Fiscal Committee Meeting Summary – August 12, 2025
Fiscal Committee Meeting Summary – August 12, 2025
The Grand Rapids Fiscal Committee met on August 12, 2025, at 8:30 AM to consider a series of resolutions and reports. The committee approved routine items including recognition of a local hospice, acceptance of grant funds, salary ordinance changes, and a bid list. The meeting also included a treasurer's report on economic conditions and city investments. All items were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Resolution recognizing Emmanuel Hospice as a local civic organization: Approved. The hospice, founded in 2012, serves a 50-mile radius from Grand Rapids and uses philanthropic funds to support care regardless of ability to pay.
- Resolution accepting a $112,500 hazard mitigation grant: Approved. The grant is from FEMA, with a city match of $7,875, in partnership with Kent and Ottawa counties.
- Resolution authorizing a $775,650 donated funds agreement with MDHHS: Approved. Funds support a dedicated eligibility specialist for the eviction prevention program at the 61st District Court, with the city covering half the cost after a foundation pilot.
- Resolution approving a $150,000 annual contract with Experience Grand Rapids: Approved. The contract covers marketing and inclusion work, including promoting the new amphitheater and soccer stadium. The contract has been at this level for about four years.
- Resolution approving Kintela Group as a broker dealer: Approved. The firm will participate in the city's competitive bid process for fixed-income securities.
- Resolution repealing authorization for four broker dealers: Approved. The firms (no recent bids since 2019–2021) were removed to focus on active participants.
- Resolution approving up to $25,000 for Paris drain maintenance: Approved. The drain is in Kentwood, but 32% of Grand Rapids' southeast side is in the drainage area. Work includes debris removal and erosion prevention.
- Salary ordinance amending Sections 3.1 and 3.2: Approved. The Utilities Director is reclassified from 26U to 25U for parity with other executive roles. A new Paralegal classification is added to reflect evolving duties.
- Salary ordinance amending Section 4.3: Approved. Electrical Inspector I and II salary ranges are updated due to increased technical requirements (e.g., EV charging stations, home energy storage). The Civil Service Board approved the changes on July 29, 2025.
- Bid list resolution for August 12, 2025: Approved. Ten routine items, including bulk road salt, were listed.
Discussion Items
- Compliance Plan for Indigent Defense (MIDC Act): The committee approved the FY26 compliance plan with an approximate budget of $4.9 million. The plan includes a new administrative aid position due to growing caseload (4,600 cases per year, up from 3,000). The amount is an estimate, subject to carryover from the prior grant cycle ending September 2025.
- Treasurer's Report (Period July 16–30, 2025): The treasurer reported that core CPI is trending at 3.1% (above expectations), and the Federal Open Market Committee voted 9-2 to keep rates steady. The city's investment portfolio is $859 million, earning 3.56%. Property tax distributions of over $100 million were recently released to local taxing authorities. The treasurer noted risks from tariffs and declining savings rates.
- Cash Payments Report: The controller reported $55.7 million in cash payments, including $6 million in payroll and $206,000 in income tax warrants. The deputy city attorney declined to discuss specific regulations cited in the report, stating it was not appropriate for a public meeting.
Key Outcomes
- All resolutions and reports were approved or received and filed unanimously (no dissenting votes recorded).
- The committee adjourned at 8:52 AM, with a reminder of the Community Development meeting at 9:10 AM.
Meeting Transcript
All right, good morning everybody. It is 8 30. We'll go ahead and get our fiscal committee underway here. We do have a condensed meeting schedule this morning, so we'll try to move through these as efficiently as we can. Um, we're starting off with a resolution recognizing a manual hospice as a local civic organization. Is there a motion? Support. All right, moved and support. I'll turn to uh deputy city attorney, Mr. Strom here. All right, we would invite uh a representative if they're here to come up to the podium and uh tell us more about your organization if you'd like to do that. We have done the due diligence from the city attorney's office to make sure that all compliance measures are met. Uh they do qualify for this action item and we're bringing it forward with a recommendation that the committee approve it. Great. Good morning, welcome. Thank you, Mr. Straum. My name is Marin Bethel. I'm the director of marketing and communications at a manual hospice. We were founded in 2012, and we're specifically community-based here in Grand Rapids. So we serve a 50 mile radius from our offices at 131 in Hall. Um and these funds, you know, that we're raising every year philanthropic dollars go to support all those in need of our care, regardless of ability to pay. So that raffle license um has a direct impact on people living in our community, and I thank everyone for their time today. Great, thanks so much. I'll uh turn to my colleagues and see if they have any thoughts or questions. Alrighty. Seeing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed, it carries. I'm number two, we've got a resolution accepting hazard mitigation grant program funds in the amount of 112,500. So support. All right, move to hand support. Good morning. Welcome, gentlemen. Uh good morning, Assistant Chief Ed Brayman, the fire department. Our new uh emergency manager, Benjamin Rantz here with us as well. Uh this is more of a pass-through uh for uh grant for hazard mitigation uh planning. This is uh 112,500. It's in accordance with Kent County and Ottawa County in the City of Grand Rapids. Our portion will be uh 7,875. Okay. Any discussion or comments? All righty, hearing seeing none, all those in favor say aye. Aye. Those opposed, it carries. Thanks so much. Uh Department of Licensing Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, which is Laura, and authorizing execution of agreements for implementation of the fiscal year 26 compliance plan as required by the MIDC Act. So move. Support. All right, move and support.
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