A NOTE FROM MAYOR FAVALE
Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I absolutely love the holiday season, as I am sure you do. Although this holiday season looks very different from most, I find comfort reflecting on its true meaning.

During this past year, we have all experienced impacts upon our lives that we could have never imagined just a year ago. The term “unprecedented times” became common-place and it seemed like each day brought new challenges.

To our credit as a community, we rose up and met the challenges of COVID-19 and its ongoing impact. Our day-to-day changed in many ways, and yet with all the challenges, there were some positives, too. We spent more time together as families, were able to enjoy more meals together at home and we found simple and creative ways to enjoy ourselves.

Due to the sacrifices, hard work and dedication of all City team members, our EGR continued to move forward, maintained its high level of services, and not only survived, but in many ways managed to thrive. We are incredibly fortunate to have these amazing individuals serving our community, and to them I am incredibly grateful. I simply cannot thank them enough for all that they do.

I am also grateful to our amazing EGRPS staff, administrators and School Board, who continually educate and advocate for our children. They have all worked tirelessly during this past year to ensure our children continue to receive the highest level of education, while also seeing that the unique and varying needs of our families are met.

Additionally, I would like to encourage everyone to shop and eat locally in Gaslight Village this holiday season and into the New Year. 2020 year has been particularly hard for our local businesses and they need our support now more than ever.  

The holidays also give us an opportunity to be thankful for what we have, support those who are less fortunate and to express acts of kindness and forgiveness. It is a time of joy and festivities, but also a time when we need to look out for those who are alone or vulnerable. Consider reaching out a bit further to friends and neighbors that may be struggling.

Looking ahead, the City of East Grand Rapids will continue to deliver quality services to our community, and as your Mayor, my door will continue to be open to all our residents. I look forward to the coming year with hope and optimism. Thanks to our dedicated City staff and commission, the years ahead promise to be positive and exciting for our community, even as we adjust to our new normal.

On behalf of the City of East Grand Rapids, I want to extend my warmest regards and best wishes to everyone. May the spirit of the season touch you and your loved ones throughout the holidays and into the new year!

All the best,

Katie

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CITY MANAGER’S OFFICE & FINANCE



CITY MANAGER SEARCH UPDATE
Thank you to those of you who provided feedback on our city manager search over the past few weeks via the community survey and/or the Dec. 8 Virtual Meet and Greet. Resident feedback was reviewed by the City Commission and taken into consideration during this process. While an offer has been made, the candidate has not officially accepted the position. Stay tuned for more information — we hope to have a new city manager in place early in the new year.

COVID-19 RESOURCES & INFORMATION
City Hall continues to follow state and local guidelines. Until the MDHHS order is lifted, the Community Center will be open for business-related activities only. You can find resources and more information at eastgr.org/covid. Additionally, the EGR COVID-19 Volunteer Task Force is up and running again ready to help residents and community members. 

CITY HALL HOLIDAY HOURS
City staff wishes you and yours a happy and healthy holiday season.

Please note our offices will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 25 for Christmas. We will also be closed on Friday, Jan. 1 for New Year's Day.

WINTER PROPERTY TAXES
Winter property taxes were billed Dec. 1 and are due Feb. 14. You can make a contactless payment online or by dropping it off in our secure drop box located in the front vestibule of City Hall any time before the due date. For more information, visit our Property Taxes webpage.  

BLOOD DRIVE
There’s still time to sign up for next week’s community blood drive! Make an appointment online and head to room 105 of the Community Center on one of the following dates.

• Dec. 21, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Dec. 22, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Dec. 23, 2–7 p.m.

All donors will receive a $10 e-gift card. 

LUMINARIES
Innumerable events have been canceled this year. Thankfully, one community-favorite holiday tradition still stands without modification. Join fellow community members in driving through the luminary display which is traditionally most prominent in the southeast corner of the City on Christmas Eve.

Residential blocks that participate or want to participate this year can contact the Department of Public Works at 616.940.4870 to request barrels of sand for the luminary bags by noon on Tuesday, Dec. 22 to arrange for delivery of barrels with sand. Luminary bags and candles are organized by representatives of each block or blocks that coordinate and participate together. Luminaries are lit at dusk. The City reminds participant blocks to remove and recycle or dispose of luminary bags after use and to place the City’s sand barrels out the following week for pickup.

Keep the celebration going by driving through Gaslight Village to see the beautifully decorated storefronts, festive streetscape and 20-foot tree shining bright in Regatta Plaza. The City is happy to partner with the business district to help make it look its best for the holiday season.

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PARKS & RECREATION
SPRING PROGRAM GUIDE
Looking for ways to stay active? Flip through Parks & Recreation’s virtual Spring Program Guide! Resident registration starts Thursday, Jan. 7. Due to COVID-19, our offerings continue to be primarily listed online. Please note the following:

• The Spring program guide will NOT be sent by mail.
• All programming will adhere to CDC, State and local recommendations and guidelines. Health and safety protocols can be found at eastgr.org/recreation and eastgr.org/covid.
• We will update our virtual guide on a weekly basis as needed to provide you the most current information.
• You will continue to register for classes via Rec 1 and we also welcome phone enrollments as well as in-person registration at 750 Lakeside Dr.

Important Dates

• January 7: Resident registration begins
• January 14: Non-resident registration begins

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PUBLIC SAFETY
STAY SAFE WHILE MAKING ONLINE PURCHASE TRANSACTIONS
If you're purchasing an item online through Craig's List, Facebook Marketplace, etc. this holiday season, please feel free to make transactions in the Community Center parking lot, which is in front of Public Safety. While these websites are a great place to find interesting merchandise and a good deal, we urge you to proceed with caution.

PREVENT A CHIMNEY FIRE IN YOUR HOME
According to the Chimney Safety Institute of America, all chimneys, fireplaces and vents should be inspected at least once a year for soundness, freedom from deposits and correct clearances. Even if you don't use your chimney often, animals may build nests in the flue or there may be other types of deterioration that could make the chimney unsafe to use. Public Safety encourages you to take this step in fire prevention to keep you and your loved ones safe.



FRAUD SEASON
With the holiday season comes annual traditions, quality time with loved ones, plenty of shopping – and, unfortunately, people looking to take advantage of others. EGR Public Safety reminds residents to never disclose personal information such as Social Security and credit card numbers over the phone — no matter how convincing a story may be. Learn more.  

MAKE SAFETY #1 THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
When referring to safety in 2020, we think COVID-19 and our health. However, there are still plenty of other things to keep top of mind while celebrating this holiday season. Our Public Safety Department has a few tips on fire prevention, cooking best practices and preparing for winter weather on our website.  



#9PMROUTINE
To help remind residents to lock all doors — vehicle, house and garage — and prevent theft, we’re inviting residents to adopt our #9PMRoutine campaign. Set an alarm on your phone or clock for 9 p.m. (or another time most convenient to you) each evening to help remind you to check that all your items have been brought inside, your doors are locked and your lights are on. These simple steps will make a drastic difference in the number of larcenies that take place in EGR, as most are due to unlocked doors. Remember, you are your first line of defense.

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PUBLIC WORKS



2020 CONSTRUCTION RECAP
Although this year presented challenge after challenge, our Public Works team was still able to accomplish several projects. A summary of this work, including an update on our PASER ratings and special projects like the Mobility Plan and 2021 Hall Street Project can be found at eastgr.org/constructionrecap. As a reminder, you can always visit eastgr.org/construction for project updates.  

MOBILITY/BICYCLE ACTION PLAN UPDATE
We continue to work with Progressive AE and Aligned Planning as we develop this plan to provide a vision for future investments and opportunities for our transportation network. With public engagement sessions and surveys conducted throughout the summer and into the fall, a draft plan is near completion. Additional engagement and input will be sought in the near future. To learn more, please visit eastgr.org/2020mobilityplan. If you have any questions, call Public Works at 616.940.4817.

2021 HALL STREET PROJECT UPDATE
Thank you to all those who have provided feedback on the 2021 Hall Street Project and participated in our virtual discussions. Your voice is important to the City.

If you haven’t yet reviewed the plans and shared your thoughts, you can still do so by Dec. 21 by visiting eastgr.org/hallstreet. Our website provides draft plans, project support materials and comment/question cards for your review. Please note that while Public Works is accepting comments through Monday, Dec. 21 and will provide all feedback to the City Commission at its Dec. 21 meeting for review, comments sent in after Dec. 14 will not be included in the published agenda packet.

Please contact the City at 616.940.4817 with any questions.  

CHRISTMAS TREE PICKUP
Every year, Public Works collects Christmas trees, wreaths and other natural plant-based decorations that have been left at the curb after the holidays. The crews will pick up these decorations following regular yard waste collection routes from Monday, Jan. 4 through Friday, Jan. 15. The City is not able to collect trees, wreaths or other holiday decorations that have wire, ornaments, lights, etc. on them as the trees and wreaths are chipped/recycled. Learn more on our Refuse Collection webpage.  



REEDS LAKE WATER QUALITY REPORT
You can view the 2020 Reeds Lake Water Quality Report and/or the GVMC-LGROW regional water quality repository on our Environmental webpage. 

FALL LEAF PICKUP HAS ENDED
Fall leaf pickup has officially ended for the season. While there may not be snow on the ground just yet, our Public Works crews take this important time to transition our vehicles and equipment to winter maintenance operations, undergo training and make their way throughout the City to trim right-of-way tree branches/limbs that impeded into the street or sidewalks to ensure that plow trucks and sidewalk plows are not damaged.

Yard waste pick up will resume in April. You can view yard waste rules and regulations on our Refuse Collection webpage.   



WINTER IS COMING
Winter is on the other side of this weekend and our website is full of information to help you prepare:

• Winter Maintenance Operations
  • Street & sidewalk snowplowing regulations and routes
  • Private snowplow contractors regulations
  • How to avoid the second shovel
  • Why you should keep fire hydrants clear from snow and ice
• Prevent Pipes From Freezing
• Power Outage Information

COMMUNITY PARTNERS



DON’T JUST GO OUT, GO GASLIGHT!
Please support our business district this holiday season by shopping at and ordering takeout from our local retailers and restaurants. These are the businesses that support our schools, sports teams and overall community each year — now is the time for us to give back.

Gaslight Village is dedicated to providing you safe experiences. Following state and local health and safety guidelines, restaurants will be closed until the MDHHS order is lifted. Learn which businesses are open and their offerings at gogaslight.com/covid.  

SUPPORT THE EGRCF
As you make last minute online holiday purchases and think about year-end giving, consider the East Grand Rapids Community Foundation. This year alone, EGRCF projects helped keep you connected and informed of City happenings, assisted in your recreational activities during the pandemic and provided support to our Public Safety Department. Make your gift today at egrcf.com/giving or select the EGRCF as your charity while shopping on Amazon at smile.amazon.com. At no cost to you, Amazon will make a donation based on your purchases.