Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Municipal Budgeting topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Zeeland council adopts FY2027 budget, updates fees and wage plan and confirms city leadership
Summary
The Zeeland Common Council on May 4 adopted the Fiscal Year 2027 budget and related rates and fees, approved revised water and electric fee schedules effective July 1, 2026, endorsed a FY26–27 wage implementation plan, and reappointed a slate of department heads and managers.
Zeeland Common Council voted unanimously on May 4 to adopt the Fiscal Year 2027 budget, a related rates-and-fees schedule and a package of personnel and utility resolutions.
Assistant City Manager and Finance Director Kevin Plockmeyer presented the proposed FY2027 budget, outlining revenue sources, an increase in tax revenue, expenditures by function and contingency assumptions. After the presentation and a brief public hearing, Councilmember Perkins moved to adopt the budget; Councilmember Langeland supported the motion and the resolution passed with all members voting aye.
Council also approved the Fiscal Year 2027 Rates and Fees Schedule and adopted updated Water and Electric Utility Fee Schedules, each set to take effect July 1, 2026. Mayor Pro-Tem Gruppen and Councilmember Lam respectively moved and supported the water-fee resolution; Councilmember Timmer and Councilmember Lam moved and supported the electric-fee resolution. Both motions carried unanimously.
On personnel and compensation, Council approved the FY26–27 wage scales and an implementation plan intended “to ensure that employees serving the City of Zeeland are compensated fairly and competitively,” a phrase included in the motion by Councilmember Lam. The plan ties increases to updated wage-scale midpoints and performance adjustments, includes retention payments where needed and is estimated to produce roughly a 5% average increase for existing team members; projected one-time and ongoing costs were presented as $40,500 for the city and $12,500 for the Board of Public Works (BPW).
The meeting also included annual reappointments required by the City Charter and personnel policies. Council reappointed Timothy Klunder as City Manager/City Superintendent; Kevin Plockmeyer as Treasurer/Finance Director and Assistant City Manager; Brad Deppe as Fire/Rescue Chief; Timothy Jungel as Police Chief/Health Officer; Amanda Hanson as Library/Community Center Director; Jim Donkersloot as City Attorney; Andrew Boatright as BPW Utilities Manager/General Manager; and several board members including Paul DeBoer to a three-year term on both the Board of Construction Appeals and the Board of Zoning Appeals. Each appointment was moved and seconded as recorded in the agenda and approved by unanimous vote.
Other council actions included adoption of Snowmelt Special Assessment Resolution No. 5 to operate and maintain the downtown snowmelt system, and a proclamation designating May 7, 2026, as the National Day of Prayer. All votes noted on the record were unanimous with no recorded no-votes or abstentions.
The council adjourned at 7:45 p.m. after brief member reports, including a Memorial Day parade routing update and public-works concerns about a sinkhole on Central and Lee.
