HOLLAND (WHTC-AM/FM) — Holland City Council has an important, though informal, public meeting from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020.
It’s council members’ annual budget workshop. On Wednesday night, during a regular study session, they heard reports from departments heads — a summary of 2019 highlights, and a wish list.
Among the major issues: Replacing soon-to-retire supervisors and long-time employees, such as the Holland police leaders who are set to retire within 14 months of one another, according to Chief Matt Messer. The goal is to replace outgoing employees in a competitive market while meeting the goal of increasing diversity of city employees. Other highlights from Wednesday’s presentations:
- Regional partnerships and long-term planning key to moving forward. Council will start talking about their own priorities at Saturday’s workshop. City staffing is critical to getting this work done and meet residents’ high expectations.
- City Manager Keith Van Beek told the board Wednesady that, despite the housing crunch, the city’s tax base is expanding; there’s forward motion toward updating the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance; Waterfront Holland is set to move into its next phase, which means city council must make decisions, such as on the future of the empty James DeYoung plant and surrounding property.
- Van Beek said recent conversations about a citizen survey may be a good idea, but, given the increased level of interaction city officials had last year with residents, it may not be needed.
- Also looking at a comprehensive plan for managing the city’s 100 security cameras.
- Sidewalks, trees and playground equipment will continue to be replaced and they’re talking about an ice skating rink.
- Putting snowmelt into city hall steps. Feb 5 presentation to council Re municipal cap improvement fund that could be used to complete full Van Raalte dog park this year. City employees are working on a 50-year maintenance plan, to maintain current city assets and extend their usefulnees as long as possible — or make intentional upgrades or replacements.
- Windmill Island saw a record number of visitors – and gate revenue — in 2019; about half of the 116,000 people through the gate arrived during Tulip Time. Good attendance means Windmill Island has “a good fund balance” and the ability to reinvest back into the property, updating the pavillion. But high-water levels are a concern. The tulip fields planted last fall were moved up into the horse pasture, to avoid having the crop flooded out in spring. Plans for 2020 include more weddings, coffees, art shows and other non-Tulip-Time events
- Assistant City Manager Matt VanDyken says city officials need to be aware “of the Amazon-era we’re in.”
- He said next-day and possibly same-day delivery is a red flag for downtown retailers, and emphasized the need to increase events to make downtown Holland visits “an experiential destination.”
- Attractions in 2019 included several parades, the annual Girlfriends Weekends, and street performers ngihts, all big crowd pleasers. But, he said, only Girlfriends weekend draws a diverse crowd. The downtown development authority is looking for diversity lessons from Girlfriends Weekend that can be used for other events, VanDyken said.
- By 2021, the city should have a more-comprehensive downtown parking arrangement, not just to accommodate the Tulip Time Festival, but for other big-crowd events.
- At the same time, the downtown streetscape, while attractive, is aging and needs an update. All the light poles installed in 1954 have been replaced, and way-finding signs upgraded.
- Civic Center board has been developing a list of priorities, especially after the 2019 budget gap that caused city council to amend the 2019 budget. VanDyken said because the issues weren’t discovered until after the 2020 budget was approved, this year’s budget will have to be tweaked, but not as much as last year.
- The farmers market continues to grow, drawing in excess of 20,000 visitors aided in part by promotions such as double-up bucks, which helps SNAP recipients purchase twice as much produce.
- Civic Center Place: food/beverage rentals are rising, VanDyken reported, from 12 in 2018 to 88 scheduled so far this year. One of the key capitol improvements needed seemed to surprise most in the room: carpet squares. No one expected they’d need them in gym and indoor market, VanDyken said.
- The night market “started out hot,’ VanDyken said, but attendance dwindled, so city officials are looking for ways to add attractions.
- City Clerk Kathy Grimm said her office issued 279 business licenses last year.
- Passports, she said, continue to keep employees busy, but in a revenue-positive way, because the city charges $35 for passports and $10 for passport photos. She said meeting passport deadlines continues to be a challenge, because her office is open until 5 p.m., but passports can’t be processed after 4 p.m., which confuses visitors.
- On average, the city processes eight passports a day, and provides five photos, but the truth, she said, is that traffice ebbs, flows and surges, with as many as 30 requests in one day.
- Election staffing for the March 10 primary could be a challenge, because many of the workers are snowbirds, and won’t be back in Michigan in time. Ads for election workers often disappoint job candidates, who are seeking part-time work, only to inf that elections are “a three-days-a-year job,” Grimm said. Election equipment has been moved from 24th Street storage to City Hall, for cross-training purposes.
- New state laws for same-day registration and absentee ballots have increased the number of voters.
- “We have 25,276, registered voters,” she said. “But last year, only 28 percent of them (just over 7,000) voted.”
- Messer says significant advances in partnering with nearby communities for mutual aid. Trethewey says when will council hear a proposal — it’s not imminent.
- Holland firefighters saw more than 400 overlapping calls — flashover happens inside of six minutes, that’s why they have to be ready to head to a fire from wherever the firefighters are, Messer said. Hoekstra says that’ll just increase w/ our aging population, and Messer agreed.
- Councilman Dave Hoekstra says he understands why fire trucks got to medical calls. But he’d like to see an alternative. Messed says staffing /equipment levels preclude a change at this time.
- Firefighters are mostly called to medical incidents, but last year responded to 83 working fires and 418 other calls. Active fire safety inspections have helped reduce fires significantly, Messer said, as has active community education.
- HDPS’ mobile command unit is aging out of service and needs to be replaced in the near future.
- Range issues: noise travels through several areas of the building. Soundproofing planned. About $1m planned to upgrade/replace fire stations. Waverly station is too old, too small. Built in 1970.
- This has serious implications. Trethewey notes 125 years of experience walking out the door.
- New range installed starting Jan 27.
- Jr. Police Academy aims at both breaking the cycle of youth crime and helping kids think about becoming law-enforcement officers
- New middle school community police officer is teahcing leadership , making good choices. Jr. police academy so popular they are considering two this summer bc some@kids had to be turned away last year “and I really, really don’t lien to do that.” Van Beek: “it’s a great program.”
- Holland Department of Public Safety Chief Matt Messer opened his presentation by telling those present that crime continues to drop, espcially among juveniles.
- Police officers received brain-health training, which Messer called “a great brain-health plan,” adding that council will see a presention on this program in February.
- Bouws pool had 15,000 visitors in 2019; about 8,000 entered for free. The facility needs paitning. Councilman Quincy Byrd would like to see better communication between city and schools about pool use, and basketball or other parks-rec event. He cited a basketball camp that drew only four children last year.
- For the 3rd year running, city has planted more trees than it has taken down. Adding trees to private land is one of the main options, but needs to be funded..
- Holland may need a recreaction center, based on need for service. Parks and Rec officials recently had 12 city events at 12 sites, none of those site were city owned; city events are prone to getting bumped..
- The seventh America in Bloom award has other communities asking Holland officials for advice, part of the AIB mentoring program and Holland is participating.
- Holland streets are rated at little over 5 of 10, sidewalks 7.1, using the PASER scale.
- Efficiencies creates by Holland Energy Park means customer could see a10 percent decrease in bills by 2022. HEP will pay $91m in bonds this year, reducing interest/debt. Holland BPW has some of the lowest numbers in the state as far as outages / duration of outages.
- If demolition of the James DeYoung plant is approved, it will cost about about $8 million; if the bulding is renovated, it will cost slightly more.
- James DeYoung site redevelopment a priority, as well as the anaerobic digester construction.
- BPW officials are looking to find a way to deal with the single transmission line across the River. Looking at adding redundancy and growth, at a cost estimated at $12 million.
- BPW officials are ooking for economy of scale in refuse and water.
- BPW is facing some aging equipment and how to best replace them in an energy efficient way. The mandate to replace aging (galvanized, not lead) water pipes will cost more than expected, between $8.5 to $9 million over the next several years.
- Last year, the city handled about 5,000 code complaints. Many were long-grass issues or parking complaints. There is a continued, steady demand for Project Pride coupons.
- A February workshop / charette / open house is planned to get ideas about what to with the old greenhouse.
- City will have to bid out waste mgt contract this year. Councilman Mike Trethewey says he’d like to see the city use the same company as is used by residents. Vanderploeg says it’s a matter of contracts expiring at the same time.
