Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the County Planning Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Kent County unveils 'Kent County 2050' vision and evaluates moving primary offices to Fuller campus
Summary
County Administrator Al Vanderburgh outlined Kent County 2050, a long-range framework, and said officials are evaluating relocating primary county offices from downtown Grand Rapids to the Fuller campus, with community engagement planned before any construction decision.
County Administrator Al Vanderburgh onstage at the Kent County State of the County described “Kent County 2050” as a long-range, community-owned vision and said the county is moving from planning into implementation.
Al Vanderburgh, county administrator, said the county finalized a planning document called the headwater framework last year and will now ask stakeholders to lead pieces of the plan. “Kent County 2050 is a community owned vision ensuring our county remains a place to live well, thrive together, cultivate community and be resilient for generations to come,” Vanderburgh said.
Vanderburgh said the county is “carefully evaluating which county offices should move” from downtown Grand Rapids to the Fuller campus, which already houses the health department, animal shelter, veteran services, the sheriff’s office and other county functions. He described the move as a “50-year decision” and said the board is doing due diligence and plans a community engagement strategy so residents and stakeholders can provide input before construction would occur.
The Fuller campus plan is presented as part of the county’s effort to consolidate services, improve accessibility for constituents and steward taxpayer resources over the long term. Vanderburgh said officials are weighing options about which offices to relocate and how to design any new building to meet future needs.
No formal timeline or board vote on a relocation to Fuller was announced during the remarks; Vanderburgh said staff and the Board of Commissioners are continuing due diligence and will develop engagement opportunities prior to any construction.
The remarks about Kent County 2050 and the Fuller-campus evaluation were given as part of a broader State of the County presentation and were introduced by Vanderburgh.
