Grand Rapids Fiscal Committee Meeting - August 25, 2026
Grand Rapids Fiscal Committee Meeting - August 25, 2026
The Grand Rapids Fiscal Committee met on August 25, 2026, at 8:30 AM (adjourned at 8:49 AM) to consider several budget substitutions, grant appropriations, and routine financial reports. All items were approved unanimously.
Consent Calendar
- Resolution authorizing a contract with Cure Violence Global (not to exceed $125,000) for training and technical assistance to support the Cure Violence model in Grand Rapids. Approved.
- Budget substitution of $700,000 for improvements to Grand River Riverfront Phase 1 (US 131 to CSX Railroad). Approved.
- Budget substitution of $2.9 million for construction of Grand River Edges Trail East (Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad to Ann Street). Approved.
- Budget substitution of $2.9 million for improvements to Oxford Trail (Wealthy Street to Hall Street). Approved.
- Budget substitution of $40,000 for the Irene and Linda water main extension (PFAS-impacted area). Approved.
- Budget substitution of $263,000 for phase 4 of the headworks grit pass upgrade (engineering services). Approved.
- Bid list resolution for August 25, 2026 – nine routine items, including an increase to the West Michigan janitorial contract for the Martin Luther King Community Center. Approved.
Discussion Items
- Ordinance amendment to the 2026 budget (amendment No. 2): Multiple grant appropriations were approved, including: $10,000 (Eagle next cycle Michigan grant), $12.9 million (Grand River revitalization from Fulton St. to I-196), $36,000 (pickleball club donation for Bell Map), $150,000 (FEMA hazard mitigation planning), $55,000 (Lincoln Park capital improvements), annual fleet carry-forward funds, $20,000 (South Town Arts and Culture Initiative from Third Ward equity fund), $1.3 million (parks capital bond/millage realignment), various CDBG and HOME program income appropriations, $30,000 (South Prize event from Third Ward equity fund), $150,000 (North Quarter corridor signage), and $335,000+ (WEGE Foundation grant for wood chipper procurement with matching funds). Commissioners expressed enthusiasm for Third Ward equity fund rollouts and the South Prize extension to the south side.
- Comptroller's Warrant Report (July 28 – August 10, 2026): Total warrants issued: $189,200,114.64, including $6.5 million for payroll and 608 income tax refunds. Report received and filed.
- Treasurer's Report (July 29 – August 11, 2026): Interest rates held at 3.5–3.75%; July jobs report showed a loss of 23,000 jobs. Consumer prices up 3.4%. City investments remain strong at $721 million total (including $50 million fiduciary tax money). Summer tax collection rate reached 94%. Treasurer highlighted escalator clauses in contracts tied to fuel costs. Report received and filed.
Key Outcomes
- All eight resolutions and ordinance amendments passed unanimously without opposition.
- Comptroller's and Treasurer's reports were received and filed.
- Meeting adjourned at 8:49 AM.
Meeting Transcript
Good morning. The time is now 8 30, and we're gonna go ahead and call our fiscal fiscal committee meeting to order. Man, Mr. Davis, look at you. I like that being sharp. Um we have a number of things today. And uh let's start with the first one, which is a resolution authorizing a contract with Cure Violence Global, an amount not to exceed 125,000 to provide training and technical assistance to support the continued effectuation of the cure violence model in Grand Rapids. Do you have a motion? So moved. Support. Moved and supported. Mr. Davis. Thank you. Good morning. Uh as the title suggests, this is an item uh to continue our contract with Cure Violence Global. Cure Violence Global is the parent organization who created the model for cure violence, and they provide training and technical assistance and licensing to be able to run this program in Grand Rapids. Uh there will be a annual report from Cure Violence uh Grand Rapids at the Airman League that happens in November, uh, and we'll be bringing forward their contract at that time. Thank you, Mr. Davis. This is uh number years relationship that was a number of years in the making. So thank you for highlighting. You know, obviously, there's um this was something that was developed in another part of this country to be able to use those technical details. Uh colleagues, questions on this one for Mr. Davis? Hearing and seeing none. All those in favor? Aye. Any opposed? Item carries. Thank you so much. Thank you. Um item number two is a resolution authorizing a budget substitution of 700,000 for improvements to the Grand River Riverfront Phase 1 US 131 to C at CSX Railroad. Do you have a motion? So moved. Support. Moved and supported. Miss Claren. Yes, um, I'll speak to items two, three, and four all at once, if that's all right. Um this is this is simply just moving around um types of money per project. We are working with the uh DGRI who is managing their the their tranche of ARPA bunny called the Greenway project, and um we have to get this money out the door spent by December 31st. They have an internal deadline of October 1st to uh begin their you know final close out compliance work, so asked us to take a look at the projects that we are co-funding with them along with a lot of other different kinds of money and see if we could advance their money forward just because um they wanted some extra time to satisfy you know make sure they're satisfying the ARPA grant appropriately. This doesn't put any of our um funds at risk right now. Um, this is really just accommodating the Greenway uh funds with DGRI. So uh the these three items two, three, and four are just simple budget substitutions. Thank you, Miss Claren. I know that is something that when those ARPA dollars came, we thought 26 felt like a long time away, and here we are. So um I would say this is in line with other um administrative actions we've taken to ensure that no money is left on the table. Um colleagues again, miss Ms. Claren, we'll we'll take each item individually and vote on it, but any questions about this action or activity.
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