Grand Rapids City Commission Meeting - July 21, 2026
Grand Rapids City Commission Meeting - July 21, 2026
The Grand Rapids City Commission convened on Tuesday, July 21, 2026, addressing a joint use agreement with Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS), a $21.5 million water supply revenue bond, a budget amendment for multiple departments and projects, brownfield redevelopment plans for housing and industrial expansion, and the Downtown Improvement District (DID) special assessment. The meeting opened with a moment of silence for Deputy Fire Chief Eric Freeman.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the previous meeting.
- Received and filed numerous communications regarding the park school agreement, FOIA appeal, Accuracy Amphitheater noise, Market Avenue closures, Flock Safety ALPRs, Lake Eastbrook, Cesar Chavez Avenue, townhouse development petitions at 2450 7th Street NW, and other items.
- Received and filed the Controller's warrant report ($75,304,785.09) and the Treasurer's report.
- Received and filed the City Clerk's report on the First Ward commission vacancy process.
- Passed the consent agenda unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Mark (Resident): Expressed concern over the thoroughness of background checks for GRPD Recruit Class 2605 ($102k for training at Grand Valley State University), citing an incident in Mississippi.
- Russell Omstead (Westside Resident): Expressed support for the infill townhouse project at 11 Bartlett St / 834-838 Butterworth, praising its design and density. Requested that presentations include concrete rental dollar amounts rather than relying solely on Area Median Income (AMI) percentages.
- Kim (Ward 3 Resident) (Non-agenda): Criticized the 2:00 PM meeting time for limiting public participation. Expressed concerns about homelessness, vacant buildings, and sanctuary city policy enforcement. Criticized the Mayor for perceived mockery of residents who previously spoke about Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity.
Discussion Items
- Joint Use Agreement (City of Grand Rapids & GRPS): Commissioner Purdue presented a resolution for a new joint use, maintenance, and programming agreement. Key modifications include a “right of first offer” on properties and updated timelines. The City Manager highlighted the opportunity for strategic property acquisition and affordable housing development via the land bank.
- Water Supply Revenue Bond ($21.5M): Commissioner Knight presented an ordinance authorizing bonds for system improvements. The referendum period expired July 1, 2026, with no petitions filed. Proceeds will replace aging water mains and lead service lines.
- Budget Amendment (7 Items): Commissioner Hisasi/Asassi presented an ordinance covering $60k for city commission support, ~$87k for a domestic violence specialty court, ~$10M for the Grand Valley Regional Biosolids Authority, a police 3D laser scanner, and three parks grants (Leonard to Ann Trail, Bike Park, Sullivan Field).
- Profile Films Expansion: The commission held a public hearing for an Industrial Facilities Exemption (12-year, ~$2.6M value) and a Brownfield Plan (24-year TIFF). Profile Films, a plastic packaging manufacturer, proposes a 97,000 sq. ft. facility ($53.7M total) creating 55 jobs ($22/hr starting wage). The company highlighted its strong benefits, unlimited overtime, 28-year no-layoff history, and sustainable packaging practices.
- Infill Housing Development (11 Bartlett, 834/838 Butterworth): The commission held a public hearing for a Housing TIFF Brownfield Plan. Developer Ricky Labra (Emerging Developers Program) proposes 24 rental townhomes ($5.5M total) across three sites. The project features larger units (3 and 5 bedrooms) and a 30% aspirational inclusion goal over a 15-year affordability period.
Key Outcomes
- Approvals: The Joint Use Agreement, Water Supply Bond, and Budget Amendment were all approved with unanimous votes and immediate effect.
- Housing & Industrial Brownfields: Both the housing project (Butterworth/Bartlett) and the Profile Films expansion were referred to the Committee of the Whole for final approval.
- Downtown Improvement District Assessment: Hearing closed with zero appeals. Confirmation of the assessment roll is scheduled for August 11, 2026.
- First Ward Vacancy: The City Clerk clarified the appointment process, noting a majority vote is needed. The Mayor expressed intent to allow the election process to fill the seat.
- Presentation Accessibility: In response to Commissioner Kilgore, staff agreed to include rental dollar figures on development presentation slides to improve public understanding.
- Tributes: The commission honored Deputy Fire Chief Eric Freeman with a moment of silence and personal tributes from several commissioners.
Meeting Transcript
Call this meeting of the city commission to order a couple of uh logistical points. We are live on YouTube and not on Facebook, so sorry about that, but we are now four minutes out. Um and we also do not unfortunately have an interpreter today. Um having called us to order, I we like to start our meetings with a moment of silence. And uh today I specifically want to note uh the passing of uh one of our long-serving uh public servants, uh Deputy Fire Chief Eric Freeman, who passed, and so if you can remember him in the moment of silence. Please join us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Um City Clerk, if you could call a roll. Commissioner Belchak. Here, Commissioner Purdue. Present commissioner Hisasi. Commissioner Kilgore, present commissioner knight, present. Mayor LeGrand. Yes. Just go read it to the public. Uh this moves us to our first opportunity to address the commission on items that are on the agenda. So if there's anyone who wants to do that, um, please come up to the microphone, identify yourself, and you have three minutes to address us on agenda. Mayor, before you do that, just for clarification, you said Facebook was down for this meeting also for public safety as well. No, just so Facebook is down for this meeting because of the transition from public safety to this meeting. Okay, thank you. So then just YouTube is is live right now. I thank you. Hello, friends. Mark from Grand Rapids. Fiscal committee number six. The resolution is authorized in the Grounds Police Department recruit class 2605 to attend Grandville State University for cost of a little over 102,000 bucks. I could care less about the funding. I want to know who these who would be these recruits. Did they do any background checks for these set recruits? That's the very that's the important thing to me. I don't want to have I don't be having a situation like a couple of weeks ago down in Citadel, Mississippi, where one-year-old boy was unalived by police at a ledge shoplifting out of Walmart. It's not good. That's why I want these individuals to have these little these background checks. Are they going to uh be part of this force? So we have instance like this not happened here in Grand Rapids. So you better think about this. Because we know that bad culture tramples everything in law enforcement. Thank you. Thank you. Seeing no one else, uh move us on to approval of last meeting's minutes. Can I have a motion? So moved. Support. Uh all in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Motion carries. That brings us to positions and communications. First one is a communication.
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