city’s web site has the 2017-2018 Budget, the Annual Financial Report, and a simple dashboard of how the 2017-2018 tax dollars are being utilized for citizen and property owners to review. I encourage all citizens, business owners, and students to visit the website and learn more of the details of how our local government operates and how taxpayers’ dollars support that effort.
Our council meeting agenda has a bit of substance Monday night versus what we’ve experience of late. We have a variety of topics requiring thoughtful discussion and action so please contact me if you require further explanation or additional support material before Monday night. Forecast is showing rain part of the weekend, which we need. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy the beginning stages of fall now that the colors are beginning in earnest. Pulaski Days start this Friday so have fun and be SAFE out there!
Downtown Pocket Park
As of this writing, the footings have been poured for the Pavilion posts and the pad will be poured yet this week. The Pavilion itself has been delivered and is currently stored at the DPW site, with plans to erect it after the concrete has cured, possibly as soon as next week. The water feature sub-assemblies are scheduled for delivery mid to late October. Most of the underground work is complete especially for electrical conduit/sleeves for final wiring to various units within the Pocket Park. Physical, above-ground, progress is beginning to show. YES!
DDA Billboard
As written for the last council packet, the DDA has a message on vinyl and electronic billboards around the Grand Rapids metro area; have you seen them AND have you visited the website?
Have you noticed the DDA billboard on west bound I-96 just past Fruit Ridge in Walker? We will also have “time” on a few electronic billboards located in the Grand Rapids Metro area with one specifically near Fifth Third Ball Park. The purpose of these billboards is to make more people aware of the investment in our DDA and our downtown, attributes of the community, so that ultimately more investment will take place to enhance economic vitality. In other words, please “CHECK US OUT.” As part of this new campaign, we’ve also completely revamped the DDA website to make it mobile friendly and to reflect the professionalism, vision, and vitality of DDA projects and their goals and the community in general. Check it out at http://www.coopersvilledda.com
Water Project Phase I
The project continues to move forward. City staff is working closely with Allendale Township and Ottawa County to formulate a final plan for a new booster station. Part of this plan includes the feasibility of acquiring additional real estate for the larger booster station facility. Allendale will continue to have space for their water pumps to provide redundancy and possible expansion if required as part of the project.
UPDATED: Road and Sidewalk Construction
Crews will be resurfacing and re-striping roads and the only section remaining will be worked on starting THIS WEEKEND – FRIDAY at Noon and Monday:
- 10/6 – 10/9: O’Malley Drive (between 68th Avenue & River) will be closed during resurfacing with posted detours; local traffic will be guided by flag crews.
Further updates will be provided on the city’s Facebook page and website. Any questions, please call city hall at 616-997-9731 or email [email protected]. Thanks for your patience while we make the city shine!
REPEAT: 2017-2018 Fiscal Year
Beginning July 1, 2017, the City of Coopersville began its new fiscal year. The city’s web site has the 2017-2018 Budget, the Annual Financial Report, and a simple dashboard of how the 2017-2018 tax dollars are being utilized for citizen and property owners to review. I encourage all citizens, business owners, and students to visit the website and learn more of the details of how our local government operates and how taxpayers’ dollars support that effort.
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