On March 19, 2003, the second statue, a Navy sailor, was moved into the city office building to join the Coast Guard statue already there. If you have a minute, please stop in and see these two beautiful and life-sized statues. Joyce Sweers is now beginning to work on the third statue, a United States Marine!
The Veterans Committee has received some exciting news since the last newsletter. All of the material for the underground sprinkling system has been donated by Automatic Irrigation Supply Company, plus the installation of the sprinkling system has been donated by West Michigan Sprinkling Company. When the time comes, D&D Building, Inc. has volunteered to send a crew of workers, who will set our statues in place in the park.
The Committee is planning a community-wide walk-a-thon to be held on Saturday, May 17, 2003, at 9:00 a.m. to help raise money for the park. Anyone with a sponsor is welcome to “Walk for the Veterans’ Park” and join in the fun. The walk will begin and end at the city offices and will be of a distance that everyone can participate.
If you have not already done so, please stop by city hall and purchase a paving brick for the walkway and put your loved one’s name on the veterans memorial wall. Paving bricks are not helping to pay for the construction of the park. The $125 cost to place a name on the memorial wall is the actual cost of the bronze plaque. We are not using the dedication and service of our veterans to pay for the cost of our park.
We are looking ahead to the day when this park will be dedicated to our community. We can anticipate a stroll through the park, taking time to admire each statue, remembering our service men and women who are memorialized on the wall.
Remember to pray for our troops now serving in Iraq, and may God Bless America!

The Veteran’s Memorial Park Committee

VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK PAVER BRICKS & DONATIONS Please fill out the form below and mail to: City of Hudsonville, 3275 Central Blvd., Hudsonville, MI 49426 Enclose your total Contributions; make your check out to the City of Hudsonville.
Donor's Name: __________________________________ Address: _______________________________________	City/State: ______________________________________ Zip Code: ________________ Phone: ________________
Choose brick size or other item and the inscription that you want ot appear. The maximum is 14 characters per line, including spacing and punctuation. Use all capital letters. All inscriptions are subject to approval.
INDIVIUAL 4" x 8" BRICK: $50	VETERANS MEMORIAL WALL (BELOW)
FAMILY OR GROUP 8" x 8" BRICK: $100	ADDITIONAL GIFT FOR THE MEMORIAL PARK: $125 for Memorial Wall $250 for decorative post $3500 for a light $200 for concrete pad (materials & labor) Donation $_________

Cross Connection Control Program

When cross connections or faulty back flow prevention devices exist within the public water system, the purity of the public’s drinking water is compromised. The City of Hudsonville is required by State law to ensure that commercial and industrial facilities within the city are in compliance with State requirements for water system usage. These regulations prevent the use of cross connections or faulty back flow prevention devices within the public water system.
The Hudsonville City Commission recently approved a contract with Hydro Designs, Inc. to inspect all commercial and industrial facilities within the Hudsonville service area. The City will contact in advance all commercial and industrial facilities to arrange for inspections. Inspections started in January with municipal buildings and schools. All inspections are to be complete by December 2004. Inspections are prioritized based on the degree of hazard.
Although Hydro Designs, Inc. will be administering the program, the Hudsonville Department of Public Works will be actively involved. The department is striving to eliminate cross connections in order to protect the water we drink. If you have any questions, please call 616-669-0200.

West Nile Virus

City of Hudsonville Website

Have you visited the city’s website lately? We are endeavoring to keep it updated and current with pertinent information useful to our citizens. From the homepage at http://www.hudsonville.org, there are buttons to link you to:

• City government
• Area schools and churches
• City-owned parks and recreation information
• Current events
• Information on city employment opportunities
• The Hudsonville Chamber of Commerce
• Downtown Development Authority
• History and facts of Hudsonville
• Past Salad Bowl Newsletters, and
• Gary Byker Memorial Library.

By clicking on the City Government button, you can get up-to-date information on city government functions, including members and meeting times of all city commissions and boards, and administrative departments and their staff. From here you can click on any of the city administrative departments buttons to go to their pages.
The City Clerk’s page has links to minutes from the past 12 months of City Commission meetings. The Planning/Zoning page has links to minutes from the past 12 months of Planning Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals meetings. Also, there are downloadable permit application forms available on the Planning/Zoning page. From the City Assessor and Treasurer pages you can access property tax and assessing information for all properties in the City.
All information is updated continuously—just another service to keep you up to date with your city government.

Cool New Teen Area at the Library

Thanks to a surprise gift from a wonderful friend, our library has been given a chance to redecorate the part of our library designated for teens.
We hope this great furniture will meet with their approval as they browse the young adult books, (including our new graphic comics), check out the latest music CD’s and peruse the new teen bulletin board, where we hope to showcase local teen’s artwork, poetry or other writings.
Teens: If you’ve got something you’re proud of – bring it in! We’d love to show off your work!

Summer Reading Club for Adults

The Gary Byker Memorial Library of Hudsonville is pleased to announce our Fourth Annual Adult Summer Reading Club! Sign up for our “annual” program and read one book a week from June 9 – August 2 to become a “perennial” reader. This year we’ve made it a little easier for you. The categories to read are:

• Live Author
• Dead Author
• Book set in this Country
• Book set in Another Country
• Book set in this Time Period
• Book set in Another Time Period
• Non-Fiction or Biography
• Your Choice

Fill out a short book review for each book to earn some wild prizes including a chance for a 6-foot high CD tower/lamp, garden statue, or a huge wicker “queen” chair. We’ll also have weekly raffle prizes with something for everyone! Come join the fun!

Craft Night at the Library !

We’ve had such a great response to our craft night, that we’ve scheduled several more listed below. Come learn a new skill and enjoy some crafty company! Call the library to register at 669-1255. Also, if you’re interested in volunteering to lead us in a new craft, or just want to suggest one, please call us. We’d love to hear from you!

Monday, May 19, 8:30 pm
Hummingbird Mosaic Stepping Stone with Dee Jones.
This beautiful stepping stone featuring a blue, green and red hummingbird and iridescent trim will look great in your backyard! Participants will use pre-cut glass and concrete to create this project that does require a 30 day “curing” time before it is ready to use. Program costs $15. Class size limited to 10.

Thursday, June 26, 7:00-9:00 pm
Book Lamp with Mark Peterson
Although librarians may shudder at this, readers and decorators alike will love this craft! Take some books, stack them up, drill a hole down the middle (!!!) and then equip it with a lamp fittings and a shade. Voila! You’ve got a beautiful reading lamp! We’ll supply some decorative books from our book sale, or bring your own! Program costs $25. Class size limited to 15.

Tuesday, July 29, 6:30-8:30 pm
Glass Flower Mosaic Suncatcher with Dee Jones.
Choose from pre-cut glass flower shapes (rose, daffodil, or iris) to make your own work of art. Program costs $15. Class size limited to 15.

Future programs: Beaded Lamp/Candle Holders, Pony Bead Indian Corn Wreath, Learn to Knit, Bread Dough, “Brag” books & Velvet Stamping

Summer Used Book Sale

The sale will be located at the library in the lower level during regular library hours on Thursday, July 25 through Saturday, July 27. Prices are as follows: Hard covers: 50 cents, Paperbacks: 25 cents, Magazines: 10 cents. Children’s items are priced lower. Some specially priced items will also be available.

All donations of books are welcome. Please use the green mailbox by the library’s entrance, or bring them inside. Tax credits are available for these donations upon request.

Our “Friends” group meets on the second Tuesday of each month (except July and August) at 10 am in the library’s lower level. We’d love to have new members. Come in and pick up a “Friends” brochure or call Wanda Giem at 896-9376 or Marcia Wierda at 669-6608 for more details.

Teen Programs

For Young People 12-18

BEADED JEWELRY
Do you like to make bracelets and necklaces? This is your chance to make something great for yourself or someone else. There is a $2.00 cost for materials. Make sure to register. Program date: Tuesday, June 24th, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

DECORATIVE BIRD HOUSES
Decorate a bird house with paint, stones, and shingles with the assistance of your friendly librarians. There is a $3.00 fee to help with the cost of materials. Make sure to register early - spaces are limited. Program date: Tuesday, July 22nd, 6-8 p.m.

Teen Read Club

1. This club is for young people 12* through 18. There is a ten dollar fee for sign-up.** Hudsonville City residents may sign-up for free.
2. Get a Teen Read form and keep track of the hours you have read. To get all the awards you must read at least 12 hours. Turn in your form by August 16th. Dead-line for all forms: Saturday, August 23rd.
3. Teens will receive some fun awards - free rental of library CD’s, candy bars for all you chocoholics, CD towers, books or coupons to Barnes & Nobles and Signatures.

*(You must be twelve by July 1st, 2003 or be entering Junior High in the fall.)
**Georgetown residents be aware of additional fees to check out books.

Summer Reading Programs

The Gary Byker Memorial Library is having their annual Summer Reading Programs. Registration begins June 9th and is required for all programs. You must be a member of the Summer Reading Club to register (There is a fee for non-Hudsonville residents).

THE GREAT TRASH BASH
Tuesday, June 17, 11:00-12:00 p.m.
Learn how to make a 3-D picture with recycled materials! Betsy Hamm, the head of Learning from Scratch, a non-profit organization which gathers manufacturing by-products for use in children’s art programs, will be here to show us how. Participants should bring $3.00 to help repair Betsy’s artmobile or 30 pop cans. We will continue to collect pop cans all summer. (For 1st through 6th grades)

A DR. SEUSS CELEBRATION
Tuesday, June 24, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Hear some of Dr. Seuss stories, play games, sing some songs, and make “Seussical” crafts. (For Kindergarten through 4th grades).

FRISBEE GOLF
Tuesday, July 1, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Meet us at Hughes Park for our 2nd annual Frisbee Golf Tournament. We will supply a Frisbee if you don’t have one. You will be divided into teams by age and play two rounds of “golf”. Juice boxes will be provided. (For 3rd grade and up - Rain date Thursday, July 3rd.)

JOHN BALL TRAVELING ZOO
Tuesday, July 8, 1:00-1:45 p.m.
Get up close and personal with three “funny” animal visitors from the John Ball Zoo. Learn about how these creatures are part of our world and why we should protect them. Get zoological! (Preschool through 4th grade)

GAME-O-RAMA
Tuesday, July 15, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Play Book Bingo, Hangman, Pictionary, and Jeopardy. Show us what you know, win some prizes and have fun! (For students 2nd - 6th grade)

THE MAGIC AND COMEDY OF JOHN DUDLEY!
Tuesday, July 22, 1:00-1:45 p.m.
He’s silly, humorous, and amazing! John does great tricks, makes you laugh, and lets you participate. Have a laugh on us! (For 1st grade and up)

LIBRARY SLEEPOVER
Friday, August 1, 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 a.m.
A parent/child overnight adventure at the library! Bring you sleeping bag, pillow, jammies, and toiletries. We will supply the fun! Snacks and a simple breakfast will be provided. (Only for children 2nd grade and up with a parent, grandparent, or guardian. No more than 2 children per adult.)

WALK-IN STORY TIME AT THE LIBRARY
For children ages 3-7, 10:30 - 11:00 a.m. Every Wednesday from June 18th - July 23rd.

A Note from the Assessor’s Office

NEIGHBORHOOD REVALUATION
Our 2002 neighborhood revaluation project will continue again this summer for the area bounded by 40th Avenue on the west, 36th Avenue on the east, Chicago Drive on the south, and Van Buren Street on the north. The goal of the revaluation is to adjust assessed values to more accurately reflect the property. Accurate and complete information regarding each property is necessary to maintain uniformity and equity of assessments throughout the neighborhoods and the city. During the summer of 2002 our department was able to update the records for approximately 160 properties in the area of Grant, Lee, and Barker Streets. Our objective is for a student intern and myself to visit each individual property. The property will be photographed, measured and information gathered from the property owner for updating the parcel record. Letters will be sent to property owners scheduled for each phase letting you know when we will be on your street

INDUSTRIAL FACILITIES TAX EXEMPTIONS
Occasionally, notice is placed in the newspaper regarding a public hearing before the City Commission to consider an application for an Industrial Facilities Exemption Certificate. Since their inception in 1994, several certificates have been issued to manufacturing firms located in the city of Hudsonville. These certificates provide tax benefits to companies that modernize or expand existing industrial plants, or build new ones in the city. As tax incentives, they are offered as a catalyst to stimulate economic development and provide a more favorable business climate in the city. Likewise, the city receives economic benefit through a higher volume of capital expenditures, a higher level of employment and an increase in tax collections resulting from an overall higher level of economic activity. Each certificate entitles the business to an exemption from ad valorem real and personal property taxes for a period of up to 12 years. In lieu of property tax, the firm will pay a specific tax known as the Industrial Facilities Tax. This tax usually applies only half of the millage rate instead of using the total mills levied. The resulting tax is equal to 50 percent of the property tax which would otherwise be payable. Next time you see one of those notices of public hearing you'll have a better understanding of what is going on in our city.

Police Department Web Page Requests

The Hudsonville Police Department is working to improve the services it offers its citizens. The department has a long-standing history of checking resident’s houses when they are away on vacation. Until now, residents had to come down to the police department and fill out the vacation watch request. This service is now offered to the public through the Internet. Just go to the Hudsonville Police Department web page and you can fill out online the request form for a vacation watch request.
The department also maintains an emergency contact list for the business community. We are continuously working on updating the emergency notification contact list that we have in case we need to contact the business owner. Business owners can now update their information online just by going to the police department web page and filling out the necessary information. With this information, officers are able to contact the appropriate person from their business whenever any type of emergency happens.
And finally, we know that the residents and citizens who travel on our streets may have concerns, complaints or any other comments about traffic issues. We have added a form to the web site for anyone to tell us what traffic issues they have in the City.
All of these forms are available to anyone who has access to the Internet by going to the Hudsonville Police Department web page (http://www.hudsonville.org/Police) and clicking on Community Service Forms, otherwise everyone is always welcomed to come down to the police department.

Recreational Fires

With spring here and summer coming, it’s a great time to think about having a barbecue or relaxing around a campfire. Recreational fires are allowed in the City. However, you must have some type of fire pit made of stone, cement, block, or even an old truck wheel in the ground, working as a fire pit. The fire must be attended at all times and thoroughly extinguished when finished. No burning of trash or garbage is allowed. Have a safe summer!

CITY ELECTION YEAR 2003
NOMINATION FOR PUBLIC OFFICE
ANNOUNCEMENT

NOMINATING PETITIONS will be accepted by the City Clerk until 4:00 PM, Tuesday, May 13, 2003 for the following offices:

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