With the cool mornings that we’ve been having lately, there’s no denying that summer is quickly coming to an end! Summer’s end has not slowed the activity in the city, however. Coopersville continues to be a hub of activity for construction projects – both public and private. You’re aware of our public infrastructure projects, and I thought you’d find it interesting to hear a few highlights of current activity in the private sector.
Betten-Baker is well underway on their expansion project – already moving much of their inventory to their new parking lot on the north side of O’Malley, making way for two new showrooms on their main site. Conveyor Concepts is nearing completion of its new facility on Mason and St. John’s Trucking/Exit 16 has completed its new building on O’Malley. There’s always activity at CDF/Fairlife – the past few months are no exception. Even our local fast food establishments are getting in on the remodel/construction game: Taco Bell recently completed a remodel project, remodel work has begun on Arby’s, and McDonalds is slated for a facelift later this year. All told, there is about $10 million worth of private investment currently going on in Coopersville.
I bring this up because sometimes it’s easy to overlook how much activity is actually going on in our city. This is something to be proud of and is a sign that not only do businesses and residents want to be here, but that both are willing to make significant investments to make Coopersville home.
In relation to ongoing private investment in the city, we’ll start our evening with a Council Workshop at 5:45 PM prior to the Council meeting to discuss a payback agreement between the Reserve of Coopersville and the City. Assistant City Manager Jonathan Seyferth and I will go into more detail on the agreement that was in place when the Reserve first decided to invest in the City and what Council is now being asked to consider.
I want to thank Jonathan Seyferth and Anisa Williams for preparing the greater part of this memo while I took a couple of extra days off after the Labor Day weekend. Please contact me if you have questions regarding this memo or any issues of interest to you. Have a fine weekend and be SAFE out there!
DDA Billboard
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.
Downtown Pocket Park
After encountering a few underground surprises as construction got underway, things are now moving along smoothly. The underground infrastructure has been improved and a water connection has been brought into the park. Flatwork has begun and we’ll start to see things really taking shape over the next few weeks and months.
UPDATED: Road and Sidewalk Construction
Sidewalk replacement along the north side of Main Street between Church and East Streets is complete. All residents who were impacted were very cooperative during the process and the finish product looks great. Sidewalk replacement continued this week when crews began removing sidewalk on the east side of Eastmanville. The crew is moving swiftly and the project should be completed on schedule.
On Sunday, Sept. 10, Main Street between Eastmanville and Church will be closed from 6AM-Noon for crews to crack-seal the road. Businesses on Main Street were notified by a hand-delivered letter and notices went out on social media. Staff will be following up with the businesses at the end of the week to remind them of the closure and temporary signs will be placed at various locations on Main Street to let others know of the temporary closure as well.
Crews will be resurfacing and re-striping roads and the only section remaining is:
- 10/7 – 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: Muskegon Waste Water Treatment Plant Option
(Below is a repeat from the last council packet and is included keep you informed. As new information is obtained, this memo will be updated.)
Engineers from Prein&Newhof met with city staff this week to review the proposed route of the sewer forcemain from Coopersville to the Muskegon County Wastewater Management System. The distance is slightly over 19 miles with a few segments of route needing to be finalized. The meeting was to discuss the route but other questions were discussed and will be revisited at the appropriate time. As new information becomes available, and is sharable, I will keep members of this council informed. Please contact me if you have comments or require answers to questions.
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.