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Resident tells Hudsonville commission neighborhood needs more police presence, better signage
Summary
At the Nov. 11 Hudsonville City Commission meeting, resident Ryan Chick urged the city to increase patrols, replace damaged traffic signs and address speeding and unsafe bicycling in his neighborhood; commissioners agreed to raise the issues with the Ottawa County Sheriff and schedule a workshop on enforcement data.
Ryan Chick, a Hudsonville resident, told the City Commission on Nov. 11 that he has observed little police patrol activity near his home on 40th Street, reporting he’s seen officers “1 time in 8 months” and describing frequent speeding and motorcycles traveling 50–60 miles per hour. He asked the commission to increase enforcement and to replace damaged or removed road signs in several locations, and also raised concerns about off-leash dogs and seasonal restroom access at Buttermilk Creek park.
Those concerns drew acknowledgement from Mayor Mark Northrop and other commissioners. Northrop said the city would raise the enforcement and signage concerns with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department, which holds the contract to enforce traffic laws in Hudsonville. “We certainly will raise your issues back to the Ottawa County sheriff's department,” Northrop said, and staff will address signage and park-restroom matters separately.
Commissioners said traffic enforcement is a shared concern and asked staff to compile statistics. Commissioner DeVray asked that data be gathered for a future discussion with Sheriff Debord; staff agreed to add the topic to a workshop agenda so the commission can review enforcement numbers before approaching the sheriff. The manager noted the commission will wait for updated exhibits from the sheriff’s office to inform that conversation.
The remarks came during the meeting’s public-comment period. No formal action or new ordinance was adopted at the Nov. 11 session; instead, the commission directed staff to follow up with the sheriff’s office and to add a focused workshop item to review traffic-enforcement statistics and options.
