OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Grand Rapids City Commission Committee of the Whole Meeting - June 16, 2026

Meeting Portal — Tuesday, June 16, 2026
BodyGrand Rapids, Michigan
SessionMeeting Portal
DateTuesday, June 16, 2026
StatusFILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:22:12
Transcript — Verbatim
0:03

Gonna call the meeting of city uh pardon me the uh committee the whole to order.

0:13

Glad to see such a large group of people here from the urban league.

0:17

I understand you have 10 minute speeches, all of you prepared for us.

0:20

So um if you can make your way up to the micro.

0:22

No, I'm just messing with you.

0:23

So glad to see all of you, all of you here.

0:26

Great.

0:26

Um, so our we're gonna take our items out of order this morning and start with uh item number two.

0:32

Uh, that is a resolution recommending.

0:34

Just for transparency for the people who did come here for number one.

0:37

Uh we're waiting on one more community partner and then we'll uh come back to that item for uh staff's requests right on.

0:46

So uh item number two is a resolution recommending approval uh by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission of a social district permit uh application pursuant to public act 124 of 2020.

0:56

Uh Mr.

0:56

Clerk, if you could.

0:58

I'm a little support.

0:59

Yeah, these are a couple downtown um um establishments asking for a social district permit.

1:05

I believe one of them is doing businesses both wild wings and that uh but they're both in the downtown um district.

1:12

Got it.

1:13

Any discussion?

1:15

I will just point out as I do occasionally that I think we should just make the whole city a social district and call it a day.

1:20

Um otherwise we're just stigmatizing people that don't have the sophistication to ask for permission for the area around their business.

1:27

Um but other than that, um all in favor say aye.

1:30

Aye, aye.

1:32

Um uh next is a similar resolution approving uh approving recommending approval by the liquor control commission of a social district uh pursuant to act 124 2020 for our brewing company uh LLC located at 738 Wealthy.

1:46

Uh, can I have a motion?

1:47

So moved to support.

1:49

Seems self-explanatory.

1:50

Any questions or comments, colleagues?

1:53

All in favor say aye.

1:54

Aye.

1:55

Aye.

1:55

Uh fourth is uh resolution approving an agreement with the city of Wyoming to accept and process wastewater sludge, and this is something that we are we've been working on for a while.

2:05

Can I have a motion?

2:06

So moved.

2:08

Thank you.

2:08

If you could morning commissioners, James Otz, environmental services manager.

2:12

Uh a year ago I stood before you and uh requested a six-month agreement uh with the option of a six-month uh renewal.

2:20

Uh during that time frame, we've been working with the city of Wyoming on how we can improve this and and uh make it more accurately reflect our system.

2:31

Uh today I bring before you uh three-year agreement with five optional three-year renewals.

2:39

Uh, couple things that you might want to take note of in this is that we're switching from billing on a per gallon basis to a dry ton basis.

2:49

Uh this accurately reflects the loading of the biodigesters rather than a flow.

2:55

Uh you'll see that it goes retroactive to January 19th.

3:00

Uh that's when we installed a meter on our end so that we can accurately calculate the dry tons.

3:06

Um another thing that you'll want to take note of is that it includes uh uh capital depreciation of one of the digesters, digester number three, as well as the the screens that will be needed to uh filter the sludge prior to digestion.

3:25

Um this uh this regional collaboration supports uh you know a greater relationship between us and the city of Wyoming.

3:36

Uh it supports uh environment environmentally friendly and uh responsible way to handle our biosolids.

3:44

And uh it's a great improvement for for both of us.

3:50

Great.

3:51

Thanks.

3:51

Any questions or collec comments, colleagues?

3:54

Um, I do have one question that is um you meant reference biodigester number three, and this is great because you know, more capacity is good, more biodigesting is good.

4:05

Um, as our city is the region grows, do we have capacity really long term to continue to grow the system?

4:11

Like can we add more uh uh tanks online?

4:15

So when when the system was designed, it's actually designed to where we can add three more digesters.

4:23

Uh you know, after we fully accept the Wyoming sludge, we can calculate what our true loading is, and uh we can actually accept up to 25 percent of an industrial waste and still qualify for our D3 rins.

4:39

Uh that is something that once it stabilizes, we'll calculate and see what we could potentially handle.

4:45

Okay, great.

4:46

Well, thanks for working to develop the system.

4:49

Um, seeing no further questions, colleagues, all in favor say aye.

4:54

Aye, aye, all opposed, motion carries.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Personnel Matters███████████████████████23%
Procedural██████████████████18%
Racial Equity███████████████15%
Public Engagement██████████10%
Miscellaneous█████████9%
Water And Wastewater Management██████6%
Fiscal Sustainability██████6%
Public Safety██████6%
Affordable Housing███3%
Summary of Proceedings

Grand Rapids City Commission Committee of the Whole Meeting - June 16, 2026

The Grand Rapids City Commission Committee of the Whole met on June 16, 2026, to consider a Juneteenth proclamation, approve several resolutions, discuss the FY27 budget follow-up, and receive a briefing on the 2026 elections. The meeting was held at City Hall.

Consent Calendar

  • Juneteenth Proclamation: Mayor David LeGrand read and presented a proclamation declaring June 19, 2026, as Juneteenth in Grand Rapids. Mama Jewel Richardson, a local advocate, spoke in celebration.
  • Social District Permits: The committee approved a resolution recommending approval by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission of a social district permit for downtown establishments (including Wild Wings) under Public Act 124 of 2020. Approved unanimously.
  • Our Brewing Company Social District: A similar resolution for a social district permit for Our Brewing Company at 738 Wealthy Street was approved unanimously.
  • Wyoming Sludge Agreement: Approved a three-year agreement with optional five three-year renewals to accept and process wastewater sludge from the City of Wyoming. Billing switches from per gallon to dry ton basis, retroactive to January 19, 2026. Approved unanimously.
  • Affordable Housing Fund Payment: Authorized payment of $9,595,000 to the Grand Rapids Community Foundation for the city's Affordable Housing Fund, funded from amphitheater sale proceeds. Approved unanimously.
  • Vicinity Energy E-Steam Purchase: Authorized a purchase agreement with Vicinity Energy for $50,000 annually to purchase electric-generated steam services, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Approved unanimously.

Discussion Items

  • FY27 Budget Follow-Up – Commission Administrative Support: Staff presented three options for the future of enhanced administrative support for commissioners: (1) continue the temporary pilot at $80,000/year, (2) create a permanent administrative aide position (~$100,000+/year), or (3) phase out the pilot. After discussion, a majority of commissioners expressed support for Option Two (permanent position). Staff will bring a budget amendment in July to fund the position. The temporary services will continue in the meantime using previously allocated $100,000.
  • Public Safety Trust Fund: Staff updated that the state has not yet provided the anticipated $1.7 million in public safety revenue sharing grants. Community engagement for external grants (initially planned for July) is postponed to September 2026, pending receipt of funds. Intended uses include internal projects (SAFE Task Force, OPA violence prevention) and a new external community grants program.
  • 2026 Elections Briefing: City Clerk Joel Hondorp provided a detailed overview of the August 4 primary and November 3 general elections. Topics included ballot structure (semi-open primary, city elections only in First Ward), early voting locations (Ottawa Hills, GRPS University, St. Peter and Paul, plus New Hope Baptist Church in November), absentee voting, and polling location changes due to construction (Precinct 38 to Holy Trinity Orthodox Church, Precinct 51 to Brookside Christian Reformed Church). Commissioners discussed national uncertainty, election integrity, and the importance of voter education.

Key Outcomes

  • All resolutions on the consent calendar were approved by voice vote.
  • The commission directed staff to proceed with establishing a permanent administrative aide position and to return with a budget amendment in July.
  • The public safety trust fund community engagement timeline was shifted to September 2026.
  • The meeting recessed into closed session to discuss pending litigation as authorized by roll call vote.

Meeting Transcript

Gonna call the meeting of city uh pardon me the uh committee the whole to order. Glad to see such a large group of people here from the urban league. I understand you have 10 minute speeches, all of you prepared for us. So um if you can make your way up to the micro. No, I'm just messing with you. So glad to see all of you, all of you here. Great. Um, so our we're gonna take our items out of order this morning and start with uh item number two. Uh, that is a resolution recommending. Just for transparency for the people who did come here for number one. Uh we're waiting on one more community partner and then we'll uh come back to that item for uh staff's requests right on. So uh item number two is a resolution recommending approval uh by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission of a social district permit uh application pursuant to public act 124 of 2020. Uh Mr. Clerk, if you could. I'm a little support. Yeah, these are a couple downtown um um establishments asking for a social district permit. I believe one of them is doing businesses both wild wings and that uh but they're both in the downtown um district. Got it. Any discussion? I will just point out as I do occasionally that I think we should just make the whole city a social district and call it a day. Um otherwise we're just stigmatizing people that don't have the sophistication to ask for permission for the area around their business. Um but other than that, um all in favor say aye. Aye, aye. Um uh next is a similar resolution approving uh approving recommending approval by the liquor control commission of a social district uh pursuant to act 124 2020 for our brewing company uh LLC located at 738 Wealthy. Uh, can I have a motion? So moved to support. Seems self-explanatory. Any questions or comments, colleagues? All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Uh fourth is uh resolution approving an agreement with the city of Wyoming to accept and process wastewater sludge, and this is something that we are we've been working on for a while. Can I have a motion? So moved. Thank you. If you could morning commissioners, James Otz, environmental services manager. Uh a year ago I stood before you and uh requested a six-month agreement uh with the option of a six-month uh renewal. Uh during that time frame, we've been working with the city of Wyoming on how we can improve this and and uh make it more accurately reflect our system. Uh today I bring before you uh three-year agreement with five optional three-year renewals. Uh, couple things that you might want to take note of in this is that we're switching from billing on a per gallon basis to a dry ton basis. Uh this accurately reflects the loading of the biodigesters rather than a flow. Uh you'll see that it goes retroactive to January 19th. Uh that's when we installed a meter on our end so that we can accurately calculate the dry tons. Um another thing that you'll want to take note of is that it includes uh uh capital depreciation of one of the digesters, digester number three, as well as the the screens that will be needed to uh filter the sludge prior to digestion. Um this uh this regional collaboration supports uh you know a greater relationship between us and the city of Wyoming. Uh it supports uh environment environmentally friendly and uh responsible way to handle our biosolids. And uh it's a great improvement for for both of us. Great. Thanks. Any questions or collec comments, colleagues?

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