History of Grand Rapids Michigan

I found this book searching through Google today. Great find. Information regarding the start of Grand Rapids and surrounding areas.

You can download the entire book by using the Google Book Downloader found here: http://www.codeplex.com/GoogleBookDownloader

http://books.google.com/books?id=l2SbZhZfYfEC&pg=PA405&lpg=PA405&dq=grand+rapids+crescent+park&source=bl&ots=oEwCHr-iQf&sig=y3wdUf38W3XeYsQ5hK_4XiBtKvo&hl=en&ei=BwqjSZKbBtCIngf1vsX8DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=8&ct=result#PPP1,M1

Sign Devos Helipad Petition Ada, MI

Driving past my house this weekend I noticed one of my neighbors had a sign in his yard to get people to sign the helipad petition to stop Devos from building his helipad. Since it's already probably built in reality the petition is probably to stop him from landing his copter there. 

If you would like to sign the helipad petition you can go to 7879 Thornapple Club Dr, Ada, MI 49301. The street is within the Ada Moorings housing complex located by Ada Park just off of Grand River by Buttrick Ave.

I don't think Ada Moorings is going to hear a lot of helicopter traffic but the petition to sign is there. So if you don't want the helipad or helicopter, go to the address above, knock on the door and sign the petition to stop it. The petition will stop Devos from building his helipad.

Granholm, Michigan Stimulus Plan

25,000 new jobs from road construction. 400,000 jobs lost in Michigan (WOOD AM News Radio 2/20/2009 interview with Gov. Granholm)

109,000 jobs created or saved in Michigan. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/jobs2_11_267443_7.pdf

Now let's do some math 25,000 temporary contract jobs that will keep people working for (let's see about a year or two) so that leaves 84,000 created or saved jobs (assuming the others aren't temporary contract work). So in 2-3 years the 25,000 new jobs will be gone and those 25,000 people will be unemployed once again. So at the very least 316,000 jobs will still be gone from Michigan and the stimulus plan will still leave Michigan in a big unemployment mess. Not to mention the financial hole that those 25,000 temporary workers will be in once the stimulus money runs out.

Another note of interest, umemployment benefits will be extended to provide up to 33 weeks of benefits. Now how does increasing these benefits create jobs. Why not spend this $27 billion dollars to create permanent jobs. I know I could take about a million of that and start my own business that would employ 25-50 people, not many in the big scheme of things but 3 years from now those 25-50 people would still have jobs and be financially stable instead of relying on the federal stimulus to give them no jobs but provide money so they don't need to work.

Extension of Emergency Unemployment Compensation. Through December 31, 2009, the bill
continues the Emergency Unemployment Compensation program, which provides up to 33 weeks of
extended unemployment benefits to workers exhausting their regular benefits.
This provision is
estimated to cost $26.96 billion.
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/inventory_267577_7.htm

Take a look at the $50 billion worth of proposed pet projects for Michigan. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/gov/inventory_267577_7.htm
I don't think we're getting $50 billion to repave roads, install LED lights and update sewer systems, all temporary work by the way. How about $50 billion dollars to help retool manufacturing to produce electric cars, or $50 billion dollars to create, gee I don't know, permanent jobs.

Great job Democrats, I'm sure we won't be in the same position 4 years from now.

WARNING: Suspicious Subjects in Cascade Ada

There have been numerous reports of suspicious inviduals in the Cascade/Ada area. Of course, knowing the area if you don't look like everyone else on your block then everyone probably thinks you look suspicious. Anyway, here are the details of the suspicious event.

Home owner at 7612 Woodvale ST SE requested extra night patrol. The street it around Buttrick, Cascade, 30th and 36th street. 

In the early morning hours of 2/16 he called dispatch to report a group of males dressed in all black near his home.  Home owner stated that he originally was awakened from his dogs barking.  When the home owner looked outside to see what was going on, a male subject dressed in all black was standing in the middle of his street staring back at him.  Home owner chatted with his neighbor who had also called last night about the same situation.  This time two of the male subjects were on the neighbors porch.

Sewage spreads through Ada

Today a sewer main break has closed Ada Dr. from Fox Hollow to Spaulding from 1-8pm. The break is expected to leak into the creek and nearby pond. If you drive by it you can smell the s that's coming from that area. I guess Ada really is looking more and more like Russia every day.


http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/02/sewer_main_break_closes_ada_dr.html

Linda Cook, 5700 Michigan St stated she is concerned with the board making the township sound like a ghetto. She is very upset; feels it is like living in Russia, and would like to see it come to a public vote.

http://www.ada.mi.us/minutes/01-19-2009-tb.pdf

Helipad in Ada - Devos wants one, do you care?

I guess I would if I lived by it and I agree he can drive the 5 minutes it takes to get to Amway. It's not like he's the one driving anyway, more likely his personal driver. I don't care if he has a helipad. If I was on the board I would let him have one if he gave me some incentive. Maybe like a cash bonus or donation to the new Roselle Park. Anyway, here are our residents thoughts:

Annika Kavesta of Ada Township commented she is not in favor of the heliport.

Kathleen Richter, 6301 Hall St. Ada stated she had not seen the proposal for the heliport and was thankful the public is

allowed to meetings. She feels it is inappropriate for a heliport in a residential area. She has safety issues in regard. She

acknowledged trees have already been cut down, and the heliport pad is already in place.

Bob Stead, 6530 Ada Dr. - He supplied copies of his position on this to all board members. He stated he is on the flight path

and doesn’t think it is reasonable to have a heliport pad in a residential area, and has noise concerns.

Roger Nicely 6270 Hall St, - He supported what Mr. Stead commented on and did some research in regards to helicopter

accidents; he stated concerns with the safety issues.

Linda Cook, 5700 Michigan St. – She asked Mr. Ferro the reasons why Mr. DeVos feels he needs a helicopter and heliport as

he only lives five minutes from Amway.

John Sarb of Ada Township – stated he was not too concerned with aircraft crashing on his house as he has 757 flying over

his house frequently.

Lloyd Paul, 1268 Pettis – stated he supported the change in the ordinance and felt the first version would be unfair.

Richard Zaagman - Stated he supported the heliport ordinance and is not worried about the safety issues.

Tracy Flanders of Ada Croft – stated support of the heliport.

Kathleen Richter, 6301 Hall St- commented she felt the heliport is very intrusive in her life.

Dane Heydon of Ada Township- stated the heliport project should not be in a residential area, and is concerned with the safety

issues.

http://www.ada.mi.us/minutes/01-19-2009-tb.pdf

Property Maintenance Ordinance - bunch of fools

Let's clean up Ada, find out who wants to live in Russia or East GR. I don't like codes like this in general but when you buy a nice house and your neighbor doesn't take care of his house or lawn, I might as well have bought a house in the ghetto. Nobody's buying houses today but even if they were they wouldn't buy one next to a bad looking house. I personally like the notes about "police state" and living in "Russia". Come on people, find better stuff to do with your time.

A. ORDINANCE NO. O-011209-2. INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE.

Jim Ferro, Planning Director gave a summary of the Ordinance Codes. Mr. Ferro stated the same ordinance codes have been

adopted by other townships; Cannon, East Grand Rapids, City of Walker and Cascade Township. 

Mr. Ferro went over the

amendments made in reference to the lawn heights and maintaining neighborhood standards, and made comments as to the

deleted items from the maintenance code.

Jim Todd, 8205 E. Fulton St., Ada – Commented on brush piles that have been on the property at 500 Pettis with the existing

ordinances in place. He had submitted a petition to the board to help solve this ongoing problem. He stated any property

maintenance ordinance should be enforced.

John Gunner of Ada Township stated he has an older home which requires a lot of upkeep and he is very busy and not always

able to keep up with the code. He is very involved with his family and doesn’t always have the time to meet all of ordinances.

He doe not agree with the new ordinances.

Gary Jebson, 648 Spaulding Ave. stated he had purchased his home years ago because it was not in a home owners

association. He feels the ordinances are imposing on his own personal property rights.

Nina Harrington of Alta Dale St. is not in agreement with all new ordinances; she feels it makes it like living in a police state.

Clifford Leazier, 475 Ada Point Dr. stated he was not in agreement with all new ordinances and feels the board should not

adopt the codes.

John Sarb of Ada Township stated he noticed other homes are in bad repair and feels we need some of the ordinances in

place. He stated the language in the ordinances could be more specific and to the point, and shortened to a one page

document.

Linda Cook, 5700 Michigan St stated she is concerned with the board making the township sound like a ghetto. She is very

upset; feels it is like living in Russia, and would like to see it come to a public vote.

Kristin Favers, 7546 Fase St. loves living in the Village of Ada. She has an old farm house and the upkeep can be very

expensive. She is concerned with the financial responsibility it could have on many community members in our tough

economic times.

Deb Emery, 7534 Fase St stated the township should revise the language to include just the basic needs.

Marge Wellman, 9575 Conservation Ave. stated if she wanted these kinds of rules she would live in East Grand Rapids. Her

family had chose Ada because Ada allows people to have horses etc. She opposed the ordinance changes.

Tim Pratt, 1911 Buttrick SE stated he spoke with Mr. Ferro earlier in the day and asked if Mr. Ferro had received complaints in

regard to the ordinances codes; approximately 15-20 complaints were made. Mr. Pratt checked with the assessor’s office in

regard to how many residences live in Ada Township and how many complaints there have been, and noticed some of the

complaints have been repetitive.

http://www.ada.mi.us/minutes/01-19-2009-tb.pdf

Buttrick Ave name change to Kamp Twins, ??

Supervisor Haga commented on the request for the street name change with regard to Buttrick Avenue to Kamp Twins Drive.

The change was approved through the Kent County Road Commission. He stated street name signs with the new name of

“Kamp Twins” will be placed shortly and gave a brief history of the Kamp twins. 

http://www.ada.mi.us/minutes/01-26-2009-tb.pdf