Grand Rapids City Commission Meeting - January 27, 2026
Grand Rapids City Commission Meeting - January 27, 2026
The Grand Rapids City Commission met on January 27, 2026, at 7:00 PM. The meeting included reports from city officials, a powerful opening statement from the mayor on immigrant rights, public comment on a wide range of issues, and several significant votes. Commissioner Robbins announced his resignation effective March 6, 2026, to run for another office.
Consent Calendar
- Minutes of January 13, 2026: Approved unanimously.
- Comptroller's Warrant Report: For the period December 30, 2025 – January 12, 2026, totaling $30,291,749.26. Received and filed.
- Small Claims Fourth Quarter 2025 and Monthly Travel Reports: Received and filed.
- Treasury Report: For January 1–13, 2026. Received and filed.
- City Manager's Report: Public Safety Committee motion supporting the "Know Your Rights" campaign for the immigrant community. The city manager reaffirmed that GRPD does not assist ICE with civil immigration enforcement.
- Petitions and Communications: Four items received and filed, including a request for a zoning text amendment and a FOIA appeal.
- Consent Agenda (remaining items): Approved unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mr. Jones (resident): Expressed support for affordable housing and 3D-printed construction. Criticized the amount of funding for the affordable housing fund ($8.5 million) relative to the soccer stadium project. Urged billionaires and foundations to invest more.
- Lucas (First Ward): Criticized Mayor LeGrand's actions, saying campaign promises are not matching performance. Praised the mayor's ethical recusal on Long Road Distillers items but demanded stronger action on police accountability and ICE. Called for the city to ban ICE from city property.
- Daniel Scott (resident): Opposed any new distilleries, bars, and liquor licenses, citing religious beliefs and personal experience with alcoholism. Quoted scripture and warned commissioners against enabling alcohol sales.
- Matthew (son of Daniel Scott): Echoed his father's religious opposition to alcohol sales and warned commissioners of divine accountability.
- Ivan (resident): Raised concerns about GRPD cooperating with ICE. Called for the city to pass resolutions banning ICE from city property and to expand the definition of public safety.
- Diana (Third Ward): Connected police and ICE actions. Described being shot with an inert bullet by GRPD during a lawful protest. Urged commissioners to explore real change and move issues to a vote.
- Lucas (second comment): Criticized the city manager and police chief, suggesting the city manager role should be diminished. Defended his earlier remarks as not disrespectful but as a call for accountability.
- Matthew (second comment): Continued religious warnings against alcohol and said commissioners would be held accountable by God.
- Graham (resident): Questioned whether the GRPD policy on immigration status is actually enforced. Expressed fear in the community.
- Ned Andre (Third Ward): Described his own near-fatal encounter with GRPD. Criticized the "Know Your Rights" campaign as implying victims are at fault. Called for transformation of police and accountability.
- Daniel Scott (second comment): Opposed abortion and criticized commissioners who support Planned Parenthood. Asked the city to stop violence at abortion clinics.
- Libby (Second Ward): Criticized the arrest of a young woman by GRPD during a protest. Urged commissioners to create and enforce ordinances that protect the community, not the police. Quoted Anne Frank.
- Shannon (Third Ward): Argued that policy is not enough without enforcement. Called for community control of police and for the city to pressure the county against using the jail for immigration detention.
- Mark (Grand Rapids): Condemned ICE actions in Minnesota, calling them part of a hate group infiltration. Urged the city to stop cooperating with ICE.
Discussion Items
- Mayor's Opening Remarks: The mayor gave a lengthy, impassioned statement on the importance of universal human rights, reaffirming the city's commitment to protecting all residents regardless of immigration status. He read from current GRPD policy that prohibits officers from inquiring about immigration status in most situations and from detaining individuals based on civil immigration violations. He declared that Grand Rapids will not go down the road of fear and division.
- City Manager's Report: The city manager provided an update on the "Know Your Rights" campaign and reiterated that GRPD does not assist ICE with civil enforcement. He noted that cooperation only occurs when serious criminal or violent acts are involved.
- Items Removed from Consent (Long Road Distillers): Mayor LeGrand recused himself from two agenda items involving Long Road Distillers, in which he has an interest. Commissioner Sassi presided over these items. The first resolution scheduled a public hearing for February 10, 2026, to consider establishing an Industrial Development District for Long Road Distillers at 1750 Elizabeth Avenue NW. The expansion includes additional distillery capacity and a canning line, with an estimated project cost of $679,727 ($120,000 in real property improvements and $1,391,125 in new equipment). The second resolution scheduled a public hearing for the companion Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate application. Both resolutions passed unanimously.
- Budget Ordinance Amendment (Ordinance 2025-11, Amendment #5): A roll call vote approved a budget amendment affecting multiple departments, including 61st District Court, Clerk, Parks and Recreation, Police, Engineering, Economic Development, Planning, Fiscal Services, and Executive. The motion carried with immediate effect. Votes: all commissioners present voted yes.
- Lawsuit Settlement (Hodges v. City of Grand Rapids): A resolution approved a $285,000 settlement for a federal lawsuit discussed in closed session on January 13, 2026. The settlement is pending full execution by both parties. The motion passed unanimously.
- Commissioner Robbins' Resignation: Commissioner Robbins announced that his last meeting will be February 10, 2026, and his resignation will be effective March 6, 2026, to pursue another political office. He will work on a transition plan with the first ward commissioner.
Key Outcomes
- Consent Calendar: Approved unanimously.
- Long Road Distillers Hearings: Two resolutions scheduling public hearings for February 10, 2026, passed unanimously (Mayor LeGrand recused).
- Budget Ordinance Amendment #5: Approved via roll call (all present voted yes), with immediate effect.
- Lawsuit Settlement: Approved resolution for $285,000 settlement in Hodges v. City of Grand Rapids.
- Commissioner Robbins' Resignation: Announced; last meeting set for February 10, 2026; resignation effective March 6, 2026.
- Public Comments Addressed: Commissioners acknowledged concerns about ICE cooperation, police accountability, and housing. Several commissioners committed to exploring policy enforcement, community engagement, and the use of state public safety trust funds. The city manager defended the police chief and staff against public disrespect.
Meeting Transcript
Granted, call this meeting the ground city commission order. Um, and I would ask you all to join us in a moment of silence. Please join us in saying the Pledge of Allegiance. I allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God and individual with liberty and justice for all clerk. If you could call the roll. Commissioner Belchak. Present. Commissioner Purdue. Good evening. Commissioner Sasi. Present. Commissioner Kilgar. Present. Commissioner Robbins. Present. Mayor LeGrand. Present. Can I have a motion to excuse the absence of Commissioner Knight? So move it. And if our interpreter could come up and explain the vote. Pardon? Yeah, I call the vote on it. Oh, I'm sorry. Uh yeah, I need a vote on that. All in favor say aye. Aye. All opposed. Didn't think that would be contentious. If our interpreter could explain in Spanish that they're here to interpret from Spanish to English and vice versa for people who need it, um, that's the language that we provide interpretation services for. Oh, if you can push the buttons. Sorry. Good evening. We are pleased to offer interpretation services this evening. If you would like to make a comment in Spanish during the public comments, I will be pleased to interpret it into span into English. And this meeting is also being interpreted simultaneously in Spanish. And that brings us next to public item uh public comment on agenda items. Um those of you who wish to speak to items that are on the agenda and limit yourself to those items, uh, are welcome to do that. However, um, before I do that, um I would like to uh use a point of privilege and take the things slightly out of order here, and before we do public comments, move to petitions and communications. Clerk. I'm sorry, reports to city officers. Okay. The first one is a comptrollers' warrant report for the period of December 30, 2025 through January 12, 2026, and the amount of 30 million two hundred and ninety-one thousand seven hundred and forty-nine dollars and twenty-six cents in the small claims fourth quarter twenty twenty-five in monthly travel reports. Received and filed. And the treasury report for the period of January 1, 2026 through January 13, 2026. Received and filed. And the city manager's report, public safety committee motion in support of know your rights campaign engagement for the city's immigrant community. Yep. Thank you, Mayor. I'll highlight real briefly what occurred today at the public safety committee. Our Office of Oversight and Public Accountability provided an update on the know your rights awareness and education program as we partner with other community partners and specifically with our immigrant and refugee community.
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