A NOTE FROM MAYOR FAVALE
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
With the milder weather and daylight saving time upon us, it appears that spring may finally be springing!
As we move into the new season there is a sense of excitement and hope in the air, and as vaccinations become more widespread, it truly does feel like we’ve turned a corner.
During our last City Commission meeting, we spent time reviewing the previous year’s accomplishments and discussing the future with each of the City’s departments. It is always exciting to discuss progress and new projects and was particularly so this year.
For me, this discussion was yet another realization of how City staff and our entire community continue to rally, meet the challenges of COVID-19 and move forward despite the many challenges brought on by 2020. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to focus and solidify our vision as well as our budget for 2021-22. All of these conversations focus on residents, businesses and the entire community so we can continue to thrive.
This is also an important and hopeful time of year in our City’s government, so I encourage you to attend or tune in to our upcoming meetings and be a part of the process.
Earlier this month, I held an outdoor, socially-distanced EGR Talk and I want to thank everyone that joined me for coffee and conversation. It was so nice to sit and chat with each of you safely and in-person. Having those important conversations and hearing each other’s perspective is so beneficial. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me — I look forward to more of these conversations at the next EGR Talk in May. More details to come.
In the meantime, I continue to make myself available during office hours and beyond. If there is something you’d like to discuss or if you’d just like to chat, please reach out and we can schedule a time to meet in-person or virtually:
kfavale@eastgr.org or 616.949.2110 x 887.
I look forward to meeting with you!
All the best,
Katie
CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE & FINANCE
UPCOMING CITY COMMISSION MEETING RESCHEDULED
As a reminder, to accommodate any spring break staycations or travels, the Monday, April 5 City Commission meeting has been rescheduled for
Monday, March 29.
You can always find meeting agendas on our website at
eastgr.org/agendas. You can even sign up to receive agendas directly in your inbox as soon as they are available at
eastgr.org/signup. Watch past City Commission meetings on our
YouTube channel.
CITY COMMISSION ELECTION
The filing deadline to run for a City Commission seat in the November 2021 election is
Tuesday, April 20 at 4 p.m. There is one seat open in each of the City’s three wards. Interested candidates must be a registered voter of the City in the ward they are filing for office, have lived in EGR for at least one year and submit 25 signatures from voters in the ward where they are seeking election. Packets and forms are available in the Finance Department at City Hall. Contact City Clerk Karen Brower at 616.949.2110 or visit
eastgr.org/elections for more information.
COVID-19 UPDATE & RESOURCES
As of April 5, COVID-19 vaccination eligibility will be open to all Michiganders ages 16+. While it may take several weeks to make an appointment for the vaccine, you can register and join the waitlist at
vaccinatewestmi.com.
The City Commission will continue to hold hybrid virtual/in-person meetings through March 31 as allowed by recent amendments to the Open Meetings Act. Stay tuned for information on in-person meetings beginning with the April 19 City Commission meeting.
UPCOMING BLOOD DRIVE
The next EGR Community Blood Drive is on
March 23 from 2 – 7 p.m. in room 105 of the Community Center. Sign up at
versiti.org.
SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE EVENT
The Sustainability Advisory Committee is hosting a
Styrofoam Recycling Day event on
May 15 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Public Works Garage (2310 Reeds Lake Blvd.)
PUBLIC SAFETY
#9PMROUTINE
Our
#9PMRoutine texting campaign may be ending on March 31, but it’s still important to keep in the habit of locking car, garage and home doors each evening. If you need the reminder, set a recurring alarm on your phone for 9 p.m. each night, or another time most convenient for you. Remember, locking doors is the #1 deterrent of theft.
PARKS & RECREATION
MANHATTAN PARK MULTI-USE TRAILS FEEDBACK OPPORTUNITY
Join Parks & Rec. and the
West Michigan Mountain Biking Alliance on
Tuesday, March 30 at 6 p.m. at the Manhattan Park Pavilion (430 Manhattan Rd.) to discuss plans for the Manhattan Park Multi-Use Trails project.
This project was proposed by the department as part of its 2019/2020 Community Parks & Recreation Plan. View maps and learn more about the March 30 meeting and the project in general at
eastgr.org/manhattanpark.
View this event on Facebook.
REEDS LAKE TRAIL SIGNS
Thanks to the
East Grand Rapids Community Foundation, Parks & Rec. installed new directional signs around the Reeds Lake Trail. Watch out for them the next you’re out and about the City.
PUBLIC WORKS
MOBILITY/BIKE ACTION PLAN UPDATE
The City’s
Mobility/Bike Action Plan, which includes
2021 Hall Street Project information, will be introduced to the City Commission at its
March 29 meeting and consider its approval at the
April 19 meeting. We thank those who attended the multiple engagement sessions, participated in the demonstration and/or provided feedback on EGR’s biking and walking infrastructure via the community survey. This information was taken into consideration as the department and its partners created the plan, which will inform funding decisions for the next fiscal year. If you have any questions, please contact Public Works at 616.940.4817.
YARD WASTE SERVICE
It’s almost spring — but not just yet. Yard waste service will resume
Monday, April 5. As a reminder, no loose yard waste is permitted in the street in the spring. For yard waste regulations and routes, please visit our
Refuse Collection webpage.
STREET AND SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION
2021
Street and sidewalks projects have been approved and will commence this spring. Residents impacted by construction projects will receive mailed notices in the near future with project details. Here are some quick links for you to review in addition to our regularly updated
Construction webpage.
WATER SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
City crews will perform preventive water main maintenance and water main flushing in
Zones 1 & 2 this spring. Learn more about this work and how it may affect you on our
website.
TREE MAINTENANCE
Consumers Energy continues to conduct tree trimming and removal in private utility easements through February in various areas around EGR.
Learn more.
City contractor CHOP also continues to conduct tree maintenance in public areas in
cycles 5 and 1. CHOP will remove and clean up limbs and branches that are removed as part of the pruning process..
POTHOLE PATCHING
Please note that City crews fill potholes on a routine basis. When there are freeze and thaw cycles, crews are out on a more frequent basis as these weather cycles cause potholes.
To report potholes in EGR, residents can contact Public Works at 616.940.4870 or report them online by selecting the “submit a request” icon on our
home page.
STREET SWEEPING
Street sweeping will begin during the first full week of April, following behind yard waste collection routes. Street sweeping helps to keep our streets clean, reduces debris from entering the storm sewer system and has a positive impact on stormwater quality.
5G SMALL CELL/DAS INFORMATION
For information regarding 5G small cells in EGR, please refer to our
Small Cell/DAS webpage for the most accurate and reliable information, including a comprehensive FAQ sheet, maps, contact information and more.
BOATS, TRAILERS AND RVS
The outdoor storage of boats, trailers and RVs is allowed for up to 72 hours on streets and driveways. Otherwise, they must be stored indoors, or in a rear yard only, and then they must be reasonably shielded from view. Not all properties can accommodate such storage, so you might have to seek offsite storage for your recreational units.