City Commission Meeting - July 15, 2025: Budget, Brownfield, Opioid Settlement, Police Accountability Debated
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
City Commission Meeting - July 15, 2025
The Grand Rapids City Commission met on July 15, 2025, to address a consent agenda, two public hearings, three resolutions (including a Brownfield plan, an opioid settlement, and a litigation contract), and extensive public comment on police-community trust, affordable housing, and the proposed Umatilla Street commemorative renaming. Commissioners also discussed the climate action plan, upcoming Commission Night Out, and responded to allegations regarding city management.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of minutes from previous meeting.
- Petitions and communications received and filed, including resignations from the Community Relations Commission, a police and fire retirement system actuarial evaluation, and multiple public communications on various topics (park name change, potholes, Umatilla Street, climate action, and charter violation allegations).
- Reports of city officers: Comptroller's warrant report for May–June 2025 ($116,059,636.15) and Treasurer's report for May 28–June 30, 2025, both received and filed.
- Consent agenda (items that passed committee unanimously) approved by voice vote.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mark (public comment on agenda): Expressed concern about the Grand Rapids Police Department recruit class paying up to $99,258 for academy training, questioning who the instructors would be and warning against any association with hate groups or rogue policing.
- Tony Foster: Requested that the city reinstall a sign honoring his mother, Mary Freeman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, after the city removed it despite prior permission. He stated the former police chief admired her work.
- D Jones (public comment): Described an assault on his brother outside the DeVos hotel and called for police accountability and community sympathy.
- John Lorax: Criticized the city for spending on a soccer stadium and not addressing flooding on his street, accused the mayor and city manager of neglecting poor residents, and called for justice in police-related cases.
- Terry Freeman Battle: Expressed support for the current police chief, saying he has earned her trust.
- Multiple speakers (name not always clear): Spoke about the incident involving Victor Williams and Ned Andre in the Boston Square neighborhood, calling for charges to be dropped. Speakers included Robert Womack, Wesley Watson, Sine Gan Jordan, and others. They argued that the police used excessive force, that the two men were merely filming police, and that the charges threaten community trust. Some referenced the 2023 police shooting of Patrick Leoya and a hung jury.
- Ivan Diaz: Urged faster action on the climate adaptation plan, called for housing affordable to households making under $70,000/year (not $2,000/month rent), and demanded charges be dropped against Victor Williams and Ned Andre, citing his own experience of being pepper-sprayed while recording police.
- Mark (second public comment): Criticized national politics and the administration.
- Robert Womack (first public comment later): Thanked city manager for youth program, commended mayor and police chief for community meetings, and reiterated request to drop charges, warning that community would meet the city in court.
- Brian Cody: Submitted a letter advocating for review of the 2014 short-term rental ordinance. He stated that in 2024, short-term rentals supported 281 jobs and generated $21.7 million in economic activity, including $5.7 million in tax revenue, but only about three dozen of 500+ Airbnb listings are licensed. He argued that fears of noise and crime have not materialized and that updating the ordinance aligns with the new master plan.
- Sine Gan Jordan: Called for culture change in policing, referenced police entering her home, and asked that the city committee applications be processed. Also supported the climate action plan (CAP).
- Shannon Tannis: Raised concerns about Grand Rapids Public Schools properties (Stocking Elementary and Alexander) being held vacant by the city in possible violation of state law. Also alleged incompetence by city manager and mayor, and called for a recall.
Discussion Items
- Umatilla Street Commemorative Designation: Commissioner Yasasi reported that the Community Development Committee did not vote on this item. Instead, they discussed alternative ways to honor victims of gun violence, such as a mayoral proclamation during Gun Violence Prevention Month (June), while keeping the street name as is. No motion was made on the resolution; it failed for lack of action.
- Robinson Flats Brownfield Plan Amendment (Public Hearing): The project at 1407–1417 Robinson SE will demolish existing structures and build a 4-story mixed-use building with 24 apartments (all at less than 100% AMI) and three commercial spaces. Total project cost: $8.2 million. Commissioner Belchuk asked about rent amounts: one-bedroom units projected at $1,750, two-bedrooms at $2,050, three-bedrooms at $2,500. Renters would need incomes of $70,500–$100,700 (2024 AMI data). Public commenters (Tony Foster, Mark, Commissioner Robbins, Martha Cooper, Shannon Tannis) criticized these rents as unaffordable for low-income residents, noting the city is thousands of units behind. Commissioner Robbins noted a new county loan program. After the hearing, the commission suspended rules and approved the resolution.
- Opioid Litigation Settlement: Commissioner Robbins presented a resolution authorizing participation in a partial national settlement with Sandas Inc. (opioid manufacturer). The city would receive a one-time payment of $261,659 earmarked for treatment, prevention, and abatement. Commissioners noted this fills a gap in federal investments this year. Approved.
- Expert Case Evaluation Contract (Hodges v. Grand Rapids): City attorney's office sought up to $35,000 for expert case assessment and witness services in a 2023 federal lawsuit. Commissioner Knight provided background. Approved.
- Climate Action Plan (CAP): Commissioner Purdue announced that after months of delay, a majority opinion today will bring the CAP before the commission for adoption in August. Several public commenters urged speed on the plan.
- Short-Term Rentals: Commissioner Bouch asked city manager about a review of the short-term rental ordinance. City manager responded that the legislative committee will discuss local control and preemption on July 29.
- Police Accountability and Trust: Multiple commissioners (Kilgore, Purdue, Yasasi, Bouch, Mayor) addressed concerns. Commissioner Purdue expressed disappointment that city leadership made premature statements about the Boston Square incident before investigations were complete, and called for consistency. City attorney clarified that the commission cannot mandate charges be dropped because the matter is in court; doing so could constitute obstruction. City manager noted two complaints (one to Office of Public Accountability, one to internal affairs) are pending, and encouraged attendance at the July 29 public safety committee meeting where police chief will discuss initiatives since 2022 and community-informed training.
- City Management Controversy: City manager responded to allegations in a media interview by the city controller regarding a $500 sponsorship in 2021 and a reorganization of fiscal services. He stated the sponsorship was appropriate and investigated, the reorganization was for efficiency, and he was not aware of any complaint to state police until reading about it. He asserted the allegations are false and called them slanderous.
Key Outcomes
- Consent agenda approved.
- Umatilla Street commemorative designation failed due to lack of motion.
- Robinson Flats Brownfield plan amendment approved (after suspension of rules, voice vote with one nays? Not specified; apparently passed).
- Opioid settlement resolution approved (voice vote).
- Force Science contract approved (voice vote).
- Climate Action Plan to be considered for adoption in August 2025.
- Short-term rental ordinance review to be discussed at legislative committee on July 29.
- Public Safety Committee will meet on July 29 at 12:30 p.m. (tentative) before Commission Night Out at Gerald Ford Academic Center (5:00 p.m. doors, 5:30 dinner, 7:00 p.m. meeting).
- Mayor's Monday meetings continue; next commissioner coffee hour July 26 at Lincoln Park with Commissioner Bouch.
- City clerk clarified redistricting cards were mailed and absentee voting continues.
Meeting Transcript
Meeting of the city commission will come to order. And we uh like to uh begin these things as is our tradition with a moment of silence. If you please all join us with a moment for a moment of silence, please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which is one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice. Uh City Clerk, if you could call the role. Commissioner Belchuk. Present. Commissioner Purdue. Good afternoon. Commissioner Nasasi. Present. Commissioner Kildore. Present. Commissioner Knight. Present. Commissioner Robbins? Present. Mayor LeGrand. Yep. Uh that brings us to public comment on agenda items. Anyone who wants to speak to the agenda, uh, they're available if you want to know what's on the agenda. But if you've got something that's on the agenda that you'd like to speak to, uh, this is your moment to come up and talk to us about it. Mark, you want to hit the the button there? Thanks. Hello, friends. Mark from Grand Rapids. Fiscal committee number five. Resolution authorizing the Grand Up's Police Department recruit class to attend Grand Valley and Lance Community College Police Academy at a cost not to exceed ninety-nine thousand two hundred and fifty-eight bucks. I could care less about the funding. I want to know who are going to train these recruits. And who is gonna be part? Who's gonna be in the in this academy? Again, I don't I would not want to see the instructors who who are associated with any hate groups whatsoever. Because that's not good. Bad culture trumps training every single time. You don't want rogue individuals roaming the streets of Grand Rapids, like you do in America like you do across the country and be tough lined with full immunity where they won't be held accountable for their actions. So you better think about this. I don't want anything that's going bad in this country involving law enforcement happened here in Grand Rapids. Thank you. Seeing no further uh uh public May, if I may, this is uh I know that some people are here for us uh certain um items that are on the agenda. So if you did plan to speak today before we vote, now is your time. If you were just here to observe, you know, no pressure need to speak. But I did just want to point that out for you all. Seeing no one else, uh I asked were you moving? Yes, yes. Oh my name is Tony Foster, and I'm in here once again to speak about um you Matilla Street in process of um the sign that we had put up for my mom, uh, Mary Freeman, and that got cut down after we got the permission to put this sign up for her. Um, in process of um the sign that we had put up for my mom, um, Mary Freeman. That got cut down permission to put this sign up for her. And I'm here to give the support to have her sign put back up by the city since they was the one that cut it down after we got the permission to put it up. And this is why I'm here to represent my family and my mother, Mary Freeman, which was uh neighborhood watch person for Umatilla. And once again, before Chief Doe left, he come to sit with her every Saturday because he admired the way that she kept the street clean.
openpublica.com