VOLUNTEERISM: The principle of donating time and energy for the benefit of other people in the community as a social responsibility rather than for any financial reward. (Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 2014)
 
Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Rotary, Del Shannon Car Show, the Santa Parade, and many, many more events and organizations in this community and the immediate area function because of volunteers. Centers of worship function because of volunteers. The Outhouse 500, landscaping assistance around the city have been touched by volunteers. Various events at the school happen because of the efforts and investments by volunteers. It’s a very positive and bold statement about the character of a community and the affection that motivates people to volunteer and give back to the community.
 
The City of Coopersville also functions and relies on volunteers through its various boards from the Recreation Advisory Board to the Planning Commission. There is also the DDA Board (Downtown Development Authority), the Zoning Board of Appeals, the Cemetery Board, Construction Board of Appeals, Election Commission, Local Officers Commission, and the Board of Review. We also rely on individuals to give of their time for a minimum monetary payment to serve in the Emergency Services as first responders on medical emergencies. The Coopersville-Polkton Fire Department heavily relies on volunteers to serve as first responders for fire calls, significant accidents on I-96, and mutual aid to surrounding communities.
 
Without volunteers, the City of Coopersville and the community at large would cease to function properly. Sure, the city has the administrative staff which manages the mandates and requirements of the City Charter and the State of Michigan as well as the day-to-day responsibilities of answering questions of the public, managing the various financial funds required to provide services to the residents, and providing support for the city council. The Department of Public Works removes snow from our streets, maintains various landscaping tasks, empties trash containers, sweeps the streets, and many more tasks to make the city look attractive. The Water and Sewer Departments provide and maintains these utilities to the highest standards.  

However, to name but a few:

• Policy is determined by city council members, NOT city staff.
• The Planning Commission takes action on development within the community and makes recommendations to the city council on ordinance language and updates; NOT city staff.
• The DDA Board oversees the economic development of the DDA District to enhance the economic growth within the city; NOT city staff.
• The Zoning Board of Appeals acts on requests to make a variance on existing ordinances; NOT city staff.

 
I could go on and on, but the point is fairly simple and profound. Volunteers are the life blood of a city and its community, without them there is no functioning city or community. The reason for this memo is this; we are having difficulty filling vacancies in most of the boards, Emergency Services, and the Fire Department. It will be critical within a year especially for our medical first responders in the Emergency Rescue Department. We will have multiply vacancies at the end of this year on the DDA Board. 
 
All of our lives have become busy, complicated, and the societal distractions are endless. When I pause and evaluate what I have done in the “volunteering mode” I’m a little embarrassed as I probably could do more. It’s difficult to carve out a couple more hours a month for yet another item on our “To Do List”, and we all have that annoying list. I hope all of us can at least consider where we might be most effective in the areas mentioned above and at least contact city hall and ask a few questions. Until then, thank you for reviewing this memo and enjoy your summer.

Monday night we have a fairly “light” agenda, relatively speaking. There are a couple of resolutions which I will detail later in this memo. Enjoy your weekend, and be safe out there.


Water Project Phase I
​
The application to the EDA (Economic Development Administration) is still being processed by staff and Ken Rizzio at Lakeshore Advantage. Application is on schedule to be sent to the EDA before the end of June. As always if you have questions please contact me.
 
 
REPEAT - Muskegon Waste Water Treatment Plant Option 

Nothing new to report at this time. There have been some rumblings as to possible funding mechanisms, but nothing of any substance. As information becomes available, and is sharable, I will keep members of this council. Please contact me if you have comments or require answers to questions.
 
 
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. The end of the feedback window back in March started a timeline that, if all goes according to plan, should allow the master plan to be considered for final adoption in July.
The timeline is as follows:

• Late June – The 9-week feedback window will close in late June which is also the June Planning Commission meeting date.
  
  
• July 17 – 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.

 

• July 24 – At the second City Council meeting in July, 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. ​

By Mark Horoszowski, Next Avenue Contributor 

(This article previously appeared on MovingWorlds.org.)

The power of volunteering has been documented for the last 2,500+ years, however a slew of recent research is shedding even more light onto its surprising benefits. Science now proves what great leaders and philosophers have known for years:

“One of the great ironies of life is this: He or she who serves almost always benefits more than he or she who is served.” - Gordon Hinckle

Here are five surprising benefits of volunteering:

1. Volunteering time makes you feel like you have more time. Wharton professor Cassie Mogilner wrote in the Harvard Business Review that her research found those who volunteer their time feel like they have more of it. This is similar to other research showing that people who donate to charity feel wealthier.

Said Mogliner: “The results show that giving your time to others can make you feel more ‘time affluent’ and less time-constrained than wasting your time, spending it on yourself, or even getting a windfall of free time.”

2. Volunteering your skills helps you develop new skills. In my experience, skills-based volunteering is an excellent opportunity to develop talents to help you get ahead in your career. In fact, an article in Stanford Social Innovation Review called skills-based volunteering overseas “the next executive training ground.”

At MovingWorlds, we’ve found that skills development in technical and leadership-related areas is the primary reason corporations invest in international skills-based volunteering programs.

(MORE: Volunteering Pays for Job Hunters)

3. Volunteering your body helps you have a healthier body. A Corporation for National & Community Service report noted: “Research demonstrates that volunteering leads to better health… those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer.”

The fact that volunteering has been proven to make you healthier is reason enough to engage in pro bono activities. For more information on this, read “Can Volunteering Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease?”

4. Volunteering your experience helps build your experience. We consistently see this with highly skilled professionals like investment bankers and business consultants. Also, volunteering in a new industry will give you knowledge to help you switch fields. And if you want to move from the corporate world to the nonprofit sector, volunteering first can help prove your commitment.

Beyond our own research, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Next Avenue have published articles about how volunteering can help you earn your next job.

As the Journal wrote: “According to the survey of 202 human-resource executives, skilled volunteer work — such as helping a nonprofit with its finances — makes job applicants look more appealing to hiring manager.”

5. Volunteering your love makes you feel more love. Admittedly, love is a hard thing to measure. But when researchers at the London School of Economics examined the relationship between volunteering and measures of happiness, they found the more people volunteered, the happier they were. Volunteering builds empathy, strengthens social bonds and makes you smile  — all factors that increase the feeling of love.
​

The following is not necessarily a new concept or a personal discovery. Most of us already know (or are in the process of learning) that what we communicate within ourselves is what we ultimately become. A number of phrases come to mind such as, “I become what I think about all day”; “How we choose to think is how we choose to live.” It’s basically a reflection of the “Law of Attraction” which can be defined as focusing on positive or negative thoughts that brings positive or negative experiences to a person.
 
I’ve been thinking about this for months because of a few personal and professional experiences that were both positive and negative. I’ve been trying sincerely to analyze what actions or thoughts might have influenced those events in my life. It was sobering to realize that I had as much to do with what happened negatively to me as what happened positively to me. I’m sure many of us have had similar experiences and thought processes, and, if we’re being honest with ourselves, we’ve discovered remarkable truths, sometimes uncomfortable truths, but truths nonetheless that have made a profound impact, if we made a conscious decision to act on our discovery and change.
 
All of this made me think: to what extent can this mental behavior impact a city or a community? It is possible that an individual may not “move the needle” much when it comes to a community, however it only takes one person to influence another either positively or negatively. That other person can then influence another, and so on. In this way, the sway of one powerful thought can move metaphorical mountains. Much in the same manner as when one person enters a room with either a positive attitude or a negative attitude, the attitude of those already there can noticeably change.
 
Staff and the Planning Commission are in the process of adopting a new Master Plan that will help guide the City of Coopersville’s future development and how the city defines itself regarding issues such as walkability, overall aesthetics, infrastructure demands, and the like. My question is, can what we think about Coopersville, either positively or negatively, impact the final outcome of our quest to make Coopersville a truly attractive “place” with high scores in “quality of life?”  How can we, as individuals living and working here, change our thinking about our community in order to positively impact its global desirability?
 
This may seem all metaphysical but there is certainly significant anecdotal data to support its existence; just to be fair, the scientific method has yet witnessed the phenomenon. Regardless, it at least gives us something to think about, and maybe even experiment with it in our personal lives. Who knows? We may be better for it.
   
We have an interesting council for May 22, 2017. Enjoy your weekend, although somewhat cooler, and of course BE SAFE OUT THERE!

​WWTP Upgrade
As of last week, effluent water samples were taken and sent to the manufacturer to be analyzed and used in sizing the UV unit(s).  OMM did get those UV test results back and now knows the size of the UV units.  They are continuing with the design of the building to house the UV disinfection equipment.  We are also working with the structural engineering consultant and our electrical designer to move the design forward.  OMM is anticipating having plans and specifications ready for submittal to the MDEQ for construction permits in approximately four weeks. Please contact me if you have questions.
 
 
Muskegon Waste Water Treatment Plant Option
Nothing new to report at this time. There have been some rumblings as to possible funding mechanisms, but nothing of any substance. As information becomes available, and is sharable, I will keep members of this council. Please contact me if you have comments or require answers to questions.
 
 
Water Project Phase I
The city has a meeting planned with a representative from the Economic Development Administration EDA) at the end of May. The city is exploring varies funding opportunities, like everyone else, to offset the amount we will eventually have to borrow.
 
Further discussions with Allendale on the booster station design/upgrade need to be schedule but not until after Memorial Day. There are a couple of outstanding details to be resolved, mostly details to enhance future considerations desired efficiencies and redundancies. More later as updated information becomes available.
 
 
REPEAT: Medical Marihuana (marijuana): Jonathan Seyferth
Due to scheduling conflicts the May 15, 2017 medical marijuana presentation was cancelled and is tentatively rescheduled for June 19, 2017 at the next Planning Commission. The public is always welcome.
 
Over the next few months we are going to engage in a long-term and slow education process on Michigan’s new medical marihuana law. That education process will include hearing from groups on both sides of the topic. At the conclusion of that education process (likely in June or July) the City Council and Planning Commission can then decide if it would like to tackle any changes to the city’s current medical marihuana ordinance.
 
This is being precipitated for two different reasons. First off, in December 2016 the state legislature passed a new law regarding commercial activities related to medical marihuana. This change authorizes five different type of commercial activities that can be engaged in when explicitly allowed by a municipality. Secondly, the city has received requests that the city consider allowing one or more of those five activities.
 
Our current ordinance regulating medical marihuana, which is found in Section 1280.21 – prohibits any commercial activity related to medical marihuana. This was put into place in July 2013. Several communities throughout the state enacted similar ordinances in the absents of clear state action on the topic. 
 
The state’s new law, the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (PA 281 of 2016) will come into effect in December 2017. The delay on implementation is to allow communities to determine what (if any) of the five activities they’ll allow and to allow the state to develop permitting for these activities.
 
The Michigan Municipal League (MML) has produced a few brief documents on the topic, I’ve included those for your reading pleasure. The MML memos outline the five activities and provides a FAQ sheet on the topic.
 
The good thing about the new state law is it gives municipalities a lot of flexibility. 1. Communities do not have to explicitly outlaw medical marihuana facilities – it’s an opt in law. 2. It’s not an all or nothing thing, a municipality can choose which of five activities to allow and how many of each it would allow (again, if any at all).
 
 
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. The end of the feedback window back in March started 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:
 

• June 19 – The 9-week feedback 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. 

The new 2017-2018 Budget is scheduled for action by city council Monday night. We had fewer drafts than other years, four to be exact, with only three in real contention. Believe it or not, I find the budget process quite interesting over these many years, especially in the initial construction. What do I mean by initial construction? Every department head and appointed official creates a list of all needs and wants. This becomes the foundation of the budget, the construction of the budget. The list is essentially an inventory of the city from routine and projected maintenance tasks to major projects that includes all the periphery issues and requirements, that ultimately equals total expenditures.
 
We then assign a cost for each and that becomes DRAFT A of our budget revealing total expenditures of all the items that need to be addressed within the city. Even though total projected revenues (another discussion) rarely cover the total expenditures in DRAFT A, the value of the exercise comes in knowing the true cost of all present and future needs. You can’t plan current and future budgets without first knowing what needs attention, and without the list you can’t legitimately prioritize the projects.
 
Stay with me: once the above phase is complete, council and staff begin the difficult process of evaluating the priority of each item, which leads to removing those items that lack the element of “immediate need” or “immediate action.” This process goes through several evaluations until council and staff are satisfied that projected revenues will cover projected expenditures. If not, then council and staff can cover any deficits with the city’s fund balance (savings account) to address the highest priority needs and wants for the next fiscal year (2017-2018) if so desired.
 
The process may appear tedious and maybe boring, but the process provides a type of intimacy of the city’s needs you might not experience without embracing the exercise and having the collaboration between council and staff. To me, the budget is not just about the “dollars.” Dollars are merely a means to achieve defined goals and objectives that directly impact the quality of life for residents and business owners alike. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
 
Monday night we must fill the mayor’s position created by the resignation of Mayor Lloyd; please see the agenda. We have a few bills that need to be paid and of course to adopt the 2017-2018 Fiscal Year Budget. Have a fabulous weekend and with any cooperation from Mother Nature, we can postpone building another Noah’s Ark. 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. The end of the feedback window back in March started 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:

• June 19 – The 9-week feedback 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.
 
 
 
REPEAT: Medical Marihuana (marijuana): Jonathan Seyferth
May 15, 2017 at the next Planning Commission, public presentation on this issue will continue. The public is always welcome.
 
Over the next few months we are going to engage in a long-term and slow education process on Michigan’s new medical marihuana law. That education process will include hearing from groups on both sides of the topic. At the conclusion of that education process (likely in June or July) the City Council and Planning Commission can then decide if it would like to tackle any changes to the city’s current medical marihuana ordinance.
 
This is being precipitated for two different reasons. First off, in December 2016 the state legislature passed a new law regarding commercial activities related to medical marihuana. This change authorizes five different type of commercial activities that can be engaged in when explicitly allowed by a municipality. Secondly, the city has received requests that the city consider allowing one or more of those five activities.
 
Our current ordinance regulating medical marihuana, which is found in Section 1280.21 – prohibits any commercial activity related to medical marihuana. This was put into place in July 2013. Several communities throughout the state enacted similar ordinances in the absents of clear state action on the topic. 
 
The state’s new law, the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (PA 281 of 2016) will come into effect in December 2017. The delay on implementation is to allow communities to determine what (if any) of the five activities they’ll allow and to allow the state to develop permitting for these activities.
 
The Michigan Municipal League (MML) has produced a few brief documents on the topic, I’ve included those for your reading pleasure. The MML memos outline the five activities and provides a FAQ sheet on the topic.
 
The good thing about the new state law is it gives municipalities a lot of flexibility. 1. Communities do not have to explicitly outlaw medical marihuana facilities – it’s an opt in law. 2. It’s not an all or nothing thing, a municipality can choose which of five activities to allow and how many of each it would allow (again, if any at all).
 
 
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
Jonathan Seyferth and I have a meeting with various Muskegon officials, fairlife representatives, and CDF representatives Friday morning, May 5th to begin the discussions on the steps required to build a 20-25 miles of sewer forcemain from Coopersville to the Muskegon Waste Water Management System. There is much to be done before dirt can be moved including fairlife making a number of key decisions on what they ultimately want. As information becomes available, and is sharable, I will keep members of this council. Please contact me if you have comments or require answers to questions.

Monday night, we have Special Guest Jamie Goswick of Canna Media Works to present the pro-medical marihuana position. The presentation will be an argument for considering allowance one or more of five types of Medical Marihuana enterprises in the city because of recent changes in Michigan law. This presentation was made at the Planning Commission this past Monday. Because laws have changed recently and in the spirit of fairness, both sides of this issue will have an opportunity to speak to Council. The city is scheduling someone from WEMET (West Michigan Enforcement Team) to make a presentation at the May 15 Planning Commission and the City Council May 22 meeting as well (See NON-AGENDA items).
 
Monday night, we will also have a Public Hearing on the 2017-2018 Budget as required by the City Charter Section 9.4. There has already been a published notice of this hearing which is a required ten-day notice prior to the public hearing. Final adoption of the budget will be May 8, 2017. After Wednesday night’s Budget Workshop, I believe only one additional workshop will be needed to finalize the “numbers” for 2017-2018. Anisa Williams will schedule in the next week or so.
 
Spring is beginning to settle in for 2017 as I mowed my lawn for the first-time last night. All the fun yard work has begun in earnest for us ALL. Enjoy the warmer weather and enjoy your weekend. Be safe out there.


Reminder to all Mayor and City Council Candidates for 2017 City Election: Kim Borgman
The deadline to file petitions for anyone interested in running for office in the 2017 City Election is Tuesday, April 25, 2017 @ 4:00 P.M. Please remember that the Affidavit of Identity Form must be notarized prior to filing. 
 

May 2, 2017 Election: Kim Borgman
We will be holding a “Special School Election” on Tuesday, May 2, 2017. We will be combining Precinct 1 & 2 for this election. City Clerk, Kimberly Borgman will be in the office on Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 8:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. to process requests for Absentee Ballots.
 
 
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:

• 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.
  
 
Medical Marihuana (marijuana): Jonathan Seyferth
Over the next few months we are going to engage in a long-term and slow education process on Michigan’s new medical marihuana law. That education process will include hearing from groups on both sides of the topic. At the conclusion of that education process (likely in June or July) the City Council and Planning Commission can then decide if it would like to tackle any changes to the city’s current medical marihuana ordinance.
 
This is being precipitated for two different reasons. First off, in December 2016 the state legislature passed a new law regarding commercial activities related to medical marihuana. This change authorizes five different type of commercial activities that can be engaged in when explicitly allowed by a municipality. Secondly, the city has received requests that the city consider allowing one or more of those five activities.
 
Our current ordinance regulating medical marihuana, which is found in Section 1280.21 – prohibits any commercial activity related to medical marihuana. This was put into place in July 2013. Several communities throughout the state enacted similar ordinances in the absents of clear state action on the topic. 
 
The state’s new law, the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (PA 281 of 2016) will come into effect in December 2017. The delay on implementation is to allow communities to determine what (if any) of the five activities they’ll allow and to allow the state to develop permitting for these activities.
 
The Michigan Municipal League (MML) has produced a few brief documents on the topic, I’ve included those for your reading pleasure. The MML memos outline the five activities and provides a FAQ sheet on the topic.
 
The good thing about the new state law is it gives municipalities a lot of flexibility. 1. Communities do not have to explicitly outlaw medical marihuana facilities – it’s an opt in law. 2. It’s not an all or nothing thing, a municipality can choose which of five activities to allow and how many of each it would allow (again, if any at all).
 
 
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
No new updates at this time. Just a friendly reminder, there is information out in the journalistic ether that is not always factual, so I urge you to contact me if you require relevant and updated information. 

“In order to pick up new tools, sometimes we have to put down old tools.”
 
I read that statement in “Foreign Policy” regarding an article not typical of the periodical, which was interesting in itself. But I digress; when I read those words, it reminded me immediately what staff has been doing, and continues to do, in the quest to update technology and rethink “how” we perform tasks in the city regardless of which department. The Asset Management Program (SAW Grant) has been phenomenal in how we’ll be approaching future budgeting for capital projects, maintenance programs, and allocation of resources both in personnel and equipment. We are dropping old tools and excitedly picking up new one. Thank you, city council for approving this project last year and thank you team, from the administrative staff to the DPW and WWTP staff for your dedication and willingness to embrace a new “tool.”
 
This weather has been extraordinary in allowing many the opportunity to rake last year’s leaves, gather twigs and branches that have fallen but hidden under snow, and the never ending “stuff” that somehow finds its way in our yards. Personally, I had a chance to sand and begin preparing some woodwork on my sailboat that wouldn’t have been started until late April or early May. There are so many people out walking, running, and taking their infants for stroller rides; and yes, don’t forget the dog!
 
Unfortunately, this weather may have a negative impact on local farmers and owners of various orchards in the region. An early Spring in the middle of February usually brings economic challenges and lost crops later in the season. It’s a reminder that what is perceived as a good thing in one area or group, can simultaneously be perceived as a negative thing somewhere else or with another group. Remind anyone of anything in the news recently? If each group could appreciate and understand the benefits as well as the challenges of a mid-winter Spring, can you imagine the transformation that could take place politically and societally if we did the same at a national level. It’s not that inconceivable.
 
Our agenda is quite light as of this writing. The main item is a discussion on grinder pumps. This will be introductory in nature with more detailed discussion in the budget workshops. Enjoy the last days of this warm weather and have a safe and enjoyable weekend.


WWTP Upgrade

City Engineers OMM Engineering has received the Purchase Order to begin 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

The City recently sent a copy of a letter to Mark Eisenbarth, Muskegon County Administrator, stating support, in principle, of a sewer forcemain from Coopersville to the Muskegon WWTP. This letter was requested by Muskegon to pursue various funding options. 
 
 
Master Plan Update

At the Planning Commission meeting on Monday, Feb. 20 (6:00 PM) McKenna and Associates made a presentation to the Planning Commission on what was learned during the January focus groups. The consultants provided a broad overview on the direction the master plan in terms of their finding. They’re now asking for feedback on the draft itself. A review of the draft and feedback can be left on the Plan Coopersville Website. Thank you for those that attended the meeting. There are a number of exciting ideas and concepts within the draft of the Master Plan so if you haven’t read the document, it would be a good investment of time so future discussions may be more substantive.  
 
 
Medical Marihuana (marijuana)

Over the next few months we are going to engage in a long-term and slow education process on Michigan’s new medical marihuana law. That education process will include hearing from groups on both sides of the topic. At the conclusion of that education process (likely in May or June) the City Council and Planning Commission can then decide if they would like to tackle any changes to the city’s current medical marihuana ordinance.
 
This is being precipitated for two different reasons. First off, in December 2016 the state legislature passed a new law regarding commercial activities related to medical marihuana. This change authorizes five different type of commercial activities that can be engaged in when explicitly allowed by a municipality. Secondly, the city has received requests that the city consider allowing one or more of those five activities.
 
Our current ordinance regulating medical marihuana, which is found here – Section 1280.21 – prohibits any commercial activity related to medical marihuana. This was put into place in July 2013. Several communities throughout the state enacted similar ordinances in the absents of clear state action on the topic. 
 
The state’s new law, the Medical Marihuana Facilities Licensing Act (PA 281 of 2016) will come into effect in December 2017. The delay on implementation is to allow communities to determine what (if any) of the five activities they’ll allow and to allow the state to development permitting for these activities.
 
The Michigan Municipal League (MML) has produced a few brief documents on the topic; I’ve included those for your reading pleasure. The MML memos outline the five activities and provide a FAQ sheet on the topic.
 
The good thing about the new state law is it gives municipalities a lot of flexibility. 1. Communities do not have to explicitly outlaw medical marihuana facilities – it’s an opt-in law. 2. It’s not an all or nothing thing, a municipality can choose which of five activities to allow and how many of each it would allow (again, if any at all).
 
As noted above, part of the education process will include presentations on both sides of the issue. One presentation will be from a group advocating for allowing commercial medical marihuana facilities. The group Canna Media Works is working with at least one local business that is interested in engaging in one of the five activities. In another presentation, we’ll have a representative from the Ottawa County Sherriff’s office to give us their thoughts and concerns about the new law.
 
There’s no need for us to rush on this topic and I think it will be in the community’s best interest that we slowly educate ourselves on this topic so no matter what direction we recommend the community go, we’ll have an educated position.
 
 
Celebrate Coopersville

Yes, it’s that time of the year when the anticipation of bringing everyone together for great food, excellent conversation, and the chance to celebrate all that is positive about Coopersville gathers momentum. This year the event will be a bit earlier in the year than in the past, March 9, 2017 at 6:00 PM. We are currently at capacity, so if you have not reserved, please contact Sgt. Dennis Luce to see if you can still squeeze in.  As always, the silent auction is looking for donations to raise money for NEO Forum. Please mark this date on your calendars, it’s always a special event!
 
 
Community Expo

March 18, 2017 is the scheduled date for the yearly Community Expo sponsored/organized by the Coopersville Area Chamber of Commerce. Most years, the city rents a booth with our elected officials attending along with available staff to answer questions and provide information concerning projects, recreation opportunities and other related topics.  As the date approaches more details will be provided by Anisa or myself.
 
 
Water Project Phase I – No New Update to Report
​
Just before the holidays, the City of Coopersville, Allendale Township, Polkton Township, and Ottawa County met to essentially re-establish where the city stands on this project. Allendale Township has a new supervisor so part of the meeting was also to make sure everyone was up to speed and to compare notes on any pending revisions to the original project. FYI, the meeting was positive and all parties appear to be in unison again.
 
We are to meet again soon once the city determines exactly the direction they want to pursue on the Water Project – Phase I. What I mean by this is that we have to determine what level of “risk” long-term we want to assume financially. The city needs a $12 million upgrade to its water system to prepare for the future and to increase reliability and redundancy to the current system. A $12 million upgrade also requires firm commitments from its largest water customers.
 
A lesser option at $5-6 million can provide basic improvements and less risk financially but does not provide the strong reliability and redundancy assets that the $12 million option provides. And that is the core discussion that is taking place. At this time, my goal and commitment is to have a firm decision made before the third quarter of our fiscal year is reached (March 31, 2017) which also means the UAC will be busy and eventually the council will be requested to make a few substantive and heavy decisions.