The Week in Review: Aug. 30, 2024

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Aug. 30, 2024

Al Vanderberg, County Administrator

Good Afternoon Chair Stek and Commissioners,

We met with Township Supervisors and Metro Six city leaders this week to discuss the Sustainable Business Park 2.0 plan. The discussions with the township officials were productive, as they raised several good questions. Not surprisingly, the Metro Six leaders were supportive of the plan, expressing their willingness to collaborate to move it toward implementation. Next week, are hosting the second meeting with township supervisors and the Sustainable Business Park Advisory Group.

This week, we bid farewell to Matt Groesser and thanked him for his service while welcoming our new emergency manager, Scott Corbin. We are grateful for such a smooth transition in this critical service area.

I started back with Kent County on August 30, 2021, so today marks the third anniversary of my time back. It has been exciting and rewarding as we have accomplished much as an Administration and Board. I look forward to tackling more of the major initiatives that lie before us yet this year and in years to come for the betterment of Kent County and our residents, businesses, and visitors. It is truly an honor and privilege to serve!

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

Veterans Services Director

We are pleased to share that Ryan Grams has been selected as the new director of Kent County Veterans Services. Ryan has dedicated the last 14 years to the Supervisor role in the department. He previously served as a Veterans Affairs Education Representative at Northwester Michigan College and a Veterans Affairs Vocational Representative for Michigan Works. Ryan's knowledge of federal benefits for veterans has made him an exceptional resource to his team and to local organizations that seek him out to present on veteran-related topics. He is an Army veteran and a certified Veterans Service Officer, and is currently working toward his certification as a Veteran Advocate through the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers. Please join us in welcoming Ryan to his new role. We will publicly announce his appointment next week.

Public Defender Selection Process Update

On Wednesday, we conducted the second round of interviews for the Public Defender position, interviewing the top three candidates. The interviews were conducted by Chair Stek, Commissioner Melissa LaGrand, Human Resources Director Amy Rollston, Chief Inclusion Officer Teresa Payne, Indigent Defense Administrator Craig Paull, Grand Rapids Urban League President/CEO Eric Brown, West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Associate Director of Business Development Adibe Graces, Greater Grand Rapids NAACP President Cle Jackson, Oakland County's Chief Public Defender Paulette Loftin, and myself.

We have extended an offer to the preferred candidate, pending reference checks and background clearance. I will let you know once these steps are completed and will share the candidate's name and background information hopefully next week.

Additionally, the Deputy Public Defender -Administration and Deputy Public Defender - Trial Division positions were posted last week.

Ada Township Files Lawsuit Over Knapp's Corner Drain Project

Ada Township has initiated a lawsuit against Drain Commissioner Ken Yonker, the Knapp's Corner Drain District, and the Knapp's Corner Drain Board. The central issue in the lawsuit is that Ada Township claims it was not informed that the proposed plan to resolve drainage issues at Knapp's Corner would impact Ada Township and the Cook Drain. Furthermore, the township claims it was not notified that this plan would include a financial assessment against Ada Township. We will manage this lawsuit through our standard litigation process.

Soil Sampling Continues at DPW Sites on Wealthy Street

The Department of Public Works (DPW) continues to work with the Health Department and the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy Remediation and Redevelopment Division (EGLE) to conduct soil vapor sampling to monitor for soil contaminants around the perimeter of the DPW's Wealthy St. administration building and the Recycling and Education Center.

When the DPW purchased these properties in 2009, it was known that they were previously used as a metal finishing and stamping operation. The DPW took extra care to install subsurface vapor barrier ventilation systems to prevent potential contaminants from entering any buildings operated by Kent County. Now, EGLE is helping to ensure that any soil vapors from historic contamination, prior to the DPW's ownership, are not migrating off the property.

As the testing is completed in the coming months, any findings and recommended actions will be shared.

MAC Annual Conference | Sept. 24-26

It's not too late to register for this year's MAC Annual Conference being held at Grand Traverse Resort in Acme. All of the workshops take place on Wednesday, Sept. 25 which would allow you to attend our Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26. Myself, Dr. Joel Robertson and Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Kempker will be presenting on the Novel Approach to Improving Health, Safety and Wellness in Employees at the Opening Plenary on the 25th. The full conference agenda can be found here. Please contact Regina or Lisa if you would like to attend this conference.

Blodgett Medical Examiner Facility Tour

On August 26, our Administration and Facilities teams had the opportunity to meet with the Medical Examiner's office and tour its the existing facility. Visits to our and other facilities is very helpful in learning more best practices, considering facility design decisions and exploring how to incorporate partners in our medical examiner operations. To that end, potential university partnership discussions remain ongoing.

Friends of 4-H and Community Partners Event - October 9

Our 4-H staff in Kent County would like to extend an invitation to attend the Friends of 4-H and Community Partners event. The Friends of 4-H Awards event will be held on October 9 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the MSU Extension. This event will serve as a networking opportunity for our partners and peers within the 4-H community, aiming to bring more awareness of 4-H and promote their programs. Selected volunteers from established clubs and programs will present their experiences and responsibilities within 4-H, and MSU Extension will provide information about its programs. Attendees can enjoy snacks and receive exclusive 4-H swag. Please register using this link: https://events.anr.msu.edu/4HPartners/

Strategic Communication Plan

As a reminder, submit any feedback on the strategic communication plan to me or Chair Stek by September 6.

Major Initiatives

Click the box below to access the 2024 Major Initiatives.

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Public link

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