I’ve decided to run for Grand Rapids Township Trustee. I’ve filed the nominating petitions for the Republican primary election on Tuesday, August 7, 2012.
My campaign web site is not developed at the moment — but that will change..
My goals if elected will be to encourage better information to the citizens of the township about what is happening. As I note in the last post, there is little information readily available to those who wish to follow township activities, and the board minutes are most unhelpful. I will perhaps use this blog to provide more detailed information on what is happening.
Also, I'm a good public speaker. Once I have been a trustee for six months or so, I will be able and willing to speak to community organizations, churches, and schools about what the township is and why it is relevant to them.
In the meanwhile, if you have questions and suggestions, please let me know.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Monday, February 20, 2012
Invisible Grand Rapids Township Government
I do wish Grand Rapids Township would do a better job of informing citizens of what it is doing.
Take board meetings, for example. They tend to last about 15 minutes with limited discussion. Since the documents are not posted anywhere for citizens to read, showing up doesn't help much. I went to one meeting that a troop of Scouts attended. I don’t think they left after 15 minutes with the idea that township government was very interesting.
Board minutes aren’t any help. Take a look at any of the minutes posted. They provide essentially no information on the issues in question.
And that is when the minutes are posted. As I write, the latest posted minutes are from January 3. There are agendas for meetings on January 17 and February 7, but no minutes. The Planning Commission posts good minutes — when it bothers to do so. Currently, the last minutes posted are for January 25, 2011. There are agendas for three meetings after that, but who knows what happened?
The only source of information is often Jan Hulst, the Cadence correspondent, who publishes brief reports after most meetings.
Compare Grand Rapids Township with Cascade Township, for example, to see the differences in information available to citizens. Cascade Township posts the details on issues in advance of meetings.
Or consider newsletters. Cascade Township issues six a year. Grand Rapids Township issues one a year — most years. The last one on the Township web site is dated Winter 2010.
Is it asking too much for elected representatives to let voters know what is happening?
Take board meetings, for example. They tend to last about 15 minutes with limited discussion. Since the documents are not posted anywhere for citizens to read, showing up doesn't help much. I went to one meeting that a troop of Scouts attended. I don’t think they left after 15 minutes with the idea that township government was very interesting.
Board minutes aren’t any help. Take a look at any of the minutes posted. They provide essentially no information on the issues in question.
And that is when the minutes are posted. As I write, the latest posted minutes are from January 3. There are agendas for meetings on January 17 and February 7, but no minutes. The Planning Commission posts good minutes — when it bothers to do so. Currently, the last minutes posted are for January 25, 2011. There are agendas for three meetings after that, but who knows what happened?
The only source of information is often Jan Hulst, the Cadence correspondent, who publishes brief reports after most meetings.
Compare Grand Rapids Township with Cascade Township, for example, to see the differences in information available to citizens. Cascade Township posts the details on issues in advance of meetings.
Or consider newsletters. Cascade Township issues six a year. Grand Rapids Township issues one a year — most years. The last one on the Township web site is dated Winter 2010.
Is it asking too much for elected representatives to let voters know what is happening?
Monday, February 6, 2012
New G. R. Township Trustee
MLive has a peculiar story today (February 5, 2012).
I had applied for the opening on the Grand Rapids Township Board, as did five others. When I saw the list, I immediately know the person named would be David Van Dyke, a person with some experience in township affairs. Usually, the “winner” is the headline.
The MLive, however, headlines its story “Calvin College professors denied seats on East Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Township boards.” My colleague James Sykes had applied for the open seat on the East Grand Rapids City Council.
Almost makes the think that not appointing me was more newsworthy than appointing David Van Dyke.
In any event, appropriate congratulations are in order for David Van Dyke.
I had applied for the opening on the Grand Rapids Township Board, as did five others. When I saw the list, I immediately know the person named would be David Van Dyke, a person with some experience in township affairs. Usually, the “winner” is the headline.
The MLive, however, headlines its story “Calvin College professors denied seats on East Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Township boards.” My colleague James Sykes had applied for the open seat on the East Grand Rapids City Council.
Almost makes the think that not appointing me was more newsworthy than appointing David Van Dyke.
In any event, appropriate congratulations are in order for David Van Dyke.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
One Person Signs up for Bonnell Park
Back in December 2010 which the Grand Rapids Township Board was considering turning over Bonnell Park to the Woodcliff Property Association, I predicted that hardly anyone would be willing to pay the exorbitant annual fee that the Board authorized the WPA to charge.
Not much of a surprise, but I was correct. It turns out that a single person was willing to pay the fee — and I think that was because he wanted to be able to keep his boat there (which requires yet another fee).
The Township Board maintained at the time that they were providing public access in a way that would not overwhelm the relatively small area. Now, that is not in itself an unreasonable concern. However, in practice it turns out that the excessive fees for all practical purposes rule out any public access.
This is an issue I expect to continue to follow.
Not much of a surprise, but I was correct. It turns out that a single person was willing to pay the fee — and I think that was because he wanted to be able to keep his boat there (which requires yet another fee).
The Township Board maintained at the time that they were providing public access in a way that would not overwhelm the relatively small area. Now, that is not in itself an unreasonable concern. However, in practice it turns out that the excessive fees for all practical purposes rule out any public access.
This is an issue I expect to continue to follow.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Grand Rapids Township
As a resident of Grand Rapids Township I have been following the activities of the Township Board, a generally capable group, although I think they made a dubious decision that essentially turned over control of Bonnell Park on Reeds Lake, which is public property, to a private residential association.
I intend to follow this issue, and perhaps comment occasionally on other Township matters.
I intend to follow this issue, and perhaps comment occasionally on other Township matters.
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