Feb 24, 2026 Community Development Committee Meeting

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915, AND WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CALL OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE MEETING

[1. Resolution approving a Fireworks Discharge Permit for Strictly FX for Indoor Special Effects at the Van Andel Arena in Connection with I Prevail on February 24, 2026]

[2. Resolution approving a Fireworks Discharge Permit for Broadway Grand Rapids & Juliet Performances for Indoor Special Effects at the DeVos Performance Hall in Connection with Juliet-The New Musical from March 10, 2026, through March 15, 2026]

[3. Resolution approving a Fireworks Discharge Permit for Strictly FX for Indoor Special Effects at the Van Andel Arena in Connection with Bailey Zimmerman on March 12, 2026]

[4. Resolution awarding a contract with Bazen Electric Co. for Electrical Improvements at WRRF North Secondary Control Building in the amount of $1,763,067 with total amount not-to-exceed $2,763,935]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR I AND I'M I AND I'M COMMISSIONER I WON'T ASK YOU TO VOTE ON THAT ONE BUT

[5. Resolution approving an agreement with MDOT for the Construction of Grand River Edges Trail East – Leonard Street to Grand Rapids Eastern Railroad and authorizing $2,140,352 for the local share of costs]

SO THIS IS A LONG TRAIL. THIS IS ONE PART OF A PHASE OR IS THIS A FINAL PHASE. WHERE ARE WE AT IN THE WHOLE PROCESS OF THE VISION. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PHASES. THERE ARE MULTIPLE PHASES THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED. THIS IS CLOSING A SIGNIFICANT GAP. SO THIS THIS CLOSES PART OF OUR NORTHERN PORTION TO THE SOUTH. WE ALSO HAVE TRAIL PROJECTS GOING ON, INCLUDING THE OXFORD TRAIL AND THE GRAND RIVER EDGES NEAR THE AMPHITHEATER. SO THAT PROJECT IS CURRENTLY ALSO GOING ON AND BEING CONSTRUCTED. WE STILL HAVE SOME GAPS WHERE WE'RE WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO CONTINUE CLOSING THOSE GAPS. WONDERFUL.

AND THIS SECONDARY FOLLOW UP WOULD BE, I GUESS, MAYBE FOR MOBILE GR DOES THIS CONNECT TO ANY OF OUR EXISTING BIKE LANE INFRASTRUCTURES OR OTHER WALKABILITY THINGS? I WOULD LIKE TO HAND IT BACK OVER TO THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. I THINK ONE OF THE CRITICAL CONNECTIONS ON THIS ONE IS CALEDONIA STREET, AND THAT TIES INTO BIKE FACILITIES THAT GO EAST WEST. AND THIS TRAIL ALSO DOES COME OUT TO THE ROADS AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS. SO THERE'S

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IS THAT CORRECT? AND I'M GUESSING WE DON'T HAVE ANY CONSIDERATION BECAUSE THE WORK HAS BEEN STARTED OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE COMPLETED? DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE I DO WANT YOU.

THANK YOU. SO ALONG THE GREENWAY. SO THE ORIGINAL GREENWAY GRANT THAT CAME TO THE CITY AND KENT COUNTY AND ADA TOWNSHIP, I BELIEVE, RECEIVED A PORTION OF THAT AS WELL, WAS ARPA DOLLARS FLOWING THROUGH THE STATE AND THEN DEGREE TO THOSE THREE JURISDICTIONS.

THOSE FUNDS DO NEED TO BE EXPENDED BY THE END OF 2026. WE, THE CITY, ALSO PUT SOME OF OUR ARPA DOLLARS IN PORTIONS. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY ARPA DOLLARS IN THIS PARTICULAR CITY, ARPA DOLLARS IN THIS PARTICULAR PORTION. BUT AGAIN, THOSE NEED TO BE EXPENDED BY THE END OF 2026. WE HAVE A LOT OF MEASURES IN PLACE TO MONITOR THAT AND AND PUSH THAT AND MEET THAT OBJECTIVE. SO CURRENTLY, SOMETHING WE ARE ALL MONITORING ON A PRETTY MUCH THREE, 3 TO 4 WEEK BASIS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE PUSHING OUT. IT'S A LOT FOR THE CONTRACTOR COMMUNITY TO WORK THROUGH. SO THAT'S OUR ARPA MONEY. AND WE OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY IF WE THINK AND WE'LL PROBABLY MAKE THAT DETERMINATION THE CLOSER WE GET TO BUDGETARY CONVERSATIONS, I IMAGINE. SO THE ARPA CITY ARPA DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN AWARDED WERE AWARDED THERE IN THE PROJECT BUDGETS. WE ARE SPENDING THEM NOW AND THEY WILL BE SPENT BY 2020, WOULD BE SPENT BY THE END OF 2026, BARRING SOME KIND OF CRAZY THING HAPPENING. WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IF WE DID IT AND FOR SOME CRAZY REASON, WE CAN SHIFT THOSE DOLLARS. YES. AND MOLLY.

YES. AND THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER HAS HER EYE ON THAT. AND SOME OF IT MAY REQUIRE COMMISSION ACTION TO MOVE IT AROUND. SOME MAY NOT. YEAH. I THINK IT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO I THINK AS WE START THAT BUDGET PROCESS, I ASSUME ALSO WE WOULD THAT WOULD BE PART OF THE BUDGET CONVERSATION, JUST SO WE WOULDN'T LEAVE ANY OF THOSE DOLLARS ON THE TABLE. BUT THEN CAN YOU SPEAK TO AGAIN, THE DEGREE WAS THE WAS THE ENTITY THAT RECEIVED THAT? WAS IT 75 MILLION, 55 MILLION, 5 MILLION. IT WAS 55 MILLION. AND THAT IS TO ULTIMATELY, THE VISION IS TO CONNECT A GREENWAY TRAIL ALL THROUGH KENT COUNTY AND CONNECT UP TO OTTAWA COUNTY. THAT OVERALL PROJECT IS IS A MUCH BIGGER NUMBER, BUT THE 55 MILLION WAS APPORTIONED BETWEEN CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS PROJECTS, KENT COUNTY PROJECTS AND AN ADA TOWNSHIP PROJECT. THANKS FOR RESTATING THAT. IT'S BEEN SOME TIME SINCE THAT THOSE DOLLARS AND HERE WE ARE IN 2026. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT OVERVIEW, MISS BEHRENS, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ITEM?

[6. Resolution awarding a contract with C&D Hughes Inc for Water Service Replacement in OAKWOOD AVENUE from Knapp Street to Cheshire Drive and Reconstruction of OAKWOOD AVENUE from Cheshire Drive to Three Mile Road in the amount of $4,957,748 with total amount not-to-exceed $6,190,962]

COLLEAGUES HEARING NONE. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR. AYE. ANY OPPOSED. ITEM CARRIES. ITEM

[7. Resolution awarding a contract with Anlaan Corporation for Oxford from Norwich to Godfrey Reconstruction in the amount of 1,986,602 with total amount not-to-exceed $2,834,733]

A NEW SEWER WILL BE PLACED AND THEN THE BRIDGE WILL BE REHABILITATED AND THE ROAD WILL BE NARROWED TO HELP SLOW TRAFFIC. THIS ALSO SUPPORTS OUR OXFORD TRAIL PROJECT BY.

PREPARING THE BRIDGE FOR THE TRAIL TO GO UNDERNEATH, AS WELL AS RELOCATING THE SEWER FOR A

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[8. Resolution approving an agreement with MDOT for the Rotomill/Resurfacing of Monroe Avenue from Newberry Street to Coldbrook Street and authorizing $791,120 for the local share of costs]

I'M PROBABLY GUESSING MY QUESTION. WE HAVE THE PARK THAT IS, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY HALF WAY THROUGH THAT. CONSTRUCTION PHASES. AND WE'VE HAD ALSO SOME OTHER CONSTRUCTION OVER THERE THAT HAS, YOU KNOW, CAUSED SOME CONCERN FOR NEIGHBORS AND SOME OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE AREA.

WE ALSO KNOW, I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT TEAM, JUST SOME OF OUR COMMERCIAL CORRIDORS WHO'VE HAD THOSE CHALLENGES REALLY RELATES TO PARKING. WHAT'S THE TIME FRAME OF THIS? WHAT'S ANY OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE TAKEN FROM KIND OF THOSE SCENARIOS TO MAKE SURE THAT, AGAIN, JUST KNOWING THAT THERE'S A CANAL PARK THERE AND IT'S IT'S SORT OF NOT, HEY, THIS IS WHAT IT IS ALL THE TIME, BUT THERE'S A NUMBER OF NUMBER OF INVESTMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING. SO THERE'S BEEN EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING INDIVIDUAL MEETINGS WITH BUSINESSES WHO HAVE CONCERNS. THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE IS ROUGHLY EIGHT WEEKS LONG. THERE'S INTENTIONALITY TO ONLY DO ONE SIDE OF THE STREET AT A TIME. SO ONE DIRECTION WILL BE OPEN AT ALL TIMES. ALL ALSO SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING TO DIRECT PEOPLE TO PARKING AND SIDEWALKS WILL BE OPEN ON AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF THE STREET AT ALL TIMES. SO MAINTAINING ACCESS, TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE NAVIGATE AND STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THE BUSINESSES. OKAY. AND YOU SAID EIGHT WEEKS. EIGHT WEEKS. OKAY. AND WHEN'S THE ANTICIPATED START TIME? I BELIEVE WE'RE LOOKING AT MAY JUNE, BUT WE ARE JUST AWARDING.

WE WILL HAVE PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETINGS AND WE SEND OUT PRE WE HAVE PRE-CONSTRUCTION MEETINGS WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO LET THEM KNOW THE SCHEDULE OKAY. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. ALL THOSE

[9. Resolution awarding a contract with Lodestar Construction, Inc. for Various Locations Trench Repair - 2026-1 in the amount of $976,690 with total amount not-to-exceed $1,120,000]

[10. Resolution approving time extension for Geotechnical Services and Construction Materials Testing Professional Services with no increase to the previously approved not-to-exceed of $7,000,000.]

[11. Resolution approving a time extension for the Agreement with Dixon Engineering, Inc. for Evaluation & Maintenance of Structures and Coatings with no increase to the previously authorized not-to-exceed of $250,000.]

FOR EVALUATION AND MAINTENANCE STRUCTURES AND COATINGS WITH NO INCREASE TO THE PREVIOUSLY

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[12. Resolution accepting multiple easements at 915 Leffingwell Avenue 2984 Bradford Street and 2848 Bradford Street in connection with Leffingwell and Bradford Reconstruction for a nominal fee of $1.00 each]

[13. Resolution scheduling a public hearing for March 17, 2026, to consider an amendment to the City of Grand Rapids Brownfield Plan to include the Knapp Hills Redevelopment project located at 2070 Dean Lake Avenue NE]

[14. Resolution scheduling a public hearing for March 17, 2026, to consider an amendment to the City of Grand Rapids Brownfield Plan to include the Lake Eastbrook Apartments Redevelopment project located at 3538 Lake Eastbrook Blvd. SE]

COLLEAGUES, QUESTIONS ON THIS ITEM. HEARING NO OTHER HEARING NO OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

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[15. Resolution awarding a contract with Taplin Group, LLC for the Grand River Revitalization Project in the amount of $14,562,625.98 with a total amount not-to-exceed $25,982,101]

ASSUMING THE GENTLEMAN FROM THE TAPLIN GROUP. NO, NO. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MIKE STALL.

SORRY WITH THE CITY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. MIKE, I'VE SEEN YOU BEFORE. I JUST WANTED TO BREAK THE ICE. SO GOOD ONE THOUGH. I'M SORRY. OKAY. ALRIGHT. SO MY NAME IS MIKE STAHL. I'M WITH THE CITY ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. I'M HERE WITH MATT CHAPMAN, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF GRAND RAPIDS WHITEWATER. AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO BE HERE THIS MORNING BECAUSE AFTER 17 YEARS OF HARD WORK, WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD STATUS UPDATE FOR YOU. WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON REMOVING THE FIVE DAMS IN THE GRAND RIVER THAT ARE IN THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS, AND ABOUT EIGHT YEARS AGO, WE LOOKED AT THE COMPLEXITY THAT THESE PROJECTS HAD, AND THEY HAD THE DIFFERENT PHASES OF WORK, HAD INDEPENDENT UTILITY, MEANING THEY COULD BE DONE SEPARATELY.

SO WE DECIDED TO SPLIT THESE PROJECTS INTO TWO DIFFERENT PROJECTS. SO ON THE SLIDES I'M SHOWING, THERE'S AN UPPER REACH AND A LOWER REACH PROJECT. THE UPPER REACH PROJECT CONTEMPLATES THE REMOVAL OF THE SIXTH STREET DAM, WHICH ACTS AS THAT SEA LAMPREY BARRIER.

BECAUSE OF THAT SEA LAMPREY BARRIER WOULD BE INVOLVED. THAT WORK IS BEING LED BY THE GREAT LAKES FISHERY COMMISSION. THEY ARE EARLY IN THEIR STAGES OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY, WHICH THEY'RE ESTIMATING TO TAKE ABOUT TWO YEARS, AND THE DESIGN PROCESS WOULD FOLLOW AFTER THAT. THE ITEM WE'RE BRINGING FORWARD TO YOU THIS MORNING IS FOR THE LOWER REACH PROJECT, WHICH IS PROPOSES TO REMOVE FOUR DAMS IN BETWEEN I ONE, 96 AND FULTON STREET AND REPLACE IT WITH NATURAL ROCK FEATURES. ON JANUARY 13TH, WE RECEIVED TWO DIFFERENT BIDS.

THE TAPLIN GROUP WAS THE LOW BID WITH AN AMOUNT OF $14,562,625.98, WHICH WAS BELOW THE ENGINEER'S ESTIMATE. THE TAPLIN GROUP IS HEADQUARTERED IN KALAMAZOO, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE AN OFFICE IN GRANVILLE. THEY ARE USED TO WORKING ON DAMS. THEY RECENTLY COMPLETED A DAM REHABILITATION PROJECT FOR KENT COUNTY ON THE FALLSBURG DAM. THEY ALSO HAVE OTHER ONGOING WORK WITH KENT COUNTY AND THE CITY OF WYOMING. BEFORE MR. CHAPMAN SHARES DETAILS OF WHAT THE RIVER'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE, OR I WANT TO SHARE IMPACTS OF HOW CONSTRUCTION MAY BE FELT IN OUR COMMUNITY. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THAT A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, WHICH IS THE AREA IN BLUE ON THE SCREEN, THAT FROM GILLETTE BRIDGE TO BRIDGE STREET, WILL BE CLOSED FROM THIS SPRING FOR APPROXIMATELY THE NEXT TWO YEARS, THIS AREA WILL BE USED AS THE MAIN STAGING AND ACCESS FOR THE TAPLIN GROUP TO GET DOWN INTO THE RIVER. THE SECOND IMPACT THAT I WANTED TO NOTE WAS THAT ACCORDING TO STATE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS, THE RIVER WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR USE WHILE CONSTRUCTION IS ONGOING. AND SO FOR THOSE USERS OF THE RIVER, I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO BE VERY CAUTIOUS WHEN MOVING AROUND EQUIPMENT THAT'S IN THE RIVER. AND NOW I WILL HAND IT OVER TO MR. CHAPMAN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MIKE, AND THANK YOU, COMMISSIONERS, FOR US BEING HERE TODAY. AS MIKE SAID, IT IS VERY EXCITING. I KNOW THIS PROJECT IS 17 YEARS IN THE MAKING. IT'S BEEN THE LAST 11 YEARS OF MY CAREER, AND IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO ACTUALLY BE FINALLY HERE TODAY. MOVING FROM THAT DESIGN, VISION AND PLANNING STAGES TOWARDS AN IMPLEMENTATION STAGE. SO I WANTED TO JUST TAKE A COUPLE MINUTES AND KIND OF JUST PROVIDE SOME OVERVIEW REMINDERS. THERE'S THERE'S OBVIOUSLY BEEN A LOT OF CHANGES IN THIS PROJECT, BUT JUST TO REMIND FOLKS WHAT'S GOING ON, WHAT'S WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE. AND THEN WE CAN TAKE SOME QUESTIONS AT THE END. BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS LOWER REACH PROJECT SPECIFICALLY, IS TO RESTORE THE RAPIDS, IMPROVE PUBLIC SAFETY, RESTORE AQUATIC HABITAT DIVERSITY AND SUITABILITY FOR NATIVE GREAT LAKES FISH AND MUSCLE SPECIES, AND TO ENHANCE RIVER ACCESS AND USE. THAT'S A MOUTHFUL, BUT BASICALLY WE WANT TO MAKE THIS RIVER MORE ACCESSIBLE AND MAKE IT A BETTER PLACE AND RESTORE IT BACK TO WHAT IT WAS YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN. THERE A LIST OF THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES. I'M NOT

[00:25:04]

BUT IT REALLY REMOVES THAT DANGEROUS HYDRAULIC THAT'S CREATED BY THOSE DAMS AND THEN ALLOWS FOR MORE ENHANCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIFFERENT RECREATIONAL USES, AS YOU SEE THERE TUBING, FLOATING, CANOEING, KAYAKING, AND OF COURSE, ANGLING. LOOKING NOW FROM THE GILLETTE STREET BRIDGE, KIND OF OVER TO THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIVER, THIS IS DAM TWO.

SO DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE INCORPORATED THAT KIND OF CONSTRUCTED RIFFLE ON THE SIDE. BUT NOW IN THE MIDDLE YOU SEE WHAT WE CALL A BOULDER DROP STRUCTURE. SO THIS IS AGAIN DESIGNED TO AID IN FISH PASSAGE AND FISH HABITAT. SO THAT STRUCTURE WILL ACTUALLY KIND OF ACT AS LIKE A LITTLE MINIATURE FISH LADDER, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE SOME FAST WATER COMING OVER THIS STRUCTURE. THE FISH CAN ACTUALLY JUMP INTO THOSE LITTLE POOLS AND THEN CONTINUE TO TO MAKE THEIR WAY UPSTREAM. SO AGAIN, A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE ON THIS STRUCTURE OF THE DESIGN AND COLLABORATION THAT TOOK PLACE BETWEEN OUR ENGINEERS AND THE STATE FISHERIES BIOLOGIST FOLKS TO COME UP WITH A DESIGN THAT WORKS FOR THIS RIVER, AND NOT JUST A COOKIE CUTTER DESIGN THAT THEY MIGHT USE IN SOME OTHER RIVER AS WE MOVE DOWNSTREAM, THE THE LAST TWO ELEMENTS THAT WE REALLY INCORPORATED, AND THAT YOU'LL SEE IN ALL OF THESE DESIGNS IS THE USE OF SCATTERED BOULDERS. SO WE HAVE HISTORICALLY HISTORIC ACCOUNTS OF THE RIVER USED TO HAVING HUNDREDS OF GRANITE AND LIMESTONE BOULDERS AND THE WATER RUSHING AROUND THEM. WE ARE GOING TO BE REPLACING ALL OF THAT MATERIAL THAT WAS TAKEN OUT OF THE RIVER. WE PLAN TO BRING IN OVER 125 DIFFERENT SCATTERED BOULDER CLUSTERS. THESE ARE 4 TO 6 FOOT BOULDERS IN DIAMETER THAT RECREATES THE HABITAT, RECREATES RAPIDS, CREATES EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESTING AREAS FOR FISH AS THEY'RE MIGRATING UPSTREAM. AND THEN FINALLY, WE WORKED. YOU'LL SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN, THE ANGLER THAT'S STANDING ON THIS LITTLE ROCK STRUCTURE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE'VE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM, THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS, INC. IS KNOWING THAT WE WANT MORE PEOPLE IN AND ALONG THE RIVER. AND THERE'S A LOT OF PARKS AND TRAILS, IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS. THE WET AND THE DRY PROJECTS HAVE TO WORK TOGETHER. SO WHAT YOU SEE THERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CALL A J-HOOK STRUCTURE. AND A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THIS IS ACTUALLY IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC MUSEUM WHERE THE MUSEUM WANTS TO TAKE THE MUSEUM, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND GET THEM DOWN INTO THE RIVER TO USE THE RIVER AS A CLASSROOM. SO BY DOING THIS, WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO CREATE SOME SAFER AREAS OF THE WATER, SLOW THAT WATER DOWN SO THOSE STUDENTS CAN PHYSICALLY GET OUT EVERY DAY AND LEARN FROM THIS RIVER. SO A GOOD EXAMPLE OF KIND OF THAT INTEGRATION OF THE WET AND DRY PROJECTS. SO THAT'S A REALLY QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE DOWN HERE. AGAIN, TRYING TO RECREATE A LOT OF THE RAPIDS. LASTLY, I JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY, CITY STAFF AND OF COURSE THE CITY COMMISSION. WE'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT COMMISSIONERS AND DIFFERENT MAYORS OVER THE PAST 17 YEARS. SO WANT TO APPRECIATE DEPUTY CITY MANAGER BEHRENS FOR HER LEADERSHIP ON THIS PROJECT. AND OF COURSE, MIKE STAHL AND THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. MIKE DESERVES A WHOLE LOT MORE CREDIT THAN WHAT I CAN GIVE HIM TODAY, BUT REALLY MAKING SURE THAT THAT WE GET THIS PROJECT OVER THE FINISH LINE. I'M ALSO JOINED BY WENDY OGILVY AND KARA DECKER FROM THE GRAND VALLEY METRO COUNCIL, OR THE LOWER GRAND RIVER ORGANIZATION OF WATERSHEDS. WENDY, I'D LIKE TO KIND OF SAY IS ONE OF THE THIRD CO-FOUNDERS OF GRAND RAPIDS WHITEWATER AND HAS BEEN AT THIS FOR 17 YEARS. SHE TRIED TO RETIRE LIKE TWO YEARS AGO, BUT WE JUST KEEP SENDING HER WORK AND SHE JUST KEEPS DOING IT. SO WE'RE NOT LETTING HER GO. HER REPLACEMENT, KARA, IS A ROCK STAR IN ADVOCATING FOR THE GRAND RIVER IN THE COMMUNITY EVERY SINGLE DAY. SO THE LOWER GRAND RIVER ORGANIZATIONAL WATERSHEDS IS WORKING ON SIGNAGE FOR WATER TRAILS AND ACCESS ROUTES. AND HOW DO WE GET EVERYBODY INTO AND OUT OF THIS RIVER AND HOW DO WE TAKE CARE OF IT? SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I EXPRESS MY

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THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS UPDATE. IT'S EXCITING TO BE ON ON THE LATTER END OF A 17 YEAR PROJECT. IT'S GREAT. SO THANK YOU. I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS MORE. SO A LITTLE BIT ABOUT PARTNERSHIP. YOU MENTIONED THE PUBLIC MUSEUM. I'M WONDERING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STATE AND AND CITY AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO COME UP WITH THE DESIGN AND THE PLAN.

CURIOUS IF YOU MET WITH FOLKS LIKE OUR C4 GROUP AND SOME OF OUR OTHER CLIMATE AND RECREATIONAL AND COMMUNITY ADVOCACY GROUPS THAT ARE BASED HERE WITHIN THE CITY BOUNDARIES? YEAH, WE HAVE HAD THERE'S PROBABLY IN ONE OF OUR REPORTS, THERE'S A LIST OF ALL THE DIFFERENT GROUPS THAT WE'VE MET WITH. SO, YES, I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY IF WE MET WITH ALL OF THE ONES THAT YOU JUST NAMED, BUT WE HAVE INTENTIONALLY TRIED TO GO OUT AND MEET WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT NONPROFITS, CHURCHES, BUSINESS LEADERS, COMMUNITY GROUPS. I KNOW AGAIN, THROUGH THE WORK THAT ELK GROVE DOES, THEY PULL A LOT OF THEIR PARTNERS AND CONVERSATIONS IN.

AND THEN AS WE LOOK TO THE UPPER REACH WE'RE ABOUT TO START ON, HOPEFULLY IT WILL BE MUCH SHORTER THAN TEN YEARS, BUT ANOTHER SECOND ROUND OF THAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. SO HAPPY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PULL IN ANY OTHER SPECIFIC GROUPS THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE MET WITH YET. SO THAT'S GREAT. AND IS THERE A LANDING PAGE AVAILABLE? SO IF FOLKS WANTED TO UPDATE, WOULD THEY WOULD THERE BE ONE PLACE THAT THEY CAN GO TO KNOW WHERE THIS PROJECT IS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS? SO THERE ARE SEVERAL RIVER PAGES OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. SO WE ACTUALLY DO HAVE A COMMUNICATIONS WORK GROUP THAT'S TRYING TO PUT THAT ALL INTO ONE, ONE PLACE. SO GRAND RAPIDS WHITEWATER.ORG WILL HAVE A LOT OF THAT. BUT I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON NOW IS THE WET THE DRY EVERYTHING. SO WE'RE WORKING ON THAT GRAND RIVER NETWORK HAS A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION. RIVER FOR ALL STILL HAS SOME OF LIKE THE EARLY HISTORY OF THAT PROJECT. SO WE'RE WORKING TO CONSOLIDATE THAT A LITTLE BIT MORE STREAMLINED FOR FOLKS.

THAT'D BE GREAT. APPRECIATED. OKAY, SO JUST CHANGING GEARS A LITTLE BIT, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT I KNOW AN INCLUSION PLAN ISN'T NECESSARY FOR THIS FOR WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, BUT WOULD LIKE TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR INCLUSION ASPIRATIONS, WHAT YOU THINK IS REALISTIC IN TERMS OF SUBCONTRACTING YOUR PRACTICES, HOW BIG YOU EXPECT YOUR TEAM TO BE, WILL THEY BE LOCALLY SOURCED? SO I WANT TO TALK A

[00:35:04]

SO THE CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT IN AND OF ITSELF DOES NOT HAVE ANY MICRO LOCAL PRESENCE. WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH A MOD AND AJ ON DIFFERENT AVENUES FOR THAT. SO IN THE NEAR FUTURE I HOPE TO BE PRESENTING TO YOU. PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS WITH MICRO LOCAL CONTRACT WITH MICHAEL, LOCAL CONTRACTORS OR CONSULTANTS FOR THINGS LIKE ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN AND OTHER THINGS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THE CONTRACT ITSELF MAY NOT BE FIT THAT SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR OTHER LOCAL. WE HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT NEEDS FOR PROFESSIONALS OUT THERE DURING THIS PROJECT. SO LOOKING AT DIFFERENT AVENUES AND TRYING TO BE CREATIVE ON THAT FRONT, TO HAVE THE INCLUSION FROM MULTIPLE PEOPLE. THANK YOU. AND CAN YOU SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE SIZE OF THE TEAM AND HOW YOU PLAN TO SOURCE THAT TO DO THE ACTUAL WORK, THE SIZE OF THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM OR THE THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO BE WHOEVER IS MAKING THESE IMAGES HAPPEN. SO A COMBINATION OF BOTH. RIGHT. SO SO TAPLIN GROUP THEY'RE THEY'RE GOING TO PROVIDE MOST OF THEIR OWN STAFFING AND EMPLOYEES AS FAR AS THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES GO. WE HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CONSULTANTS THAT WE'VE HAD. SO THERE IS A A LOCAL FISH BIOLOGIST THAT WE'RE INCLUDING ON THAT, THE THE ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN IS ALSO IS THAT MICRO LOCAL. SO WHAT WE DID I GUESS TO I GUESS PROVIDE WE DID GO OUT FOR REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE GROUP. LET ME INTERRUPT YOU BECAUSE I REALIZED I DON'T THINK I ANSWERED YOUR QUESTION. WELL, WHEN I SAY THE SIZE OF THE TEAM, I'M THINKING ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM, THE CONSTRUCTION TEAM. OKAY, SO BASED ON THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE TO GO WITH FOR THE LOWEST QUALIFIED BIDDER FOR THAT. AND SAME TO I GUESS RESTATE WHAT I SAID, THE ALL OF THE MICRO LOCAL REQUIREMENTS THAT WE TRY TO INCLUDE ARE THE FEDERAL FUNDING DOES NOT ALLOW US TO HAVE THAT. SO THAT REALLY LIMITS OUR ABILITY TO BE MORE SPECIFIC ON THE CONTRACTING FRONT. SO OUTSIDE OF THAT FORMAL STRUCTURE I'M REALLY LOOKING FOR. SO WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT UP TO $25 MILLION CONTRACT AND THIS WILL BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR THE RIVER. BUT I ALSO WOULD LIKE THIS WORK TO BE TRANSFORMATIONAL FOR THE PEOPLE OF THIS CITY. AND SO THERE'S GOING TO BE JOB OPPORTUNITIES. THERE'S PARTICULARLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE RIGHT NOW. WE HAVE OTHER LARGE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS HAPPENING DOWNTOWN. AND WE HAVE WORKERS WHO ARE CONSTRUCTION TEAMS WHO ARE OUT OF STATE. AND AS YOU ALL WORK ON THIS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, I WOULD LIKE TO ENSURE THAT YOU ARE LOOKING TO SOURCE LOCALLY AND MAKING SURE THAT EMPLOYMENT IS COMING LOCAL AND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE STAYING HERE AND AND BENEFITING THE PEOPLE HERE. YEAH. SO WE EARLY ON WE LOOKED AT THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT APPROACH AND IN FACT HAD TWO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT ADVISORS ON OVER THE 17 YEARS OF THIS PROJECT. AND AS WE LOOKED AT IT AND THEN THE FEDERAL FUNDING BECAME MORE OF A REALITY, WE DUG INTO THAT AND WE HAD TO CHANGE THE, THE, THE APPROACH FOR HOW WE SOLICITED THAT FROM THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT APPROACH, WHICH CAN OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THOSE THINGS THAT YOU'RE REFERRING TO AS OPPOSED TO GENERAL CONTRACTING BID, WHICH IS JUST LOW, LOWEST QUALIFIED BID. SO IF A CONTRACTOR, WE PUT OUT THE QUALIFICATIONS FOR THAT, IF THEY CAN MEET THOSE BIDS, WE HAVE TO GO WITH THE LOWEST QUALITY. SO YOU'RE SAYING WE DON'T HAVE REALLY ANY OPTIONS AROUND TAKING IN QUALITY OF CONTRACTOR AND QUALITY OF WORKFORCE AS WE MAKE THIS DECISION. SO THE QUALIFICATIONS ARE REALLY PURELY THE TECHNICAL OF CAN THEY DO THE WORK BECAUSE OF THE DAVIS DAVIS-BACON IS THAT THE FEDERAL FUNDING REQUIREMENTS? CORRECT? YEAH. OKAY. I'M GOING TO STOP US THERE JUST BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO GET READY TO TRANSITION OVER TO OUR COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE, IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL DETAILS THAT COULD BE PROVIDED SPECIFICALLY AROUND SOME OF THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PIECES, I

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