​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. 

I jump back and forth between ESPN radio and WGVU’s Public Radio Morning Edition at the start of each day. I’ve done it for years and the mix of news and news features with sports is like sprinkling blueberries on top of cornflakes. I know, but it works for me and the juxtaposition of the two provides mental islands of rest early in the morning when I just don’t want to hear about Iraq for one more second; not one more second!
 
The current waste water expansion issues, alongside creating a budget for Fiscal Year 2017-2018 when there are more “unknowns” than “knowns” may not be Iraq, but it causes angst nonetheless. That’s why switching to ESPN and hearing a dialogue between Ernie Johnson (TBS Sports - NBA) and Mike & Mike (ESPN) is one of those mental islands of rest. Today their dialogue revealed a practice that Ernie does when he grocery shops: He always buys two bouquets of flowers for his wife along with the groceries. Well, originally, he bought two bouquets for his wife which eventually turned into only one arriving home.
 
The first-time Ernie bought the two bouquets for his wife, he noticed an elderly woman loading groceries in her car when he left the store. Ernie thought, does my wife really need two bouquets? So, without much deliberation and forethought, he approached the elderly woman and offered her one of the bouquets. Of course, she was a bit suspicious but accepted them with a sincere thank you and the following comment. “Thank you so much; how thoughtful. Today is the first anniversary of my husband’s passing and I just don’t receive flowers from him anymore.” Wow, how a simple bouquet of flowers becomes the key that opens someone’s heart and memories; simply profound.
 
So now Ernie always buys two bouquets of flowers when he grocery shops and always arrives home with just one. He stated he has heard many comments that range from, “Thank you, I just lost my job yesterday” to “Thank you so much, you’ve really made this a special day.” Ernie commented that, “None of us know what another person is going through each day or even for that brief moment when we decide to approach another person.” Yes, it’s another version of “random acts of kindness” that has been embraced by millions, but this time with flowers!
 
Two bouquets, one for the person you love and one for a person that needs love, is simple enough. But it’s always the simple things that bring light and warmth to a person’s soul. We can’t change the world by ourselves, but we can change how we interact with the world. And that can be just as powerful and fulfilling especially when our act connects with someone who feels separate from the world. It’s got me thinking; and by the way Ernie, thank you for connecting.
 
Surprise, it’s still raining with a side order of snow tomorrow; Michigan, ya gotta love it. Enjoy the weekend and we’ll see each other 7:00 PM Monday night. Be safe out there. 


REPEAT - Master Plan Update: Jonathan Seyferth
We are nearing the end of feedback window on the draft master plan which has been ongoing since mid-February. We’re asking that all feedback be in by Wednesday, March 29. The end of this feedback window starts a timeline that, if all goes according to plan, should allow the master plan to be considered for final adoption in June.
The timeline is as follows:

• April 7 – The Planning Commission will be provided with a finalized Master Plan. 
• April 17 –The Planning Commission, if satisfied with the document, will vote to release it for distribution. This triggers a 63-day (9 week) feedback period for neighboring governments, the county, and regional planning organizations. (Distribution means that the city will send copies of our proposed master plan to these organizations and invite feedback.) 
• June 19 – The 9-week window will close on June 19 which is also the June Planning Commission meeting date. At that meeting the Planning Commission would hold a Public Hearing on formal adoption of the master plan – step one in a two-step adoption process. If approved by the PC, it is sent to the City Council for final adoption. 
• June 26 – At the second City Council meeting in June, the City Council will be asked to take the second step in the process with a final adoption of the master plan.

 
A draft and executive summary of the Master Plan can be found at  www.plancoopersville.com. Updates and comments on the final draft will also be accepted on the website.
 
 
Michigan Regional Prosperity Initiative
As you know already from press releases and local media sources, Governor Snyder was in Coopersville this past Monday to meet with officials from CDF and fairlife, as well as other regional dignitaries. The purpose was to highlight cooperation between local governments and the need to design and implement a uniform infrastructure “asset management” program throughout the State of Michigan. Fortunately, the City of Coopersville has already begun its own asset management program and will be significantly completed and implemented yet this year. More information will be provided as this program picks up momentum and clear goals are set. Please contact me if you require additional information.
 
 
WWTP Upgrade
Work continues with the design/engineering of the effluent pump upgrade that also included the addition of a UV treatment chamber. Updates will be provided as they are available.
 
 
Muskegon Waste Water Treatment Plant Option
Due to weather forecasts, we are rescheduling the meeting with interested parties on the Muskegon/Coopersville wastewater forcemain. The agenda is yet to be defined but there will be a meeting nonetheless, hopefully to focus on what specific steps need to be taken first in ultimately resolving this issue. As always, I will report on the progress of this project and the details of discussion that relate directly with Coopersville.
 
 
Water Project Phase I
After meeting with the Utility Advisory Committee a couple of weeks ago, Jonathan and I met with Prein&Newhof to re-establish the parameters of the project. They were instructed to study and review updated costs on the varies details within the revised scope of the Water Project Phase I. Those updated costs arrived this week and we are now preparing material for council to review within the next two to four weeks for possible action and/or comment. As always please contact me if you have questions or require further clarification.

Congratulations and thank you all for the approval on the 2016-2017 Budget. The budget process can be a stressful challenge especially when difficult choices have to be made. Fortunately, previous councils and staff created a fund balance that allows more flexibility to run a deficit if the “needs” of the community requires such expenditures. The 2016-2017 fiscal year promises to be very productive in terms of road repair, IT upgrades, and more definition on the water and sewer projects; can’t wait until July 1, 2016.
 
Monday night’s agenda has a Public Hearing – CDBG Closeout for Dedicated Forcemain project. Ken Rizzio of Lakeshore Advantage will be in attendance, I believe. We have a Scheduled Guest Matt Fenske, Ottawa County Commissioner, to share the Ottawa County State of the County 2016 presentation. The weather forecast appears to predict warmer temperatures that hopefully resembles summer. Enjoy your weekend and be safe.


WWTP Project Phase II
Friday morning, May 13,  there was a meeting at city hall that included representatives from the Michigan Department of Agriculture, the MDEQ, the MEDC, Lakeshore Advantage, fairlife, CDF, Arlan Meekhof’s Office, two council members and three staff members. The meeting was overall a positive use of time in that all parties expressed an understanding of the waste water issues that fairlife, CDF, and Coopersville were challenged with and the possible remedies that exist. But as with most issues such as these, access to financial resources are the only true means to viable resolutions.
 
More information will be coming as we meet with OMM, and the WWTP staff today to review a possible permanent upgrade to the plant rather than an interim upgrade as was originally planned. There was general agreement at Friday’s meeting that an $850,000 interim upgrade, which would be required to be “turned off” once a permanent solution was found, was probably not the best option fiscally either short-term or long-term.
 
I have already met with Mark Eisenbarth, Muskegon County Administrator, on a possible partnership between Coopersville and Muskegon as instructed. We didn’t discuss specifics but rather more general items of interest and what needs to transpire before a formal agreement can be signed. Currently there is an interest for Muskegon, Coopersville, and CDF to meet before Memorial Day. As always, I will keep you updated as more progress is made.
 
 
 
Water Project Phase I
The waste water issue has consumed a great deal of time and energy as of late, but at least we have real momentum in resolving the varied challenges. My next goal is to bring to council in the next few weeks a viable option to finance the significant water project that has been in the planning stages for months.
 
I have spoken recently about the possibility of splitting the Water Project – Phase I into smaller, less costly projects and addressing each one over a series of years. That may still be the final option taken, but my intent is to find a financial model that encompasses the entire scope of Phase I. Every component of Phase I is required and if there is a means to accomplish 100% of the project, it would be in the best interest of all parties concerned both short and long-term.
 
Prein&Newhof continues the process of designing the upgrade to the 60th Avenue Booster station. 
 
 
Strategic Planning – A Reminder
Two weeks ago the below text was included in your packets. These words still remain as a reminder of future tasks we as a group will ultimately embrace. Some areas you may what to begin thinking about, but certainly not limited to, are:
 

1. Economic development
2. Future recreation facilities
3. Utilization of Deer Creek watershed that runs through the city
4. Future of utility expansion
5. Issues of aesthetics for new construction, parks, and gateways into the city
6. Regional planning
7. Long-term vision for sidewalk maintenance and new construction
8. Bike trails
9. Road Maintenance and Reconstruction Policy
10. Public safety

 
The arrival of our Assistant City Manager Jonathan Seyferth has allowed more attention and time to revise the City’s Master Plan (Comprehensive Plan). I would like to begin exercises in strategic planning from the City Council as to how we want to control the city’s future. Yes, the Planning Commission does extensive work and drafts the Master Plan, and will perform professionally in that task. But the City Council must take action on the approval/disapproval of that plan. According to the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) and Gerald L. Gordon PHD, strategic planning is:
 
“…a means of understanding change, forecasting change, and setting a course of action to manage the expected implications of change. Even in the most negative situations in the life of a community, strategic planning is a positive means of moving forward.”
 
City Council must begin a conversation of where you want the community to grow and what our future will look like in the next five, ten, and twenty-five years.  More information will come to you in the next few months.

This memo will be relatively short as time is limited due to a very busy week to this point. Work has continued on the budget, more specifically on defining more of the details and examining the merits of those expenditures. Much of the staff has participating in helping shape and define the projects that encompass the budget and the results has been clarity and consensus on what REALLY needs to be done.
 
Again, we will have a Budget Workshop prior to the council meeting but this workshop will start at 5:30 PM. Our discussion will focus on Information Technology (IT) and its larger impact on the operation and management of the city. You should have been sent a PowerPoint by Anisa Williams that reviews where the city is and where it needs to be in terms of a secure and functional IT program for years to come. Although the PowerPoint is intentionally done in a format that is fun and informative, it defines a few critical elements of Monday night’s discussion.
 
 We will provide DRAFT C Monday night at the budget workshop which reduces the deficit to slightly over $161,000 from the original DRAFT A of over $500,000 in the red. We have a fund balance to support it but our job as policy makers and budget engineers is to make decisions on the needs of today in context of the financial future of the city. There will also be a Public Hearing on the 2016-2017 Budget.
 
As always, I wish all of you an enjoyable and safe weekend. Have some fun and don’t forget to contact me if you have any questions regarding this memo and the enclosed agenda.


2016-2017 Budget
Monday night at 5:30 pm we have a budget workshop. We are starting thirty-minutes early as the subject matter is information technology. This subject is a bit in depth as we are proposing a number of significant changes to accommodate the city’s ever increasing reliance on technology. 
 
 
Water Project Phase I
Staff met with Prein&Newhof this week to review the design perimeters of the 60th Avenue Booster Station upgrade. The timeline on when the engineering will be completed is forthcoming. I suggested a rather aggressive timeline for the reconstruction of the booster station that may or may not be practical. As always I will keep you updated on the progress of this project.
 
 
WWTP Project Phase II
Grand Rapids has provided the city with more details on their proposal to take Fairlife waste from Coopersville. Jonathan Seyferth and I have just started studying what those numbers mean and whether their option is viable under the time restraints that are ever looming. As always, I will keep Council and the Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) updated as more information becomes available.
 
 
Ottawa County Central Dispatch (911)
Central Dispatch is celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year. Saturday May 21, 2016 from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM there is an open house at Central Dispatch, 12101 Stanton Street, West Olive (Fillmore Campus). As this date becomes closer we will provide updated information as received.
 
 
Strategic Planning
Two weeks ago the below text was included. These words still remain as a reminder of future tasks we as a group will ultimately embrace. Some areas you may what to begin thinking about, but certainly not limited to, are:

• Economic development
• Future recreation facilities
• Utilization of Deer Creek watershed that runs through the city
• Future of utility expansion
• Issues of aesthetics for new construction, parks, and gateways into the city
• Regional planning
• Long-term vision for sidewalk maintenance and new construction
• Bike trails
• Road Maintenance and Reconstruction Policy
• Public safety

 
The arrival of our Assistant City Manager Jonathan Seyferth has allowed more attention and time to revise the City’s Master Plan (Comprehensive Plan). I would like to begin exercises in strategic planning from the City Council as to how we want to control the city’s future. Yes, the Planning Commission does extensive work and drafts the Master Plan, and will perform professionally in that task. But the City Council must take action on the approval/disapproval of that plan. According to the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) and Gerald L. Gordon PHD, strategic planning is:
 
“…a means of understanding change, forecasting change, and setting a course of action to manage the expected implications of change. Even in the most negative situations in the life of a community, strategic planning is a positive means of moving forward.”
 
City Council must begin a conversation of where you want the community to grow and what our future will look like in the next five, ten, and twenty-five years. More information will come to you in the next few months.
 

Recently the City of Coopersville, the Coopersville Rotary Club, and the NEO Forum organized and hosted an annual event known as “Celebrate Coopersville.” Everyone is, and was welcomed in the community to attend and many did, including Rotary members, city employees, Coopersville Area Public School staff and facility, elected officials from Ottawa County, City Council, the Board of Education, and even elected officials from Lansing. It is a special night where individuals who have demonstrated something unique or have shown a higher level of performance are recognized and awarded in front of the community that has benefited from their involvement. There is a silent auction where money is raised to support the NEO Forum program that has received much praise for its success with our youth and their families as well.
 
For some undefined reason after the event, I began to contemplate seriously about what “Celebrate Coopersville” really stands for and why. It’s obvious that many of us who work for the City of Coopersville have a rather unique view of the city. Yes, we’re responsible for roads, we’re responsible for water and sewer, we’re responsible for community policing, we’re responsible for recreation programs, and we’re responsible for economic development, planning, and many, many more services. We see it from a perspective that involves citizens and business owners but at the end of the day, the city staff is responsible for infrastructure that allows the rest of the community to function. As an example, roads with two feet of snow covering them can serious hinder transportation requirements.

But our unique perspective allows us to witness many other elements that truly is the “glue” which binds everything together into one cohesive community. We have many volunteers that maintain our beautiful landscapes from the Roundabout to Perennial Park. We have volunteers that spread mulch downtown in the spring, saving the DDA significant costs. Rotary picks up trash along the roadways at certain times of the year for beautification. The many, many coaches and other volunteers who are critical to the success of our recreation department’s varied programs. The volunteers who ultimately determine the aesthetics and feel of our community, such as the Planning Commission, the Downtown Development Authority Board, the Recreation Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals, and the countless other volunteers that assist with Del Shannon Days, the Outhouse 500, the Chili Cook-off, Miss Coopersville, the Historical Museum Board, Christmas Parade, etc. The list can literally go on and on.

Thus back to the second paragraph. What does Celebrate Coopersville really mean? For me, it’s something I haven’t really experienced in my earlier life. My family moved often when I was young from California to Michigan, back to California and finally back to the lakeshore near North Muskegon. My sense of community was limited (and even foreign to me) to a certain degree of definition. But Coopersville demonstrates year after year that “community” is much more than a word: it is a way of life; it’s the human glue that binds the community and brings a unique lifestyle that is different from other cities. Not better, for that would be presumptuous and alienating, but it is still unique nevertheless. The blending of individuals with diverse backgrounds and skills creates a special sense of place that anyone who spends enough time here affectionately calls it home.

I have met many people that live in the surrounding townships that call Coopersville their home. They shop, they bank they visit their doctor, lawyer, and insurance agent all in Coopersville. There are many business owners that live elsewhere but ALWAYS attend Coopersville events. Why? Because Coopersville is special, just ask them. I have. They tell me that there is a “can do” attitude here and people come together to make the improbable happen. Think about this next time you travel through the roundabout. When you’re downtown on Main Street, look up at the clock tower. Slow down on Ironwood and visually savor the flowers under the Coopersville sign; count the number of businesses that sponsor recreation next time you’re visiting Vets Park during a softball game.

Celebrate Coopersville? Absolutely! Everyday!

Monday night at 6:00 PM we will have a Budget Workshop prior to the council meeting. Our discussion will focus on more of the details, especially the larger capital equipment expenditures and many of the road maintenance projects. Draft A has us spending in the red over $500,000. We have a fund balance to support it but our job as policy makers and budget engineers is to make decisions on the needs of today in context of the financial future of the city.
 
As always, I wish all of you an enjoyable and safe weekend. Life is short, as they say, and our obligation as beings of awareness is to live it each day, drinking in the beauty as well as the bitterness, if it so happens to get in the way. You got to admit that life can be a lot of fun. 


Water Project Phase I

City Treasurer Keri Rogers and I have met with our bond attorney and have given him a series of tasks as his homework assignment. One of the series of tasks is to analyze what the city’s obligation for a $9.6 million bond and a scaled down version of the Water Project – Phase I, which is closer to $5 million would be for 30 and 40 years. The “how” in which we would pay for the bond is still under discussion and, fortunately for the city, we have a couple of options available for us to consider. Once those numbers are in, I will schedule a workshop to study those options open to us and how best to proceed. 
 
 
WWTP Project Phase II

I believe we are close to making a recommendation to council as to what is the best route, in terms of policy and practice, to accommodate the growth that CDF and Fairlife are experiencing. There are still interested parties coming to the “party” wanting to participate in this project. Staff and I will evaluate as necessitated. As always, I will keep Council and the Utility Advisory Committee (UAC) updated as more information becomes available.
 
 
Strategic Planning

The arrival of our Assistant City Manager Jonathan Seyferth has allowed more attention and time to revise the City’s Master Plan (Comprehensive Plan). I would like to begin exercises in strategic planning from the City Council as to how we want to control the city’s future. Yes, the Planning Commission does extensive work and drafts the Master Plan, and will perform professionally in that task. But the City Council must take action on the approval/disapproval of that plan. According to the ICMA (International City/County Management Association) and Gerald L. Gordon PHD, strategic planning is:
 
“…a means of understanding change, forecasting change, and setting a course of action to manage the expected implications of change. Even in the most negative situations in the life of a community, strategic planning is a positive means of moving forward.”
 
City Council must begin a conversation of where you want the community to grow and what our future will look like in the next five, ten, and twenty-five years. More information will come to you in the next few months.