Grand Rapids City Commission Meeting - October 7, 2025
Grand Rapids City Commission Meeting - October 7, 2025
The Grand Rapids City Commission met on October 7, 2025, for a regular meeting that included public comment, approval of consent agenda items, discussion of election polling locations and micromobility contracts, and closing remarks from commissioners and city officials. The meeting also featured extended public testimony on affordable housing, community-police relations, transportation infrastructure, and the proposed single-hauler trash program.
Consent Calendar
- Approved unanimously: The consent agenda was approved with two items removed: the resolution on election day polling locations and the bid list (including the Lime e-scooter contract).
- Minutes from previous meeting were approved.
- Communications received from Hannah Greening (Fancy Real Estate), Plant Moran, Philip Balcamo (resignation from Police and Fire Retirement Board), and Lawrence Williams (resignation from City Planning Commission) were filed or referred to committee.
- Warrant report ($27,748,482.62 for September 9–23, 2025), monthly travel report, and treasurer’s report were received and filed.
Public Comments & Testimony
- D’Andre Jones (First Ward) spoke on the 2026-2030 consolidated housing plan, advocating for 3D-printed homes, tiny houses, and affordable housing under 30% AMI. He expressed frustration with visible inequality and called for action from city leaders.
- D’Andre Jones (second appearance) expressed gratitude to Dan DeVos and urged support for the Stockton Community Hub, criticizing “cute speeches” and demanding real change.
- Jennifer Franson (ICI Nation) highlighted programs building trust between police and community (Clergy on Patrol, Kids Closet), and invited commissioners to an October 22 gala sponsored by Key Bank and the Seitzma family.
- Pastor Moses (northwest side church) reported feeding 1,500 homeless individuals monthly and providing luncheons for first responders; sought partnership with the city.
- Pastor Gregory Amunga (Uptown Church) described Community Celebration and Fishing with the Popo events that unify law enforcement and residents.
- Lionel Lagrone (associate pastor, Uptown Church) shared his personal transformation from distrust of police to advocacy, urging continued investment in community-police events.
- Laura Sessa (Second Ward, Mobile GR commissioner) urged the city to invest state road funding in micromobility, pedestrian, and cycling infrastructure rather than solely maintaining car-dependent roads, citing safety and climate benefits.
- Mary Barr (Second Ward) opposed a single-hauler trash program, calling it discriminatory and a government monopoly that strips citizens of choice.
- Rick Barr (Second Ward, former hauler) echoed opposition, demanding the right to choose a hauler or a public vote.
- Mark (Grand Rapids) criticized ICE actions in Chicago, expressed concerns over false claims about Venezuelan gangs, and warned of potential impersonation during Halloween.
- Nathan Biller (infill developer, Strong Towns GR) advocated for small-scale experiments in bike and pedestrian infrastructure, citing high car ownership costs and the success of Paris’s dense design.
- Jurely McAllister (Third Ward) urged the commission to prioritize basic needs (transportation, affordable housing, cleanliness) over sports arenas, and to ensure communication reaches all residents.
Discussion Items
- Election Day Polling Locations Resolution (November 2025 special election): Commissioner Sassi introduced the resolution to designate polling places and set inspector pay ($120–$225). Commissioner Purdue dissented, stating she opposed eliminating polling locations. The resolution passed on a voice vote (Purdue opposed).
- Bid List / Micromobility Contract (Lime e-scooters): Commissioner Purdue requested the item be removed from consent to discuss helmet availability and pedestrian safety. She noted the conversation was deferred to a November workshop. She supported the contract; the motion carried.
Key Outcomes
- Election Day Resolution passed over one dissenting vote (Purdue).
- Bid list (including Lime contract) approved with verbal support and a commitment to revisit safety in November.
- Financial disclosure update: The fiscal committee voted to advance a proposal for more robust disclosure; further discussion is expected in November (Commissioner Sassi expressed support; Commissioner Purdue raised concerns about scope).
- Single-hauler trash program: City manager stated no formal recommendation has been made; public feedback will be gathered; discussion slated for the October 18th meeting or the first meeting in November.
- Next steps: The commission recessed to hold a legislative committee meeting; the meeting will adjourn after that.
Meeting Transcript
Call this meeting of the city commission to order. Uh and as is our practice, we like to start these meetings with a moment of silence. So please join us in a moment of silence. Please join us for the Pledge of Allegiance. For which it stands. One nation. Indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Mr. Clerk, if you call the roll. Commissioner Balzak. Present. Present. Commissioner Sasi. Present. Commissioner Kilgar. Present. Commissioner Knight. Present. Commissioner Robins. Present. Present. And if at this point we could have our interpreter come up and explain their function in England, actually in Spanish. I can explain it in English. We have a Spanish language interpreter here from in the audience who wishes to have public comment or needs help understanding what's going on. Thank you. Thank you. And that brings us to our first opportunity for public comment on agenda items. So please uh anyone who wishes to speak, limit your comments to items that are on the agenda for commission action. Thank you. How y'all doing? I'm D Jones. I'm uh here to speak on uh community development committee action item 14, the resolution scheduled a public hearing November 18th for fiscal year 2026 to 2030 consolidated housing community development plan. I hope that you guys put uh 3D planting, 3D printing houses into this plan and uh asking the state government and our uh legislators and uh other uh state governments and departments that has funding. I feel like I can't hear myself, but uh all of the other state departments that have funding. I would ask you guys uh to continuously advocate the 3D print houses here uh to also build tiny houses because we need housing here and uh we need a lot of units. I know we probably don't need 34,000 all because we have you know the uh 100 home project and all of that other stuff, but we need continuous and affordable housing. Uh as Annette Vandenberg from the West Grand Neighborhood uh organization, the executive director said we need uh housing under 30 percent AMI or 80 am something like that. But I know she speaks a lot about that, and I wanted to uh continuously advocate for affordable housing and continuously advocate uh for my community because I'm sick of people struggling. I'm sick of I actually drove here today because I went needed to be sure I got here on time because I was running around. But usually I walk to City Hall and I'm seeing people, like I said, uh you walk into the inner city, uh you see that they don't have those gated uh bridges, and then you walk into where the uh a soccer stadium is going to be, and then you see those gated uh bridges. And I don't think that's cool. I don't think people should be sleeping outside just in general. I think we should have affordable housing. We have billionaires, we have people that are very rich here, and you know they continue to see bill, but it'd be good for them to pour into affordable housing and actually get people off the streets and get people out of poverty because I'm sick of my community struggling. I'm sick of people choosing between to pay their light bill or different things that they need or medical bills, anything can happen, anything can happen at any time to anyone, and I'm just sick of my community struggling and not having that safety net the safety of a house. I mean, that create I mean a lot of people are stressing and it caused a lot of stress and I have in the house, especially if you gotta stay with a relative and they talking bad about you and speaking bad and negative about you, or you gotta go to a shelter and people stink or something like that, and you know you want to just be able to just go home into an affordable house. So I'm gonna continuously advocate to my community to David Le Grand to City Commission for affordable housing for 3D printing housing because I'm sick of people struggling and I'm sick of people not having houses. And I'm sick of people when I'm getting up and I'm walking, and I'm looking at people wake up outside, and it's not cool. And y'all need to do something about it. I know y'all are doing something about it, but I'm gonna continuously push y'all to keep doing something about it.
openpublica.com