Kent County Administrator's Digest - Community Health Needs Assessment, Dog Park Grand Opening, and more!

I hope you all had a safe and enjoyable Fourth of July holiday! Summer in Kent County is a great time to come together as a community, and we’re excited to kick things off with a new dog park opening later this month and our upcoming Community Fest events on July 29 at Brewer Park and at our North Campus in Cedar Springs on August 13. 

I had a wonderful experience at the Meijer State Games of Michigan last week, along with Commissioner Carol Henessy. As one of the largest Olympic-style sporting events in the state, the Games brought thousands of athletes of all ages to West Michigan to compete in dozens of sports while celebrating teamwork, determination, and healthy lifestyles. It's always inspiring to see so many participants, families, volunteers, and spectators come together, and we're proud that Kent County continues to play a key role in hosting this outstanding event. 

As always, please let us know if you have articles, topics, or ideas that you would like to include in future newsletters. - Al Vanderberg

Your voice can guide the future of our community. Our Health Department and Community Action teams are partnering on a combined Community Health Needs Assessment to better understand the needs, strengths, and priorities of our community.

If you are 13 or older and live in Kent County, we invite you to complete a brief, anonymous survey that takes about 10-15 minutes and is available in multiple languages. Your feedback will help guide programs, services, and investments that support residents over the next several years. Please consider taking the survey below and sharing it with friends, family, and neighbors so we can hear from as many community members as possible.

Join our Parks Department on Friday, July 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. as we celebrate the grand opening of Wahlfield Dog Park at Wahlfield Park North - the first dog park in the Kent County Parks system!

The celebration begins with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring Kent County leaders, community partners, and Fritz Wahlfield Jr., followed by the opportunity to explore the new 10-acre park, complete with separate areas for small and large dogs, walking trails, a swimming pond with a beach and jumping dock, and a dog wash station. Guests can also enjoy K-9 demonstrations from the Sheriff's Office, Animal Shelter resources, dog-friendly treats for purchase, and giveaways for the first 150 canine guests while supplies last.

Whether you have a dog or simply love seeing happy pups, everyone is welcome to join the celebration!

Our Community Action team is hosting a free food distribution for income-eligible Kent County residents on Thursday, July 9, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., or while supplies last. The distribution will take place at 121 MLK Jr. St. SE in Grand Rapids, with the distribution line beginning on Jefferson Avenue. Food boxes may include milk and cheese, canned or frozen meat, dry pasta and cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, and other pantry staples.

The program helps individuals and families facing financial challenges by providing nutritious food and easing the strain of rising grocery costs or unexpected expenses. Through partnerships with state and federal food assistance programs, Community Action is working to reduce food insecurity across the community.

Learn more at kentcountymi.gov/TEFAP or call 616-632-7950.

We’re excited to share that BISSELL Pet Foundation’s “Empty the Shelters” adoption event is happening July 5 - 26 at our Animal Shelter. As the nation’s largest funded adoption event, Empty the Shelters helps make adoption more affordable by offering reduced fees - often $70 or less - for pets who are already spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped.

The program is designed to help more pets find loving homes while also supporting shelters through reimbursement for each adoption, creating a true “win-win-win”: adopters win with an affordable new companion, shelters win through increased awareness and support, and pets win most of all by finding a loving home. 

Please visit here to help give a pet their second chance at a forever home.

Congratulations to Probate Judge David M. Murkowski on receiving the Frank J. Kelley Distinguished Public Service Award from the State Bar of Michigan. The award recognizes extraordinary government service and honors Judge Murkowski's decades of leadership and dedication to the legal profession.

Judge Murkowski has served as a Kent County Probate Judge for 20 years, including 17 years as Chief Judge. Throughout his career, he has held numerous statewide leadership roles, helped shape Michigan trust law, and educated legal and healthcare professionals across the state.

Congratulations to Judge Murkowski on this well-deserved recognition and thank you for your outstanding service to Kent County.

During Pollinator Week in late June, our friends at John Ball Zoo celebrated the important role pollinators play in healthy ecosystems while highlighting the Zoo's Great Lakes Rare Butterfly Program. Since 2021, the program has helped release thousands of endangered Mitchell's satyr and Poweshiek skipperling butterflies into their native habitats and recently expanded to include the Karner blue butterfly.

Working alongside regional conservation and research partners, the Zoo is helping restore populations of these rare Michigan species while engaging the community through education and outreach. Pollinator Week is always a great opportunity to recognize how butterflies, bees, and other pollinators support the natural world and to encourage simple actions such as planting native flowers and creating pollinator-friendly spaces throughout Kent County.

Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) developed a playbook for Michigan employers when their employees’ transportation barriers impact operations.

Recognizing that a reliable, resilient workforce is a competitive advantage, LEO identified small, smart steps to reduce absenteeism and make transportation part of a retention strategy. The Reliable Rides: Connecting Workers to Jobs is available online, along with additional LEO tools and resources.