Administrator's
Digest

A Message From the Administrator 

It has been great to be out and among people again. I have had the opportunity to speak to various groups recently and have enjoyed getting to know more of our County organizations and people. A major highlight of this activity was the State of the County event hosted at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park last Wednesday. The venue was amazing, the food was great, and Judge Smolenski did a brilliant job of emcee as she typically does. Chair Stek provided comments, we showed the newly released video that portrays “Max” experiencing County services; and then I provided remarks. Click here to view the State of the County speech and read the article below for Max's video. Shoutouts to Kent County Communications and Government Affairs Director Lori Latham, and Amy LeFebre of Truscott Rossman who lived the State of the County for the past few months. Also, shoutouts to Sanda Vazgec, Steve Kelso, Katie VanHevel, and the rest of the staff who helped with research and event logistics. I also spoke recently at the Ada/Cascade Rotary Club and the Churchmen’s Luncheon Group and I am speaking at the Lowell Rotary Club this week. Jenny James and I recently facilitated strategic planning for the Rockford City Council. I even spent a couple of hours riding around Cannonsburg with Parks Supervisor Dan DeLoof and Doug Gale, owner of resort. Fridah Kanini, Founder and CEO of A Glimpse of Africa, invited me to an event that her group sponsored, “Processing the Tragedy as a Community,” where mostly African immigrants interacted with City of Grand Rapids officials regarding the Patrick Lyoya tragedy. In short, its been great meeting people and learning about issues and opinions.  I hope that you find this Administrator’s Digest message informative and as always we welcome your suggestions for articles or general improvement.

County Receives Highest Bond Rating from Major Credit Agencies & Excellence in Financial Reporting Award

(Jeff Dood, Fiscal Services Director)

For the 24^th consecutive year, two of the nation’s major credit agencies, S&P Global and Moody’s, affirmed Kent County’s perfect bond rating with a AAA rating. This rating reflects the County’s prudent fiscal management, continued strong operating fund balance and liquidity, moderate long-term debt, and pension leverage. It also incorporates our large and growing tax base, solid population and employment trends, strong educational attainment, and resident income profile.

Kent County was also awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020. This is the highest form of recognition in governmental accounting and financial reporting and represents a significant accomplishment by a local unit of government and its management. We have received this award for the past 21 years.

Kent County Veterans Services Offering Several Events to Support Veterans

(Rachel Wustman, Veterans Services)

Kent County Veterans Services and partner organizations are offering the following opportunities to support veterans throughout the summer months.

• May 12, 2022, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. - Hidden Wounds of War Conference – The Hidden Wounds of War conference brings awareness and education to the community about treatments for post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries sustained during combat and other difficult situations that arise in military service. The event is hosted by Grand Valley State University, the West Michigan Veterans Coalition, and the Kent County Veteran Services Office. For more information and to register, visit The Hidden Wounds of War - Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies - Grand Valley State University (gvsu.edu).
• May 30, 2022, 10 a.m. - Memorial Day Parade – Hosted by the United Veterans Council of Kent County and City of Grand Rapids, the Memorial Day Parade returns this year and will travel along Division St from I-196 to Veterans Memorial Park (101 Fulton St E) for a Ceremony of Remembrance.
• August 11, 2022, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. - Stand Down for Homeless Veterans – This program is recognized as the most valuable outreach tool to help homeless veterans in the nation today. Kent County Veterans Services will host the 2022 event at 836 Fuller Ave NE to provide information and resources for veterans and their families impacted by homelessness. Lunch will be provided, and all veterans and their loved ones are welcome. For more information, call Veterans Services at (616) 632-5722.
• September 17, 2022, 12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. - ArtPrize Veterans Memorial Park Grand Opening – For the second consecutive year, Veterans Memorial Park (101 Fulton St E, Grand Rapids) will be a veteran-focused ArtPrize venue featuring the artwork of local veterans. The exhibit provides new and long-standing artists an opportunity to showcase their experiences through art and share their talents with the community. The opening event will include a Hooligans Flight Team airshow, food, arts and crafts activities for children, and a chance to interact with the artists. For more information, call Veterans Services at (616) 632-5722.

Click here to review for a full schedule of events.

We're Hiring!

If you or someone that you know is looking for a rewarding career in public service, find out how you can join our team by clicking here!

Two County Employees Honored at GRAAHI Gala

The Grand Rapids African American Health Institute (GRAAHI) recently held its virtual gala to celebrate its 20th anniversary and to honor community members who continue to champion health equity in the community.

Brian Hartl, Director of the Center for Community Health Strategy, Health Department, and Teresa Branson, Chief Inclusion Officer, Kent County were recognized as Hometown Heroes’ at this event. Brian and his team were recognized for their COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing work, as well obtaining and disturbing vaccine to disproportionately impacted communities. Additionally, Teressa and her team were recognized for their work to address disparities and increase vaccinations through community partner engagement, outreach, and communication. Click here to learn more about the gala and the other award winners.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Join the Committee to Honor Cesar E. Chavez in celebration of Cinco de Mayo at the Grand Rapids Public Museum this Thursday. Register here. 

State of the County - County Services 

Many residents of Kent County don't know what the County does to serve them on a daily basis. Check out our 2022 Kent County Services video as we show a day in the life of Max, a Kent County resident. 

First Steps Kent Conducting For Parents with Young Children 

First Steps Kent is partnering with Stanford University to hear from parents of young children in our community about their experiences and needs. This national survey is gathering essential information on how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted families and early childhood development. Parents and caregivers can click this link to see if they are eligible to participate in the survey. Once a survey is completed, a $5 gift card will be mailed to responders within one to two weeks. Click here to learn more about the survey and the latest results. 

Animal Shelter Offering Animal Cruelty/Neglect Training 

(Angela Hollinshead, Animal Shelter Director)

The Animal Shelter is hosting a special training opportunity on Tuesday, May 3 on how animal cruelty and neglect violations are identified and how these cases are processed. The free training will be held at the Kent County Health Department from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Michigan Humane Animals in the Field: Law Enforcement Training program is designed to fill a gap in traditional law enforcement training and provide the information that officers need to respond to animal-related issues in the field. However, this event is not limited to law enforcement or animal control officers and anyone is welcome to join!

Click here to review a flyer with additional event information and feel free to distribute it throughout your networks. If you have any questions or wish to attend, contact the Michigan Humane Statewide Response Team at statewideresponse@michiganhumane.org.