Thank You Coopersville

Thank you, Coopersville. I’m honored to serve a second term. In my first term I learned a lot about how the city works day to day and how important it is to explain the “why” behind decisions.

This term I’ll share more of the information and reasoning I use. That means clearer updates, links to source documents when possible, and short plain-language summaries of what the data says. I’ll also keep listening and meeting with neighbors.

What you can expect:
• Regular posts that explain what’s on the agenda and what it means for you
• Simple breakdowns of costs, benefits, and trade-offs
• Follow-ups after major decisions so you can see what changed and what’s next

How to be part of it:
• Ask questions in the comments or message me directly
• Tell me what you’re seeing on your street or at your business
• Hold me accountable if something is unclear

Thanks again for the trust. My door is open, my phone is on, and I’ll keep doing the homework and sharing what I learn.

Peter Weise
Council Member, City of Coopersville

Responses:

• I'll start: Why are you using this as a campaign promise or something you plan on doing in the future? Why haven't you just done it? I've heard this song and dance from everyone in the past year, yet nobody has actually done it. Can you explain why you are waiting until now to be more transparent? 

  • Me: My first term was a lot of learning, and I still am. Most council work is everyday stuff that keeps us running, like fixing parts at the wastewater plant, keeping up with water and sewer, and lining approvals up with the budget. Bigger projects like Meridian 43 showed me we need clearer long-range direction, so I pushed for a deeper master plan and zoning review to reflect what residents want.

  • I’ve been trying to be more transparent, and I can do better. Here’s my simple plan:

    • Before each meeting: make sure that the agenda is posted in local Facebook groups and add short explainers where needed

    • After each meeting: share what happened, how I voted, and why

    • Website: keep it updated so everything’s in one place

  • Remember, you can subscribe to agendas by email on the city site. I’ll keep answering here, but there are quite a few local pages and I don’t always see every post, please tag me if something needs attention. Thanks for the push. Hold me to this.

• Congratulations!!! You were very nice to meet at our COF meeting last week and very easy to talk to and you listened, you and Shane both were great listeners and seemed like you cared about our concerns or questions.

  • Me: Thanks for the kind words about the Circle of Friends and the meet-and-greet. I appreciated hearing from those that attended. I’m drafting an email to Dennis covering what came up: cemetery walk golf-cart access, the parking lot offer and small-lot housing interest, senior trips and transportation options. I’ll share updates as I hear back. If I missed something or you have details to add, message me and I’ll include it.

• Can we start by getting grove street bridge open? It been ridiculous how long it’s been closed!

  • Me: The Grove Street Bridge is a $3.3 million replacement. When major damage was identified in 2022, a short-term fix would have cost the City ~$200,000 and still left us with an aging structure, so we pursued full replacement through MDOT’s Bridge Bundling program to cover the City’s share. A subsequent federal funding pullback forced statewide delays, but the State restored funding and our project is now programmed for FY 2026, with MDOT’s bid letting targeted for June 2026 (the step just before construction). We know the closure is inconvenient, my family feels it daily, this would be our route to and from school, yet this approach delivers a safer bridge and the best long-term value for Coopersville. We are also able to add pedestrian enhancements with the Safe Routes to Schools program that will also begin construction next year.

• Out of curiosity what is your top two goals and your action plan to get us there?

  • Me: City work isn’t a single-issue job. It’s a whole organism (sorry, I teach Biology), streets, water, housing, parks, safety, and budgets all rely on each other. When one system lags, the others feel it. My approach is to keep the whole picture in view and move the pieces that get the most benefit for residents first. However, a big priority for me is transparency and routine communication. Before each meeting I’ll create a quick summary about each item and invite your questions; after each meeting I’ll share what passed, how I voted, and why. If you ever want more detail, ask and I’ll get it.

•  I wish you nothing but the best on your second term. Please remember that the city manager works for YOU, and not the other way around. This town desperately needs leaders, not a bunch of followers who rubber stamp everything put in front of them. Its one of the main reasons I respect Shane Gerard and the way he represents the community. I sincerely appreciate your willingness to communicate though. That goes a long way in my book. I also hope you address the cities social media policy on Monday.

  • Me: What do you see as the goal of opening comments on the City’s Facebook page? If the aim is real back-and-forth dialogue, our official page isn’t the best venue. Its job is verified notices and on-topic Q&A we can staff during business hours, archive for records, and moderate under government-speech standards (I’ve recently learned those rules can require tighter moderation or closing threads and legally do not need to comply with freedom of speech).

  • For broader debate and ongoing conversation, the community run Coopersville Informed page is better: you can tag council members, ask follow-ups, and speak freely without the constraints that apply to an official channel. You also get to tag council members so that they can engage with you on Coopersville Informed and bring ideas and concerns back to the City so nothing gets lost.

• What’s the exact value of IFT revenue lost for 2025 ?

  • Asking only “what’s the IFT cost?” misses half the ledger. The RIGHT test is net value: private investment we land here instead of elsewhere (it does need to fit within our communities vision of our city), jobs we keep in town, utility connection and usage fees today, and a higher tax base when the certificate sunsets. IFTs are time-limited and not zero-tax. If a proposal doesn’t net out for residents, we shouldn’t do it. So far, our IFT projects have added value and broadened our local economy, more employers in more sectors, so we’re less exposed if one company downsizes or leaves, like when Delphi closed and the gap hurt the city.

  • So here’s the matching question: What added value do these employers bring to Coopersville, now and long-term, and what number are YOU using for that? If we’re trading a temporary discount for durable value, that’s a good deal; if not, it isn’t.