A MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

Season’s greetings, friends and neighbors!

It was a pleasure seeing many of you at the annual Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony last month, and it’s wonderful to continue to connect as we’re out and about enjoying our festive city. Be sure to stop by Gaslight Village for any last-minute gifts. Special thanks to City staff and the Gaslight Village Business Association for making this time of year extra special with all the lights, decorations and cherished traditions.

EGR Coffee Talk returns 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 12 at Bagel Kitchen. The coffee is on me, so please mark your calendar and join me for some great coffee and conversation. 

Our next community blood drive takes place 2-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 16 in Room 102 at the Community Center, 750 Lakeside Drive SE. While walk-ins are welcome, appointments are preferred. Schedule online or call 866.642.5663. 

Be sure to save any recyclable materials during the holidays for E-GReen Sustainability Initiative’s recycling event. The organization encourages community members to properly dispose of electronic waste and foam packaging 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 6 at the EGR Public Works building, 2310 Reeds Lake Blvd. SE. Learn more, including a list of accepted items, here.

I am also available to meet with residents during weekday office hours, additional Coffee Talk hours and weekends. If you have questions or would like to discuss something, please contact me by email or call 616.949.2110, ext. 887 to schedule a meeting. 

Happy holidays! 

Katie

FINANCE & CITY ADMINISTRATION

CITY OFFICE HOLIDAY CLOSURES

City offices will be closed Monday, Dec. 25, Tuesday, Dec. 26 and Monday, Jan. 1 for the holidays. Public Safety will continue to provide 24/7 support to our community during this time.

City offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27 and Tuesday, Jan. 2.

NEXT CITY COMMISSION MEETING: JAN. 8
Due to the New Year’s holiday, the next City Commission meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 8 at the Community Center, 750 Lakeside Drive SE.  

Community members can also watch the meeting live via the City’s YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/3koI057. 

WINTER PROPERTY TAXES DUE FEB. 14

Winter property taxes are due Feb. 14. Payments can be made online, by mail, via the drop box at the Community Center, 750 Lakeside Drive SE, or in person at the Community Center. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3FdEvXy. 

FEB. 27 ELECTION

The next scheduled election is the presidential primary on Tuesday, Feb. 27. The last day to register for this election by mail or in person anywhere but the City Clerk's Office is Feb. 12. 

We will offer nine days of early voting 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 17-25 in Room 105 at the Community Center, 750 Lakeside Drive SE, except for Feb. 21, when it will be available 11 a.m.-7 p.m.  

Under new state laws, we have also consolidated our voting precincts. Review your new card or visit mi.gov/vote for your polling location.  

More information about elections in East is available at eastgr.org/elections.

PUBLIC SAFETY

CHIEF HERALD RETIRING
Join us in wishing Public Safety Director Mark Herald a wonderful retirement starting in March. He has served as our public safety director since 2006, implementing and overseeing numerous programs, accreditations and teams that have made EGR and our surrounding community a safer place to live, work and play. The City will conduct a national search for his replacement. 

Read more about Chief Herald’s accomplishments during his 40-year law enforcement career here.

RECRUITS SWORN IN 
Our Public Safety recruits recently graduated from the Grand Valley State University Police Academy and were sworn in as EGR public safety officers on Dec. 13. They are pictured from left: Cassidy Forbes, Marcus Crump and Matthew Milan. Join us in welcoming them to the East Grand Rapids community. If you see Officers Forbes, Crump and Milan around town or at City events, feel free to say hello and introduce yourself.

PUBLIC WORKS

HOLIDAY TREE PICKUP

Public Works will collect natural holiday trees and wreaths for chipping Jan. 2-12. Please remove lights, ribbons and ornaments from the greenery and place the tree or wreath in the right-of-way on the day before your regular pickup day. More at eastgr.org/debris.

PARKS & RECREATION

SPORTS NIGHT OUT

Sports Night Out returns Saturday, Jan. 13. Elementary school-aged children and their adult chaperones are invited to join us 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the East Grand Rapids High School gym for a fun evening of games, challenges and activities. Plus, there’s a photo booth so you can have a keepsake from the evening. 

Registration is open online. The cost is $19 for residents and $24 for non-residents. Please note: Adult chaperones also need to register. The cost increases $5 after Jan. 5.

ALL-AGES OPEN SWIM

All-ages open swim will be available 4-6 p.m. Dec. 26-28 and Jan. 2-4 at Wealthy Pool, 1961 Lake Drive.

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

KENT DISTRICT LIBRARY: EAST GRAND RAPIDS BRANCH

• Snowfest Craft Time – 10-11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27: Celebrate the snowy season with winter-themed craftmaking fun for all ages.
• Countdown to Happy Noon Year – 11 a.m.-noon Friday, Dec. 29: We're giving kids an exciting way to ring in the new year with a countdown, noisemakers, crafts and fun – at an hour that won't keep them up way past their bedtimes.
• John Ball Zoo's Winter Animals – 1-2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 4: John Ball Zoo will bring the zoo to KDL. Learn how animals adapt to survive the winter and interact with live zoo animals in the library.

The library will be closed for the holidays Dec. 24-26 and Jan. 1. 

E-GREEN SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE
 The E-GReen Sustainability Initiative invites the community to its electronic waste and foam packaging recycling event 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan. 6 at the EGR Public Works building, 2310 Reeds Lake Blvd. SE. Learn more, including a list of accepted items, here. 

EAST GRAND RAPIDS SCHOOLS FOUNDATION
The Foundation is celebrating its 40th birthday by providing East Grand Rapids Public Schools a $650,000 gift this school year, made possible by its donors. The Foundation is also counting down its top 40 grants of the past 40 years. View them all at egrsf.org/what-we-do/top-40-grants-of-all-time.html.

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