City Council - Regular Meeting

for today's council meeting, February 4th, 2026 at 6 PM. Madame clerk, would you please call the role? Clumps here. Freeman here. Raymond here. Corbin here. Schultice present. Marin here. Rowan present. Shay present. Mayor Box. We do have a quorum. Mr. Mayor Prom.

Okay. Thank you. This time has been a tradition of this council for a long time. We'll open with a moment of prayer and reflection followed by the pledge of allegiance. And you're welcome to join us if you'd like. Uh invocation will be given by council person Raymond. I invite you to pray with me if you would. Heavenly Father, we come before you this evening and we're grateful for this day. Thank you for all the different um parts of our city that we have come from, our jobs and our different responsibilities and families. And we'd ask now that you would uh give us the ability to focus on the agenda that's in front of us that we would be able to use the wisdom and discernment that you've granted to each one of us and that the betterment of our city might be the outcome of this time spent together. We put now our agenda before you that you would lead us and that you would guide us. It's by your name we pray. Amen. To the flag of the United States of America to the stands one indivisible.

Thank you Mr. Vman. Appreciate that. Uh so let's move on to the consent agenda. At this time we have consent agenda consisting of items that have been reviewed by previous council meetings and it will be voted in one motion. Uh madame clerk, could you please read the consent agenda agenda items?

Item 4 A, excuse the absence of Mayor Box. 4 B, approval of minutes from January 21 regular meeting and January 24 retreat. 4C, a resoning request for 702 East 8th Street, 209 Waverly Road, and 213 Waverly Road with final adoption February 18, 2026. 4 D claims filed against the city. 4 E, 2026 tulip time fireworks request. 4 F, set the hours for the 2026 board of review. 4G, approve the purchase of Southshore Village Gateway signs and requested budget amendment amendment and 4H, award the fence services and installation bid.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Is there anyone from the member of the audience who would like an item removed from the consent agenda and placed on the regular agenda for discussion tonight? Seeing none, is there anyone from city council who would like an item removed from the consent and placed on the regular agenda for this evening? Seeing none, uh, what is the motion of council or what is the pleasure of councel? Move to approve the agenda as presented. Thank you, Mr. Freeman. Do I have a support? Support. Support by Raymond. Madame clerk, please call the role. Clumparens, yes. Raymond, yes. Raymond, yes. Corbin, yes. Schultz, yes. Maren, yes.

Rowan, yes. Shay. Yes. Motion carries.

Thank you, Madam Clerk. Next on the agenda is public comment portion of the agenda. Uh this is one way communication from the public to council. It's a way for us to hear from those in attendance tonight either and those who are watching on TV for them to hear them as well. When addressing council, please pull the microphone close so that everyone can hear your comments. You have five minutes to speak. Uh the green light indicates that your time has just started. Yellow light means that you have one minute remaining and red light means that your time is expired and we are very strict with enforcing that time limit. Each individual is entitled to five minutes. If you wish to use that five minutes, uh please do so. But understand that if you're coming to the podium together, you only get the five minutes together. If you're separate, then you get the full five minutes each. We ask that you state your name and community in which you live for the record. This is to help us know who's we're address who's who's addressing council and that we can properly follow up at a later time. We do have some Hayak students, that's the Holland Youth Advisory Council members with us this evening. If you are a student, we are asking you to give us some additional information such as where you attend school, your grade, and any future plans you might have. You're welcome, but you're not required to do so. Um, in sharing that information, is there anyone at this time would like to address counsel? And please just state your name and for the record please in the community which you live.

My name is Israel Kintania. I go by Izzy. And it's been a while since I've been here. I didn't want you guys think I was sleeping. So things are moving in a positive direction for me. And we're coming up on seven years. By the way, May 7th, 2019, uh, retail wise, $1.6 million worth of inventory was put into a parking lot. Okay. I thought about how am I going to come talk to this board so I can actually maybe get make some sense. Okay. And here's the problem. The rent was paid. The forbearance was paid off. There was a purchase agreement on the property and I've been sitting here week in and week out waiting for you guys to reach out to me. Send me a letter, send me a text saying, "Hey, is you know what? We we we're interested in finding a way to make you whole cuz we feel like there's some miscommunication going on." And as I've been doing this for seven years, I've learned a lot of information because I haven't been the entrepreneur I am. I have worked in 16 different industries, 14 different industries, okay? I there's nothing I can't do. I've been in and out of your system all my life. And by the way, I just found out that I became a ward of the state for the Ottawa County Juvenile um at the age of two years old. So, I've been a resident for Ottawa County since I was two. I'm for I'm 50 now. So, how much more loyalty do I have to give to a county that I just love so much that I can't have the people that actually are the ones supposedly holding the public titles to make us feel

comfortable that you guys are doing the right jobs? Well, you know, just file a lawsuit, just do this, do that, do that. I have I've been through four different attorneys, [snorts] okay? And every time we got there and we won, what do the money do? They put another lawyer on top of it or they just do whatever they want to do. [cough] I have publicly came in here and and I apologize. I I felt very offended a couple times I came in here after I left about the way I was talking to you guys and I really do apologize. Okay? I'm human, too. But I've been through seven years of darkness with black and white that proves different. I mean, I'm sure if you haven't heard yet, homeowners has the homeowner attorneys have the file that was finally released to me two months ago. Seven years and I finally get the file from you guys. Where's the cooperation? Well, it's civil. You got to go sue them. You got to go sue them. But let's talk about Brian Eller, okay? I'm gonna put a post out, too, talking about how insecure this gentleman is right now about what I can do with him because the guy is watching my videos under an alias. Under an alias, not his name, but Brian Eller is watching every move I make. And that was a Holland police officer for those that don't know. They committed two felonies against me and my employees and the customers that were in the store. So what is enough enough? I thought to myself, well, you know what? They always open up with a I pledge allegiance and a prayer.

I've already explained to you guys how I feel about a good Lord, our father. Because every single one of you, good, bad, or ugly, are my brothers and my sisters. And I love you and you can hear it with the pain that's been put on to me by this building. A lot of you guys weren't here at the time, but unfortunately, you are here now, and it's still your responsibility to make it right. So I said, "Well, why don't I just do a prayer back to them? I'm not going to do that. I'm playing chess and I'm winning. And very soon I'm going to walk in here. If I can't get that call, Vince, Keith, Scott, lawyer deep investigators deep. I'm that close. Let's sit down like brothers and sisters and let's figure this out.

Time is expired. Thank you for your comments. Thank you. Is there anyone else like to address council at this time? Please state your name and the community in which you live.

Hi, my name is Molly Hugget and I live in Fenville, but I go to school in Holland. Um, I'm a junior this year at Holland High School and I plan to go to college after I graduate, but as of now, I'm not really sure what I want to study or where I want to go. Today, I want to thank you for giving me and the other students in our area the opportunity to participate in Hayek. Since joining Hayak in my freshman year, I have been able to be a part of the recreation committee and the social services committee. I have learned a lot about leadership, collaboration, and communication. I have seen how much dedication is put into planning community events and how much opportunities are made possible to give back to our community through volunteering. It has always been important to me to advocate for causes I believe in and to support minority groups. I am grateful to the city of Holland for also caring about this and for offering students the opportunity to use their time to be involved in this too. It is intimidating to think about what might happen in my future when today there is so much division in our country and so much violence, hatred, and misinformation spread through the media. I am thankful that I know our community will not allow Holland to become a place where this happens and will instead continue to be a place of welcome and kindness. Thank you.

Thank you. Is there anyone else like make public comment this evening? Please state your name and the community in which you live.

Hello, I'm Dorian Sun. I live in Holland. and I'm a senior at Black Cerver and I'm a member of the MAX board committee for Hayak and I want to thank you for the opportunity to speak with you tonight. Um I just want to raise awareness about transportation funding in our city. Due to recent government spending cuts, the funding we receive has decreased and this has affected many people in our community. While transportation prices remain affordable, the main challenge is the lack of overall funding. So as a result, this led to our service reductions such such as the removal of Saturday transportation, which has made it hard for people to get to work, run errands, and manage daily responsibilities, especially on weekends. Um, transportation is something many people rely on, and when funding is reduced, accessibility is reduced as well. I believe continue to raise awareness about transportation funding is an important step. Keeping this issue vis visible allows our community to stay informed and encourages ongoing conversations about how we can be better support reliable and accessible transportation. Thank you so much for your time for listening and for everything you do to support Holland.

Thank you. Anyone else who'd like to make public comment this evening? Please state your name and the community in which you live.

Hi. Uh I'm Anne Chung. I go to I live here and I go to Black River. Um, I'm a senior and so we I've been thinking about going into chemical engineering for school. Um, thank you council for the chance to talk today. I just wanted to talk about the recent ICE activity in Holland. With recent events across the nation causing a lot of worry, social media and general unrest has been on the rise. In the past few years, relations with the police force in general have also become strained. It's a personal affair for many, especially with students or young people in general who have to think about their future. Knowing that the horror stories of unjust or violent actions could happen to them next. Not only that, but the fear that their families, their support could break down at any moment is a terrifying thought. And so I'm here and so I'm here today to to oh my goodness. Uh to thank both the city council, but also the Holland Police Department and police community relations for recognizing those fears and working to address them and reassure our community. In the PCR meeting yesterday, ICE was brought up as a topic, specifically the recent arrest at family fair. A lot of media has spread and concurrently fear. However, the police department went through the effort to explain what actually happened. To me, that mattered a lot. Helping residents feel seen, heard, and protected is a vital part of not only public safety, but also community relations. I think Holland is unique in the way and how we try to maintain and strengthen these relationships with the force. and I appreciate everyone for all your effort to achieve that. Thank you.

Thank you. Anyone else who'd like to make public comment this evening? Please state your name in the community which you live, please.

And Henrikson, Zealand, it's always a pleasure to um follow the Hayak students in their hopes and dreams and fears. And there's something an element that I am proud that I can be standing here talking about our religious freedoms and it's something that's not talked about in school and um in their environment as well. So I'm so thankful that they can be part of the city council and hear about um this city and how it is based in many ways on faith of many people and that it can be expressed and be counted on. It's a kind of faith that says we are safe here because of God's protection. The police department after just following that and ICE law officials and we are pleased and pleasured to have a police department that is so dependable and is uh happens to be one that embraces their faith as well. Not the kind that would put it down somebody's throat, but in their behavior. And if I remember rightly um in a study session that they have been awarded um one of the tops in the nation for their stability and how they encounter the the um community with protection and comfort actually. So, I want to thank the council for supporting them and uh allowing them to have such uh integrity. So, thank you.

Thank you. Is anyone else who'd like to make public comment this evening? Seeing none, we'll close public com move on to item nine on the agenda. Item nine is written petitions and communications to the city council. Um, so we have a number of those. So all we need right now, this moment in time is formally accepting those petitions. So we have a motion for that. So moved. Raymond, do I have support?

Support. Shay. All right. Um, I think we can just accept this as a vote of council. So all in favor say I. I. oppose the same motion carries. Moving on to the next item, which would be item 12 E 2.1, submission of the Michigan Brownfield Redevelopment Program grant application to support the establishment of a picket fence floral in design at 148 East 32nd Street. Keith Vanbe.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor Prom and Council. It's good to be with you tonight. I'm going to ask our community and neighborhood services and economic development director, Juan Gnum, to come up. Um, this has been a one of those procedures, right, where we've we've been back and forth a few times with the uh Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. Uh, but Juan will present this. We think this is a really um great grant program that we're taking advantage of for a solid project in the community. Did it time out? Good evening. Juan, just do it the oldfashioned way. I'll Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, of the council. Just just tell me Keith and then I'll p There you go.

I got Okay, great. Fantastic. So, I'm I'm pleased to be here in front of you this evening and I'm also pleased to introduce you to Sarah Butsma, who is not here in the audience. She passes along or she asked me to pass along her regrets at not being able to attend. Uh she was unavailable this evening, but I wanted to to introduce you to her. She's on the screen there standing in front of her store, Picket Fence Floral and Design at uh on Washington Avenue, where she she currently operates a florist shop. Last year, Sarah reached out to me and indicated that she'd been working with a consultant at Fishbach to pursue grant funding from the state of Michigan through Eagle Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to help her essentially remediate environmental concerns at the former Maplewood Dry Cleaners, which is located at 148 East 32nd Street in Holland. uh her vision is to move and expand into the former Maplewood dry cleaners, but the roadblock she's facing is that there's environmental contamination there from the operation of the dry cleaners for over 70 years. So through the help of her consultant Fishbach identified a program, the brownfield redevelopment program to help pay for the mitigation and the city can help facilitate the application. So she approached us, asked us to uh well actually the the consultant did and the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority met in November to review a proposal. The proposal was uh unanimously approved by the BRA in November. That was the first step. The second step to this process is Eagle

reviewed the proposal favorably and has invited the city of Holland to submit a full grant application, which is what you have before you today. That grant application was reviewed by the BRA last week and approved unanimously. So, um, essentially the city would be acting as a fiduciary, a pass through from Eagle to, um, Mrs. Butma, Ms. Butma for this project, and that's spelled out in the in the draft agreement that was included within your packet. So, that's why we're here. We're here to hopefully approve an application so Sarah Butsma can pursue her vision and her dream of expanding and owning rather than renting a Flora shop at 148 East 32nd Street. And I'd be happy to answer any questions you have.

Any questions, Mr. Sheay? Yeah. So, uh, is it pretty typical of, um, properties that were once used for dry cleaning to have needs for remediation?

Most definitely. They're they're hot spots. So now the the situation at um in particular at at the Maplewood, the former Maplewood dry cleaner is they have they use chlorinated solvents and you know in the process of of dry cleaning and the building will require a vapor intrusion mitigation system uh to address ongoing environmental concerns. And really without that the building is unusable. So, here's an opportunity for a local business owner to obtain full funding, $200,000 from the state of Michigan to mitigate the problem. Great. Thank you. You're welcome. Any other questions from council? Go ahead.

I have one. Thank you, Juan. Uh, in addition to fiduciary, is there anything else related to grant requirements that the city will have to do? no financial requirements, which is great other than the time we spend um internally at the finance department and my and and me my time involved in administering the program. But we can recover 3% of the total grant amount for administrative purposes, which is I think what we're planning on doing is and splitting those funds with Fishbach because Fishbach, her consultant, will have some time in this. We'll have some time in this and that'll be spelled out in the grant agreement which you will all see if this grant is approved. The application is approved. It'll come back to you for a full approval.

Probably should have pointed that out. 17 process. Yeah. Yeah. Mr. Government, right? Mr. Freeman. Well, is it um appropriate to um be asking for the 200 a maximum? If I understand, it's the maximum amount that we would approve. Well, that's that's that's what's estimated for the project. Um I I actually don't know what the maximum grant amount is. Um, but it's a onetoone match and she is contributing $375,000 towards the project. So, she's meeting the match between the acquisition of the building and then further improvements to the building. Yeah.

Any other questions? Mr. Bambique, do you have anything further? What's the pleasure of council on this matter? I move to approve. Motion by Shay. Do I have support? Support. support by clown parents. Madame clerk, can you please call the role? Oh, any further discussion? Go ahead, Miss Raymond. Um, yeah, this is a really great project. I love that she's she's found a a place and she can and it can be repurposed. That's really I think that's really exciting and it really is going to revitalize help to revitalize that little business area in Maplewood. So, it's really terrific.

I only had two slides and I forgot to put up the second slide. This is the area. This is the area that you're talking about near Colombia and 32nd Street. And the building that's outlined in red is the building that uh she's targeting. Okay. Anything else, Mr. Schultis? Yeah. Somewhat mirroring Lynn's comments, it's impressive that members of this community are willing to invest to improve and revitalize areas and that we simply have to play a role of helping usher them through the process. Quite remarkable.

Thank you. Mr. Sheay, uh, at the risk of repeating everything that's been said, I am excited about this. This is a great little node in town that it it will serve well if with, uh, revitalization. So, thanks for doing the work on this and thanks to the applicant. Anyone else? I too will echo that. It's in my ward. I'm very excited about this. I've been seeing this vacant for a few years now. So this is really [clears throat] going to be an addition to our community and the Mwood area. So again, thank you for the staff and everyone working very hard to make sure this has happened. So thank you. That's a great further discussion. Madam clerk, can you please call the role? [clears throat] Freeman, yes.

Raymond, yes. Corbin, yes. Schulty, yes. Marine, yes. Rowan, yes. Shay, yes. Compar? Yes. Motion carries. Thank you, Madam Clerk. Next is item 12E6.1, gifts. Madam clerk, can you read the gifts? [clears throat] Okay. The city manager's office is pleased to report the following gift for the Department of Public Safety Police Services K-9 unit, a donation of $1,000 from the Caminga and Road Votes Incorporated Charitable Fund through Vanguard Charitable. Okay. Thank you. What's the pleasure of councel? Council person Rowan. [snorts and laughter]

Would you like to make a motion? Move um to approve as written. Oh, as presented. Okay. Is there support for that motion? Support. Support by Reman. Um we can do a roll call vote on this. So all in favor say I. I oppose the same motion carries. Next is communication from our city manager, Mr. Van Beek. I have a lot of time available today, right? No.

Put me on the clock, right? Uh, no. Just a handful of things. Um, first, just a reminder to council members following up from the council retreat. Uh, Mallerie sent out an email with information and instructions. Um, you still have time to the deadline, but just to complete your priority ranking if you have not um, done that yet. Um, I will let you know, it looks like we're getting out of here on time tonight. Plan on a longer study session next week. We have two items. Uh first staff from the Holland Board of Public Works will do a report from the strategic development team, the SDT. Um reporting on the C, the community energy plan. Um and I'll just leave it at that. I think you uh you'll be impressed by the work that continues to be done. Um, so they'll do a update report on that at study session and then you would theoretically take action on formally um accepting that report in a regular uh session in the future. The second item next week is continued conversations on on our housing um development support policy. Just as legislation and projects continue to come in, um Juan and I will um walk you through kind of some continuing questions that we have and just an importance for you to have discussion and understand where that's going and continue to give us direction on on those projects and that policy. Um then looking f further forward uh the last study session in February. Um and then the last one in March. I wouldn't be surprised if we reserve some of that time for continued housing

discussions. Um and at one or both of those also we'll um talk non-motorized plan. Brian is putting together a presentation on that. So um again either the last meeting study session in February or March is what we're looking there um around city hall and otherwise uh we are um fully and very busy in budget season right now. So there have been a lot of internal deadlines of submitting stuff and starting to do all the meetings. So uh we'll be busy with that. Um we'll present to you on the municipal capital improvement fund and long-term financial forecast also that last study session in March and then provide a budget and brief to you as called for in the charter um on April 1. No correlation with April Fool's Day obviously. Um and then uh remember we do budget review sessions with you on April 15 and 16. Um, and then just final thing, um, it was really great to see covered in the media and like a local Russ's restaurant really, uh, kind of went above and beyond, but just a special thank you to all of our staff um, taking care of snow events. Um, Tim and Abby were with me. We've kind of been doing some tours of an orientation and we were at both parks and transportation last Friday. Um, and I've seen it before, but just I'm reminded at how much equipment, but how much personnel that we have in a snow event that goes out. Um, I think sometimes you just think, oh, it's, you know, a couple couple guys in the snow plows and we're done. And it's like, no, it's many more than that in snow plows. It's

many staff um from parks in snow uh sidewalk snowplows. Um it's a lot of um just regular pickup trucks in certain um culde-sacs for example, but al also a lot of parking lots, a lot of facilities around town. Um and then it doesn't stop because once you maybe get a break from the snow, then you have to go back and get piles of snow out of parking lots and other places to continue. So I know that I think I'm getting this right. I think we had staff out 16 days in a row. Um, so last weekend was really nice where we could give them all a break for a couple days and I know I talked to a lot of the staff um this week and they were ready for that break. So it was nice that we all got that break but let me brag on our team and our people and it was really nice that they got a break too. So, just if you're watching out there, if you're here, thank you team for doing a fantastic job of keeping us safe and keeping us being able to maneuver around in this weather. And that's all I have, Mr. Mayor Port.

Okay. Thank you very much. And the mayor is not present this evening, but I'll take advantage of his location on the agenda. I just want to mention that we uh last Saturday, my granddaughter and my wife went to the skate park. It was 11 degrees. It was cold. And it was 8:00 at night. And I was really surprised of the crowd. It was a large crowd still at 11 degrees at 8:00 p.m. on a Saturday night. It was amazing. So, it's still working for us and still um people are still excited about. So, I'm glad to see that. All right. Move on to anyone else. Mr. Schultes, you had something? You sure? I thought you did, but that's okay. Mr. Shay,

thank you. Uh just real quick to bounce off of the snow talk uh on the streets, I just want to report from the airport um that the airport has been doing an awesome job. They just p recently purchased a broom truck from Grand Rapids International. And so they've been out there and they have kept the air uh the runway open every day that Grand Rapids has been open, which is a huge feat. Um and so I just want to kind of shout out those folks, too. Any else? Miss Rowan?

Yes, thank you. Um, I just wanted to follow up on uh one of our HAK students comments, the um police and community relations meeting yesterday. I was in attendance at that meeting and there was a clarification. There was a comment about ICE being in Holland and um while that's not our you know what we deal with here it the clarification was made that they were here for um a warrant that they already had in possession to execute a warrant. Um so this wasn't um an unsolicited raid or anything like that. I just wanted to since it was mentioned here to the public, I just wanted to make that clarification. I'm not trying to speak for the police department, but I'm just echoing what I heard them say and make that clarification so that people uh perhaps can take comfort that this was a very specific warrant that they were executing. It wasn't just a random stop. So, thank you for your comment and thank you for um the the follow-up comments that you made about our community. I I agree. So, thank you. That's it.

Thank you, Miss Rowan. Mr. Breeman, I just have a question for Keith. Um, with uh the snow piles getting moved, is uh the old quality parking or quality car wash on 8th Street, that facility being used to receive all that snow? I'm not famili There may be other people that put snow there, but I would I I'm pretty confident that we don't put snow there. Um cuz the one on a street that you're talking of isn't even in the city, right? It's why I'm asking. Yeah. Because I was going to compliment the partnership if that's what's taking place.

And I I don't claim to know every but I I don't think we're putting it there. No. Anything else? At this time, I entertain a motion to adjourn. So moved. Motion of support. All in favor say I. I. Oppos the same. We are adjourned at what is it? 634. 635 Raymond.