![A body of water as seen from between the foliage at Millenium Park A body of water as seen from between the foliage at Millenium Park](https://www.therapidian.org/sites/default/files/imagecache/article_medium/article_images/36456117185378d308aaak_1.jpg)
A body of water as seen from between the foliage at Millenium Park /Ann-Marie Jurek
A body of water as seen from between the foliage at Millenium Park /Ann-Marie Jurek
Grand Rapids City Commission to Meet in the Third Ward for Next "Commission Night Out" Meeting
On Tuesday, the City of Grand Rapids sent out a press release to remind residents that the next "Commission Night Out" (CNO) meeting will be taking place on Tuesday, October 18 at the Gerald R. Ford Academic Center in the Third Ward. The meeting will begin at 5:30pm and follow a structure similar to the CNO meeting that was held in the First Ward on August 23. Residents of the Third Ward (and the greater Grand Rapids community) will be able to discuss the results of the 2022 National Community Survey with city staff and offer up their own thoughts/suggestions on how the city can improve based on several different "livability factors." Once the discussion session(s) have concluded, the City Commission will move on to official city business.
Refreshments will be provided to attendees. Childcare will also be available, but space is limited and residents are asked to pre-register their children prior to the meeting. Registration is available here (0-3 years) and here (4-12 years). Residents who are unable to attend in person can watch the meeting on Facebook, YouTube, or on Comcast Channel 26.
The "Commission Night Out" meeting in the Second Ward is scheduled for Tuesday, November 1 at 5:30pm at GRPS University.
City of Grand Rapids Forestry Division to Give Away Logs in an Effort to Reduce Wood Waste
In another step towards greater sustainability, the Forestry division of the City of Grand Rapids has announced that it will be giving away free logs to interested residents as part of the Urban Wood Utilization Program. The giveaway will occur at the Grand Rapids Yard Refuse site (at 2001 Butterworth Street) between 7:30am and 4:30pm on Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5. Residents are encouraged to use large trucks or trailers to transport the logs due to their overall size. According to the city, it has roughly 2,000 logs up for grabs.
In the future, Grand Rapids hopes to further expand its sustainable operations by "creat[ing] future programs for woodworkers and local businesses to purchase high-quality wood." Joe Sulak, the superintendent of the City's parks, made the following statement in Wednesday's press release:
"Sustainability is one of the City's core values, and the Urban Wood Utilization program is one way we can embrace that value. By giving away logs rather than contracting with a company to dispose of them we expect to save approximately $20,000 annually. We're excited to expand this program to continue reducing forestry waste, saving taxpayer dollars, and serving the community and businesses."
For more information about the giveaway event, visit the City of Grand Rapids' website here.
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