Grand Rapids Fiscal Committee Meeting Summary - July 15, 2025
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Grand Rapids Fiscal Committee Meeting Summary - July 15, 2025
The Grand Rapids City Commission's Fiscal Committee met on July 15, 2025, from 8:30 AM to 8:52 AM to consider 11 agenda items. All items were approved unanimously by voice vote with no opposition. The meeting covered grants, professional services agreements, police academy funding, social work services, utility contracts, and financial reports.
Consent Calendar
- Resolution recognizing West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology (WMCAT) as a local civic organization – Approved after the Department of Law confirmed WMCAT is in good standing.
- Resolution accepting a $500,000 Environmental Justice Impact Grant from EGLE – The grant, from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, will fund urban agriculture projects in city parks, including hiring part-time staff, developing systems, and improving infrastructure. The Parks Department will partner with the Urban Agriculture Committee. Commissioner expressed excitement about state investment given federal funding uncertainties.
- Resolution approving a $66,000 professional services agreement with the Children's Assessment Center (CAC) – Funds the partnership with GRPD, which assigns three detectives permanently to the CAC for serving children and families experiencing sexual abuse. Amount is comparable to previous years.
- Resolution approving an $84,000 professional services agreement with the Boys and Girls Club of Grand Rapids Youth Commonwealth – Supports youth outreach with an officer rotating among three clubs. Chief serves on the board. Commissioner noted importance amid federal funding cuts for similar programs.
- Resolution authorizing recruit class 25-05 to attend police academies at GVSU and LCC for up to $99,258 – This is the first budgeted academy of FY26, with 10 recruits. One will attend Lansing Community College (new partnership). Staffing update: 296 sworn officers and 8 recruits as of July 1, with retirements expected to bring numbers below 302.
- Resolution authorizing a three-year agreement with Network 180 for social work services (HOT Team) – first year $244,039, total $753,255 – Funds two social workers for homeless outreach assessments (housing, mental health, substance abuse). Chief Brown noted the team is continuing outreach and this contract is cheaper than previous. Commissioner asked about expanding services beyond downtown; Chief confirmed capacity constraints but said they respond to reported areas.
- Resolution authorizing a two-year agreement with Consumers Energy for emergency generator demand response at four water system locations – Water system has participated for over 10 years. In 2024, received over $60,000 without any demand response events. Events involve load shaving from 3-7 PM on peak days, with at least 30 minutes notice.
- Resolution authorizing a $450,000 budget substitution for grit tank improvements at the Water Resource Recovery Facility (Phase 2) – Construction is ahead of schedule, requiring transfer from sewer replacement fund. The facility serves multiple municipalities (Grand Rapids Township, Walker, Kentwood, etc.).
- Resolution authorizing write-off of water and sewer utility account balances for FY2025 – Annual item; under $10 accounts are written off by ordinance. Most of the amount is from miscellaneous uncollectibles (penalties). Amount varies year to year ($500 to over $20,000).
- Bid list resolution for July 15, 2025 – Ten routine items approved without discussion.
Discussion Items
- City Controller's Warrant Report (May 20 – June 30, 2025) – Cash payments of $116,059,636.15, including $16.6 million in payroll and $2.3 million in income tax warrants (10,289 refunds). Also presented May fiscal year-to-date travel report ($1.8 million spent of $3.4 million budget) and Q2 small claims report (25 claims totaling $30,243). Received and filed.
- Treasurer's Report (May 28 – June 30, 2025) – City Treasurer reported $769 million invested earning ~3.5%. Property tax collection is strong, with 98% collection rate expected. GR Pay at Work is 7.7% ahead in dollars collected with 5.8% increase in electronic transactions. Tariffs continue to affect economic outlook; 77% chance rates stay same in July, with possible September cut. Report received and filed.
Key Outcomes
- All 11 agenda items were approved unanimously by voice vote (all ayes, no nays).
- The committee received and filed the warrant report, travel report, small claims report, and treasurer's report.
- The meeting adjourned at 8:52 AM.
Meeting Transcript
It is 8 30. We'll go ahead and get fiscal committee here underway. Item number one, we've got a resolution recognizing West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology as a local civic organization. Is there a motion? So moved. Support. All right, moved and supported. Not sure if there's someone from Wimcat here. You're welcome to come up if you have anything to add on this. The Department of Law is recommending that the committee approve this. We've done all of our due diligence and certified that WimCAD is in good standing. Great. No pressure. If you have nothing, that's okay. Okay. All right, thanks. I'll turn to my colleagues and see if they have any questions on this. Nope. Alright. Well, I'll ask the question then. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed, it carries. Thanks for being here too. Item number two, we've got a resolution accepting a $500,000 environmental justice impact grant award from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy for urban agriculture projects. So moved. Support. Alright, moved in support. We got Ms. Claybole here. Good morning, fiscal committee. And Laura Claypool with the Parks Department. So you have before you a resolution accepting a $500,000 grant from the Environmental Justice Impact Environmental Great Lakes Energy for urban projects, urban agriculture projects in city parks. The resolution also authorizes the execution of the grant agreement through June or September 30th of 2027. The grant funding will support urban agriculture efforts, including hiring a part-time staff to review effective urban agriculture processes, develop systems, and provide grant and support to local organizations. It's also to improve the infrastructure throughout the park system for watering storage and other site and amenities. And the department intends to partner with the Urban Agriculture Committee in support of this grant. Awesome. Thank you. Any questions or comments, colleagues? Well, very excited to see this as someone who served on our urban agriculture committee before being elected. And we will be discussing the climate action adaptation plan later this uh morning. And I think this is very important because funding is such a big question right now, specifically coming from the federal government. So it's wonderful to see the investment from the state and that we have uh some source uh funding for these really important initiatives. So thank you so much. Yeah, thanks, Commissioner. All righty, I'll call the question then. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed?
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