Zeeland council approves personnel changes, park contract and boiler-design amendment; sets snowmelt public hearing

The Zeeland Common Council on Feb. 2 approved a package of personnel and project items, including changes to the city employee handbook, a revision to the Employee Appreciation Policy, contract amendments for downtown boiler design, a $10,000 vegetation-management contract for Paw Paw Park and a 1.0% organizational performance incentive for qualifying employees.

Mayor Pro-Tem Gruppen moved to accept the Personnel Committee’s recommendation to amend the Employee Handbook; Councilmember Timmer supported the motion and it passed unanimously. City Manager Tim Klunder had outlined the proposed handbook changes in the preceding study session, which include replacing the term “City Clerk/Personnel Assistant” with “Human Resources,” clarifying exempt versus non-exempt classifications, permitting flexible internal posting of vacancies, aligning vacation accruals with 2025 union contracts (including provisions for extended vacation at long service milestones), and updates to travel and health appendices.

Council also approved an amendment to the Employee Appreciation Policy, a housekeeping change that reassigns coordination duties from the City Clerk’s Office to the HR Department and updates the local meals-and-incidental expense rate from $64 to $74.

The council authorized Snowmelt Special Assessment Resolution No. 2, which tentatively determines the necessity of proposed downtown snowmelt improvements and establishes the special-assessment district; the resolution sets a public hearing for Feb. 16, 2026, to receive public comment.

Council approved Amendment No. 1 to the professional services agreement with GMB for design work at 17 E. Main, adding $29,670 and increasing the contract to $199,230 to address a changed condition discovered during design. Assistant City Manager/Finance Director Kevin Plockmeyer told the council that a vertical vent chase intended for the new boiler system was already occupied by a restaurant’s venting equipment, requiring a redesign of venting and basement equipment layout.

The council awarded a $10,000 contract to the Outdoor Discovery Center to continue a multi-year vegetation management plan at Paw Paw Park to control invasive species and maintain park visibility and accessibility.

On compensation, City Manager Klunder reported the city scored 77 points on its 2025 organizational performance scorecard (histor averages were provided for context). Council unanimously voted to raise that assessment to 80 points and approve a 1.0% payment (minimum $50) under the city’s performance incentive plan, citing significant time demands on certain projects and disruptions in City Clerk’s Office service delivery during 2025.

All listed motions carried with unanimous votes. No formal ordinance adoptions or final assessments were enacted at the meeting; the snowmelt item will be the subject of the Feb. 16 public hearing.

Votes at a glance: 26.015 Employee Handbook Amendments — approved (Ayes: Mayor Pro-Tem Gruppen; Langeland; Timmer; Bult; Lam; Perkins; Mayor Rick VanDorp). 26.016 Employee Appreciation Policy Amendment — approved (same vote). 26.017 Snowmelt Special Assessment Resolution No. 2 — approved to set public hearing, hearing set for Feb. 16. 26.018 17 E. Main Boiler Design Contract Amendment (GMB) — approved; amendment $29,670, new total $199,230. 26.019 Paw Paw Park Vegetation Management contract award (Outdoor Discovery Center) — approved; $10,000. 26.020 2025 Performance Incentive — approved; payment set to 1.0%.

The council adjourned at 7:33 p.m.