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A Note From the Administrator
With Labor Day weekend behind us, the unofficial beginning of fall brings in the new school year along with the football season!
Last week, I was honored to spend some time with Paweł Zyzak, the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago, to talk about Kent County and learn more about Poland and our Midwestern Polish community. Paweł Zyzak was in Grand Rapids to rededicate a monument in Holy Cross Cemetery to local men who fought for the independence of Poland.
In response to the extreme weather on August 24 causing extensive property damage in Kent County, the Kent County Board of Commissioners Chair Stan Stek declared a seven day local state of emergency. The Board of Commissioners subsequently met this morning (Sept. 5) to extend this declaration until midnight on Sept. 27, 2023.
Please let us know if you have articles, topics, or ideas that you would like to include in future newsletters.
- Al Vanderberg
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New Equalization Director
Kent County has hired Megan VanHoose as our new equalization director. She will start in her role today, September 5, and is replacing Matt Woolford who retired in June after 26 years of service.
The Equalization Department handles assessments and evaluations of all commercial, private, and residential property for the purposes of county taxes. In her new role, VanHoose will design and implement an accurate system of property tax valuations throughout Kent County. She will also develop programs to improve property valuation data and oversee the County’s re-monumentation program.
Most recently, VanHoose was an assessor for Gaines Charter Township in Kent County and for Eureka Charter Township in Montcalm County. Welcome to the Kent County team Megan!
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Community Needs Assessment
Earlier this year, Kent County Community Action (KCCA) completed its triennial Community Needs Assessment. This report helps KCCA identify service gaps, propose solutions, and adjust programming to meet Kent County resident’s needs. More than 1,000 community members and 62 service providers participated in the survey. The research found that the median household income is not enough for a family of four and that about 25% of households in Kent County spend more than 1/3 of their income on housing. In addition to housing, transportation and broadband access were also identified as top needs among community members.
The entirety of the Community Needs Assessment was considered and lead to key recommendations that will be used to inform decision making about policies and programs. Those recommendations include reducing inequity, expanding the population served, bringing community partners together, and ensuring all client needs are met. Click here to review the full Community Needs Assessment report.
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Employees of the Quarter
One of Kent County’s Core Values is to provide high-quality service to internal and external customers. Zorimar Johnson, a Juvenile Probation Officer Supervisor within the 17th Circuit Court, and Michelle (Shellie) Sutherlin, a Clerk III within our Clerk/Register of Deeds Office, were selected as Employees of the Quarter at last week's Board of Commissioner's meeting for living out this value. Here are a few quotes from the nominating employee and community member about their exemplary work:
"Zorimar is always willing to assist Spanish-speaking guests by interpreting for them to help staff to understand what our guests need. [She] is pleasant and patient, listens intently to guests and asks for clarification when needed. She is a true asset to the Circuit Court - Family Division.”
"Mrs. Shellie Sutherlin truly makes the business at the Kent County Clerk’s Office function effectively! She helped us to see two emergency CPL’s to fruition in a timely manner. She was efficient, super warm and truly empathetic of our predicament."
Congrats to Zorimar and Shellie!
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John Ball Zoo Receives $14M in State Budget
John Ball Zoo hosted Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks and Rep. Carol Glanville as they presented $14 million in state funding for the Zoo to continue its important mission of preserving wildlife and wild places. The funding will help John Ball Zoo accelerate its master plan, which includes numerous exciting projects, and continue to provide world-class educational opportunities and create huge economic benefits for West Michigan. The Zoo’s leadership team is currently assessing how the funds will be used to maximize the Zoo’s economic impact, quality of life for West Michigan residents, and the conservation of wildlife and wild places.
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Highlighting Available Services at the Animal Shelter
One of the biggest struggles at the Kent County Animal Shelter (KCAS) is getting information out to the residents about their available services. From lost pet reunification to pet food support during times of financial crisis, KCAS is a community resource. By disseminating this information among your colleagues, social media networks, and local affiliations, you will help us spread the word.
KCAS has several hundred pre-printed cardstock postcards available for distribution if anyone is interested. Please get in touch with KCAS staff at KCAS@kentcountymi.gov to get your postcards today. You can help them get pets home faster and help ensure people and pets stay together!
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Female Veterans Celebration
August 29 was Kent County Veterans Services' 3rd annual Female Veterans Celebration! They gathered at the Bissel Tree House at John Ball Zoo and broke bread while mingling and listening to three powerful female veterans speak (two of whom are on the Veterans Services' Advisory Committee). And after the celebration, event guests were able to enjoy the zoo for the remainder of the day!
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Staff Visits Jim Crow Exhibit at Grand Rapids Public Museum
Kent County Administrator’s C-Suite team and Office of Inclusion’s Cultural Insight Council (CIC) members had the opportunity to visit the Grand Rapids Public Museum's traveling "Overcoming Hateful Things" exhibition.
The exhibit features stories from the Jim Crow Museum of Racist Imagery, explores the Jim Crow system, the African American experience through this era, and the legacies of this system in modern society. The traveling exhibition contains over 150 items of material culture from the late 19th century to the present, embodying the terrible effects of the Jim Crow legacy. It was an educational and thought provoking experience for our team.
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Impacting the Community Starts with You. Click here to see current career opportunities.
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