2. Mayor Richard Clanton

3. Where is Kentwood?

4. Local Government in Michigan  Michigan Law defines 4 types of local government –  County (example: Kent)  Township (example: Gaines)  Village (example: Caledonia)  City (example: Grand Rapids)  Which one is Kentwood?

5.  Originally known as Paris Township (1839)  Adopted City Charter in 1967  What is a Charter?  The charter is a document that describes the powers and duties of all city officials. It defines how meetings will be conducted, how laws are made, what officials are elected and their terms, and how city finances and taxes are administered.  Strong Mayor form of government  Kentwood is unique because we have a Mayor-Manager (strong Mayor) form of government. That means our mayor is also responsible for running the city’s daily operation. Most cities in Michigan have an elected mayor and an appointed city manager (Grand Rapids, Walker, Grandville, Wyoming, Lansing, Detroit)

6.  Elected Official - is one selected by the voters at an election. Elected offices in Kentwood include the Mayor, City Commissioners (6), Treasurer, Clerk and Judge.  Appointed Official- is one selected by the city commission. The city has many committees that need community members appointed to them. These include Parks & Recreation, Planning, Historic Preservation, Library, Economic Development, etc.  The city commission can also appoint an official to fill an un-expired term of an elected official.. A. Someone who serves in a public capacity.

7. Organization Voters City Commission 2 elected from Ward 1 2 elected from Ward 2 2 elected from at-large Mayor Assessor Community Development Fire Chief Police Chief Public Works Park & Recreation TreasurerClerkJudge

8. Elections The clerk is responsible for administering the election process in the city. Who can vote? ANYONE who is 18 years old, and is a registered voter. On election day, voters go to the polling booths in their precinct and use a ballot to place a vote. Dan Kasunic City Clerk

9. Police Department  Crime Prevention  Traffic Services  Detective Bureau  Neighborhood Relations

10. Kentwood Fire Department  Fire Prevention  Fire Suppression  Emergency Medical Services  Public Education  Emergency Management  Hazardous Materials Response  Technical Rescue

11. Public Works  Municipal Water and Sewer  Road Maintenance  Snow Plowing  Grass Mowing and Maintaining  Vehicle Maintenance  Building and Grounds Maintenance  Parks Maintenance

12. Kentwood Parks & Recreation 15 parks Programming Rec Center Basketball Tennis Disc Golf Splash Pads Trails

13. Land Use Land use is the practice of planning where how things are placed along with size and height. The Planning Commission is typically charged with formulating the Master Plan to guide growth in a logical manner.

14. Kentwood, Michigan  Census - every 10 years the Federal Government takes an official count of everyone who is living in the United States.  2010 Kentwood Census Data  Kentwood population – 48,707  Housing Units – 21,584  Size - 21.04 miles

15. Commission Meetings  Kentwood City Commission meets the 1 st and 3 rd Tuesday of each month at 7:00pm at the Kentwood City Center, 4900 Breton Rd  Agenda – an outline showing what topics will be discussed at a meeting  Public Hearing – the time during the meeting where anyone can speak to a specific item on the agenda.

16. Taxes and Revenues Where does the money come from?  Taxes - anyone who owns property in the city of Kentwood pays taxes. Taxes pay for city staff and services.  Permits  Fees  Fines