WALKER, Mich.--- A new person will be representing Walker and West Grand Rapids when the Kent County Board of Commissioners reconvenes April 10.

On March 27, the Board unanimously voted to appoint Patrick Szymczak to the seat previously held by Michael Wawee.  Wawee is charged with obtaining money under false pretenses for his own use from the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids and Holy Cross Cemetery, where Wawee works. He’s accused of taking between $1,000 and $20,000. In an earlier statement, Wawee said he resigned from his seat to focus his energy and time on family and proving his innocence.

Szymczak comes with a decade of experience as a local business owner.  He owns Jant Group, LCC, a visual graphics company based in Rockford.  Prior to that, he served as global account manager for SBC Global.

PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich.— The Plainfield Township Board is poised to financially back an environmental group's plan to clean up the remnants of an old dam.

In September 1986, storms dumped up to 13 inches of rain on West Michigan, leading to rising floodwaters that destroyed three dams, including the Childsdale dam.  The dam south of Rockford gave way at 2:15 a.m. on Sept. 12, sending flood waters and chunks of concrete down the Rogue River toward the village of Belmont. The dam was never rebuilt, but some of the debris remains in the river.

Now, nearly 28 years later, the Schrems West Michigan chapter of Trout Unlimited wants to clean up remaining dam debris in the Rogue River and improve the habitat for fish and wildlife.  Josh Zuiderveen of Streamworks, LLC presented the proposed project to the Board last month, as part of a county coldwater habitat project.

GRANDVILLE, Mich. – Grandville-based First United Credit Union backing the Kent District Library’s campaign to replenish its budget.

Through the Genre Derby, KDL hopes to raise $10,000 for digital and physical books. That’s just a fraction of the $300,000 that’s been slashed from the library’s budget since 2013.

“Our overall budget has been cut by over $2 million in the past three years from changes in tax valuation and personal property tax,” explained KDL Development Manager Linda Krombeen. 

Despite the cuts, KDL is using technology and restructuring to avoid laying off staff.

The Genre Derby allows patrons to direct donations to the type of books they read most. First United Credit Union is pledging to match 50 percent of all donor gifts during the Genre Derby, up to $1,500.