A Note From The Administrator
As the days grow warmer and Spring arrives, there’s even more to celebrate: Justin Verlander is back with the Detroit Tigers for a farewell tour! His return reminds us to cherish the incredible moments of the past while looking forward to brighter days ahead - and we are ready for all the energy and excitement the season brings.
From cheering on our favorite teams to enjoying local concerts, festivals, and community events, Kent County is a hub for sports, culture, and fun. There is plenty of reasons to get out, celebrate, and connect with our community.
As always, please let us know if you have articles, topics, or ideas that you would like to include in future newsletters.
- Al Vanderberg
|
Sheriff’s Office Correctional Facility Earns Elite National Distinction
This rigorous accreditation evaluates facilities against national standards for safety, staff training, medical care, and operational accountability. Only a small percentage of jails nationwide pursue ACA accreditation, which must be renewed every three years - reflecting our continued commitment to operating above the standard for the residents of Kent County.
Congratulations and thank you to our Corrections staff and leadership for their hard work on this accomplishment. Read more here.
|
Sign Up For Walk For Warmth
Join our Community Action (KCCA) team at their 38th annual Walk For Warmth event next Saturday, February 28! Walk For Warmth is a short walk around KCCA's block, at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Street in Grand Rapids, to raise money for families in Kent County who need assistance paying their heating bill and have received a utility shut off notice for gas, electric, and deliverable fuels like propane.
You can help! Put on your walking shoes (or boots!) and join us. You can participate in the event by walking or donating. To learn more, visit here. The event begins at 9 a.m. on February 28.
|
2025 Kent County Veteran of the Year: Lt. Col. Denny Gillem
At Thursday's Board of Commissioners meeting, our Board proudly recognized Lt. Col. Denny Gillem, U.S. Army (Retired) as the recipient of the 2025 Veteran of the Year Award.
A West Point graduate, Lt. Col. Gillem served 22 years on active duty, including two tours in Vietnam as an Airborne Ranger, earning two Purple Hearts and seven awards for valor. He also served as a Mideast War Planner at U.S. Readiness Command, led the Army ROTC at the University of Tampa, and advised the Michigan National Guard.
After retiring, Denny and his wife Marilyn settled in Western Michigan. He has held leadership, consulting, and academic roles, teaching American Government at Grand Rapids Community College and political science and management at the University of Phoenix. He was the founding chair of the 1776 Society of Veterans and has served in senior positions on state and national political campaigns. He also served as past-chair of the Grand Rapids Area Chamber’s Business Networking Committee.
Please join our Veterans Services team and staff in congratulating Lt. Col. Gillem for this well-deserved recognition!
Hot Wings & Hot Topics With Our County Administrator
County Secures Mass Timber Grant for Innovative Proposed New Administration Building
Kent County has been awarded $25,000 through the Michigan Mass Timber Catalyst Program to support early planning and design for our proposed Administration Building at 750 Fuller Ave in Grand Rapids. The program, led by Mass Timber at MSU in partnership with the Michigan DNR, Michigan Green Building Collaborative, and WoodWorks, promotes innovative, sustainable construction using mass timber.
Along with funding, our team will receive a year of technical assistance to help ensure successful implementation, advancing sustainability, innovation, and smart public investment.
We’re grateful to our partners and staff for their work to build a more resilient, forward-thinking Kent County. Read more here.
|
You're Invited To Learn About The Importance of Succession and Transfer Planning
Ensuring a job is well done often comes down to having the right tools. When it comes to protecting farmland, one of the most effective tools is having a succession or transfer plan in place.
Between 2017 and 2022, Kent County saw farmland acreage decline by about 9%, even as the number of farms increased by 4% - a clear sign of development pressure and fragmentation. Given these trends, land transfer plans have never been more important.
But transferring a viable agricultural operation can be daunting, whether you’re at the beginning or end of your ag career. It’s hard to feel confident that every aspect is being handled properly. Farming Forward is here to help.
Join us on Tuesday, March 17 at King Milling Co in Lowell for Farming Forward, a free workshop where you’ll learn how to start (or continue) working on a succession or transfer plan for your farm operation. Sessions will cover estate planning, agricultural conservation easements, tools to connect beginning farmers with your land, and mediation services when things don’t go quite as planned. Learn more and register here!
|
Board of Commissioners Tour Acrisure Amphitheater
Members of our Board of Commissioners were excited to take a behind-the-scenes hard hat tour of the new Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids. The venue will feature 12,000 seats (7,000 fixed seats and 5,000 lawn seats), manufactured by Irwin Seating, bringing large-scale, high-quality entertainment to our community.
Developments like this mean more than a new venue - they support local jobs, boost economic activity, and create new opportunities for residents to gather and enjoy world-class experiences close to home. A big thank you to Pioneer Construction for hosting our tour and sharing a firsthand look at this exciting project coming together.
Talk Before They Try: A Health Department Guide for Parents
Parenting isn’t easy, and our Health Department is here to help. Talk Before They Try is a 10-episode video series, adapted from the Botvin LifeSkills Training Parent Program, designed to give parents and caregivers practical tools to help their children build confidence, resist peer pressure, and say “no” to substances like vaping, alcohol, and marijuana.
The series includes engaging lessons with real-world examples, expert interviews with local behavioral and prevention professionals, skills you can practice at home with your children, and conversation starters to make tough topics easier. Start guiding your child today with skills that last a lifetime. View the whole series here.
|
Every Pet Deserves a Winning Home
We know there was a big game last weekend, but we’ve got our own all-stars ready to play! Make one of the all-star pups, in this video, part of your home team by visiting our Animal Shelter in person or browsing adoptable pets online here. Your next MVP might be waiting for you.
Our Animal Shelter team provides temporary care and shelter for lost, unwanted, and abused animals while working to match pets with responsible, loving homes. We also offer programs that promote pet safety and responsible ownership, work to reduce pet overpopulation, and provide outreach and support to help keep families and pets together. View some of our available pups in this video!
|
History Worth Digging For (But Don't)
What would you do if you found Chief Wabasis’s buried treasure, worth millions today?
Hidden within Wabasis Lake Park lies the mystery of Chief John Wabasis, a 19th-century leader exiled for selling tribal land to settlers. Local lore claims that before he was killed, Wabasis hid a fortune of $50,000 in gold - worth millions today - inside a local limestone cave (pictures with descriptions here).
While the cave has since been filled in, it remains a magnet for treasure hunters. However, our Parks Department offers a stern reminder: while our history is worth "digging up" figuratively, literal digging is illegal and will lead to an arrest. For now, the treasure remains a secret of the woods.
|
New K9 Team Joins Our 17th Circuit Court
Last week, our Administrator’s Office welcomed a special visitor - K9 Champ, along with his handler, Deputy Corey Pierce. Deputy Pierce and Champ are a new K9 team who will be stationed at the 17th Circuit Court in Grand Rapids.
They’ll be taking over for K9 Ghost and Deputy Hendrix, who recently retired after years of dedicated service. As part of the Kent County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit, Champ is a highly trained working dog - and just as importantly, an incredibly sweet boy. We thoroughly enjoyed spending time with him during his visit.
K9s in our Sheriff's Office are carefully bred and selected for their intelligence and exceptional sense of smell. These highly skilled dogs assist with locating fugitives and missing persons, as well as detecting narcotics, weapons, and explosives.
John Ball Zoo Mountain Lion Leads the Way in Cooperative Care
At John Ball Zoo, animals don’t just receive care. They choose it. That’s exactly what Elsa, one of the Zoo’s mountain lions, demonstrated through voluntary healthcare training.
Since October 21, Elsa has been training to offer her tail through a mesh barrier and accept gentle touches from her keepers. A blood pressure cuff was slowly introduced, and Elsa officially completed her very first voluntary blood pressure reading on November 26. This achievement underscores the Zoo’s commitment to low-stress, choice-based care for the animals.
By empowering Elsa to participate in her own care, the Zoo enhances animal welfare, strengthens trust between animals and caregivers, and reduces the need for anesthesia. It’s a powerful example of how dedicated care and training improves the lives of animals at John Ball Zoo.
|
Statewide Grant Brings Stronger Support to Local Conservation
Michigan’s conservation efforts are getting a major boost. The Michigan Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) has received a $1.6 million, three-year grant from the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation to strengthen conservation leadership, coordination, and water quality protection across the state.
Beginning in 2026, the investment will help build stronger systems, expand leadership training, and improve statewide coordination - allowing local Conservation Districts, including Kent CD, to focus more on protecting soil health, water quality, and the Great Lakes.
Locally, residents are encouraged to attend the Kent Conservation District Annual Showcase on Thursday, March 19, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. at the Rockford Sportsman’s Club. The evening will feature networking, dinner, and a presentation on regenerative agriculture and the Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program (MAEAP). To RSVP, call 616-222-5846.
|
Explore Rewarding Careers At Kent County Today
Working for the County, you will have the opportunity to serve the public and your community. We have employment opportunities in general government, health, public safety, judicial, recreational, and much more. To view our open positions and apply, visit kentcountymi.gov/jobs. To learn more about our employee value proposition, visit here.
|
