Kentwood · issues
Civic issues
Topics getting the most attention in Kentwood public meetings, ranked by how frequently they come up.
Adaptive recreation program recognition
Former mayor Rev. Jerry DeRuiter was honored for helping launch Kentwood's adaptive recreation program, one of only a handful in the country, serving residents with disabilities.
Street sweeping and MS-4 compliance
A $370,809 sweeper replaces the aging unit; owning the sweeper saves the city big versus the county's rate of $173,000 per year to sweep all streets twice annually.
Storm sewer repair billed to fiber company
A fiber installer dug through a city storm sewer at East Paris and Stahl Drive at the wrong depth, so the city is hiring Quantum Construction for a $45,980 repair and sending the bill to 123.Net — with permit leverage if they don't pay.
New Grand Rapids apartment complex may strain mutual aid
A 181-unit development just over the city line in Grand Rapids could draw Kentwood police into mutual aid responses if Grand Rapids' coverage of that southern area is slow, the chief and a commissioner noted.
Brush grinding and disposal services
The city's yard-waste brush program gets a new vendor, Brink Wood Products, under a three-year deal after Renewed Earth could no longer handle the growing volume.
Fire hydrant repainting program
The city will sandblast and repaint its 218 hydrants with durable water-tower paint, starting with major streets this month, so hydrants stay visible and bright yellow.
Kent District Library community report
The library reported record circulation of 1.9 million items, 30,000 free summer meals with Feeding America, a 2025 Library of the Year honor, and a 10,000-person author event at Van Andel.
Honoring Peter Lamberts, Kentwood's founding father
Lee Lamberts asked the city to keep his father Peter Lamberts' legacy alive — the township supervisor who fought off annexation and led Kentwood to cityhood in 1967 — by naming City Hall or another feature in his honor.
FOIA policy amendment and appeals committee
The commission removed its proposed Freedom of Information Act policy update from the consent agenda and will keep refining it before bringing it back.
Consumers Energy franchise renewed for five years
The city renewed its electric franchise with Consumers Energy for five years rather than the 30-40 year terms utilities prefer, keeping leverage for regular conversations with the utility.
New community center branding
The new community center still doesn't have an official name, so the city is spending up to $38,775 with Well Design Studio to pick a name, build the brand, and launch marketing ahead of the June 6 membership launch and September grand opening.
DPW fleet replacement
The police department gets a gently used van for its special response team (up to $30,000) plus three 2026 Chevy Traverses for staff, including two for newly promoted lieutenants.
Repeated false alarms ordinance fix
The Commission re-adopted the false alarms ordinance just to fix a subsection reference — no change to how the rules actually work.
Spongy moth aerial suppression program
The city will aerially spray about 97 acres for the seventh straight year to keep spongy moth caterpillars from defoliating neighborhood trees.
Opposition to state housing preemption bills
The commission signed onto a letter opposing state House Bills 5529-5532 and 5581-5585, which would preempt local control over housing decisions.
Citywide phone system replacement
Four aging copier/print/scan machines across city offices, including fire equipment needs, will be replaced with Ricoh devices at up to $32,385.
Vintage fire truck refurbishment
The 1949 Ford F-7 fire truck — a parade and funeral staple — gets a $34,658 refurbishment including an automatic transmission so more firefighters can drive it.
Deputy Administrator recruitment
The city is paying a recruiter up to $22,000 to find a new Deputy Administrator after an earlier in-house search failed. The goal is to fill the vacancy in about three months.
Deputy City Administrator departs for Walker
Shay Gallagher is leaving Kentwood after his final commission meeting to become Walker's city manager in early March; the city will advertise his position soon, possibly with a headhunter's help.
Sidewalk repair and fill-in services
The city awarded a sidewalk repair contract to Ellis McClain Construction through direct negotiation because no bids came in — fixing sidewalks around town.
Right-turn-only sign on Patterson Avenue
A new traffic control order puts a right-turn-only restriction on Patterson Avenue, adopted quietly through the consent agenda.
Delinquent personal property tax strike
The city wipes old, uncollectable personal property taxes off the books each year — this year about $162,783 across 326 parcels. It's required by state law after five years of delinquency, and the treasurer noted the city collected over $422,000 in delinquent personal property taxes last year.
DPW laundry equipment purchase
DPW staff deal with road grime, fuel, and sanitary waste on their work gear. A commercial washer and dryer lets them clean PPE safely in-house instead of taking it home — extending equipment life and improving safety.