Grand Haven finance director outlines fee, capital and revenue updates at budget hearing; council takes no action
May 05, 2026 | Grand Haven, Ottawa County, Michigan
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Emily Green, Grand Haven’s finance director, outlined several updates to the proposed fiscal 2026–27 budget during a May 4 public hearing, including changes to the fee schedule, adjustments to the capital plan and updated revenue projections. The council opened the hearing and did not take action that evening.
Green told the council the building inspection permit fee was increased to $300 and that certain inspection fees tied to ICC valuation were standardized at $75. She said the capital plan had removed a previously listed property acquisition and removed temporary farmers market electrical work from capital projects because the cost fell below the asset threshold. The budget adds "a placeholder" of $1.5 million for a potential snow-melt boiler replacement and updates motor-pool truck costs and a tentative street-resurfacing plan. "All of those fees are now 75," Green said of ICC-related inspections, and she summarized revenue and expense updates since the April 15 work session.
During the public comment portion of the hearing, Ryan Cotton, a member of the Sustainability and Energy Commission, praised the inclusion of resources for a comprehensive tree inventory and urged competitive procurement for that work. Cotton said rough, dated data suggested the city's tree canopy may have declined "from 32% to 28%" and noted that Ottawa County GIS imagery is captured in leaf-off seasons and cannot by itself establish current canopy percentages. He encouraged the council to include in any request for proposals the task of determining present-day canopy percentage.
The hearing record shows several other technical changes Green described, including updates to the fee schedule and millage language in the budget document. The council closed the public hearing without vote; officials said the council may adopt the budget at a subsequent meeting, and that changes between the hearing and adoption are possible but unlikely.
Green told the council the building inspection permit fee was increased to $300 and that certain inspection fees tied to ICC valuation were standardized at $75. She said the capital plan had removed a previously listed property acquisition and removed temporary farmers market electrical work from capital projects because the cost fell below the asset threshold. The budget adds "a placeholder" of $1.5 million for a potential snow-melt boiler replacement and updates motor-pool truck costs and a tentative street-resurfacing plan. "All of those fees are now 75," Green said of ICC-related inspections, and she summarized revenue and expense updates since the April 15 work session.
During the public comment portion of the hearing, Ryan Cotton, a member of the Sustainability and Energy Commission, praised the inclusion of resources for a comprehensive tree inventory and urged competitive procurement for that work. Cotton said rough, dated data suggested the city's tree canopy may have declined "from 32% to 28%" and noted that Ottawa County GIS imagery is captured in leaf-off seasons and cannot by itself establish current canopy percentages. He encouraged the council to include in any request for proposals the task of determining present-day canopy percentage.
The hearing record shows several other technical changes Green described, including updates to the fee schedule and millage language in the budget document. The council closed the public hearing without vote; officials said the council may adopt the budget at a subsequent meeting, and that changes between the hearing and adoption are possible but unlikely.
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