Inside this Issue:


Since June 2002, the Veteran’s Park Committee has been meeting an average of twice a month to raise funds and plan the park. As of July 2003, the committee has reached over 80% of its $175,000 goal to construct the park. More than 340 individuals have given cash or donated cash to purchase specific items such as paver bricks, trees, flag poles, park benches, bollards, and shirts. Several businesses and contractors have donated material and labor towards the completion of the park. Various individuals, a business, and a group of eighth grade students have paid for all six statues. Contributions are still needed for landscaping, signage and the necessary finishing touches.

Early in the spring, the committee was planning additional fund raising activities to pay for the single most costly part of the project, all the cement work. However, Stan Buell from Grand River Construction called to inform the committee that they would take on that responsibility. They, along with their subcontractors consisting of Consumers Concrete, Ersco (reinforcing steel), K & K Erectors, Concrete Central (form materials) and Great Lakes Painting (sand blast concrete), would be pleased to complete the necessary concrete work. In a letter from Grand River Construction to the committee, Stan Buell, Bill, John and Rich Kersaan wrote, “It is an honor that we donate our expertise, time and materials to recognize our Service Men and Women, both present and past.” Their well-written sentiment also reflects that of the committee and all those who have donated money, time and materials to see this park become a reality. In addition, Allendale Communications has volunteered to complete the necessary trenching for electrical work. Kenneth Hoekstra, a retired bricklayer from the Chicago area and now living in Georgetown Township volunteered to lay the face brick on the memorial wall.
Today as you travel along 32nd Avenue or Central Blvd. you will see that the construction of the park is well underway. By late fall the excavation, construction and landscaping should be complete. Two of the statues can be viewed in the entryway of City Hall. The third statue is in the final stage of completion. We anticipate that by Memorial Day 2004 all six statues will be prominently displayed in the park for its’ dedication.
The committee encourages those who would like to purchase a 4x8 or 8x8 brick or a nameplate for the Veteran’s Wall to do so by September 1, 2003 when the first round of orders will be submitted. After this date, the next order for bricks or nameplates will be submitted after a sufficient number have been accumulated.
It is with great anticipation and excitement that the committee and hundreds of individuals, who have contributed in so many ways, look forward to the completion of the park. Come and join us with your purchase of a brick or a nameplate for a veteran.
The Veteran’s Memorial Park will be a beautiful tribute to honor the men and women who have and will serve this great country of ours.

Veteran’s Memorial Park Softball Tournament

Would you like to help raise money for the new Veterans Park and have fun in the process? The Hudsonville Department of Public Works is hosting a benefit softball tournament on August 16, 2003, at Hughes Park. City staff and other members of the community have volunteered to organize the tournament. For more information or to register a team, call City Hall at 669-0200. Registration deadline is Monday August 11, 2003.

No City Primary Election To Be Held

A Primary Election is the process of nomination and elimination of candidates that filed a valid petition to be voted and elected to public office in the General Election, November 4, 2003.
When no more than twice the number of persons to be elected have filed a valid petition with the City Clerk, a Primary Election is not necessary or required by City Charter, Chapter III, Section 3.4 (Primary Elections).
The following individuals filed valid Nominating Petitions for seeking election to the office of Mayor and City Commission, and their names will appear on the City General Election ballot November 4, 2003:

Mayor: Donald Van Doeselaar
4512 Creek View Dr.
John Wallace
2553 Nixon Drive		 Ward 1:

Gordon Krombeen
5294 32nd Avenue
Darl Redder
3030 New Holland
Ward 2: Norman Unema
5725 Elm Street		 Ward 3: Alden Jelsema
 3801 Hillside Drive

The deadline to register to vote in the City General Election is October 6, 2003. If you are already registered to vote, you do not need to register again. If your address has changed since the last election, you need to register again. This can be done at the City Clerk’s Office or the Michigan Secretary of State Office.
Should you have any questions, please contact the City Clerk at 669-0200, Extension 412.

Sprinkling Restrictions

This summer the City of Hudsonville experienced sprinkling restrictions. The Wyoming Water Supply System has been going through an expansion upgrade of their system.
The different levels to the restrictions are as follows:

Level One – Odd-Even lawn sprinkling is declared. This means that addresses ending in an odd number will be allowed to sprinkle any time on odd numbered dates; even numbered addresses may sprinkle any time on even numbered dates.
Level Two – Odd-Even lawn sprinkling is declared. All permitted sprinkling activity must occur between the hours of Midnight and Noon. Only those addresses ending in an odd number may sprinkle during those times on odd numbered dates. All sprinkling, regardless of address, will be prohibited from Noon to Midnight. Appearance tickets to any violators.
Level Three – Total sprinkling ban. Appearance tickets to any violators.

Water Quality Report

Every year the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality requires water systems to provide a consumer confidence report to its customers. The 2002 report is now available. You can obtain a copy at any of the following locations, Hudsonville City Hall (3275 Central Boulevard), Gary Byker Memorial Library (3338 Van Buren Street), Public Works facility (5713 Balsam Drive) or on line at www.hudsonville.org/dpw.

Library News

Adult Book Discussion Group

This small but lively group is in its seventh year now! They meet the third Thursday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the library to discuss that month’s selection, followed by refreshments. Thursday, October 16 will be their first meeting of the 2003/2004 season. The group will be discussing The Dive from Clausen’s Pier by Ann Packer. In November they will be discussing Big Stone Gap by Adriana Trigiani.

Roman Banquet to kick off our season!

In September, there is a very special evening planned for our current and previous members including an author visit from Professor Albert J. Bell, Jr. of Hope College. He will discuss his latest murder mystery All Roads Lead to Murder. There will also be dancing girls, music, a skit, prizes, and of course, food! Any previous member is invited, but must reserve their space by calling Melissa at 669-1255.

THE 32º CLUB - Adult Winter Reading

The 32º Club begins again on October 6, 2003 and runs through April 3, 2004. Participants who read 32 books over the course of the program win a variety of prizes and will be entered into our Christmas Bag Giveaway contest. You won’t believe what’s in the bag this year!

Every year many families lose a loved one to the silent killer. This killer can not be seen or heard and has no smell. Its’ name is CARBON MONOXIDE.
Carbon Monoxide is the leading cause of poisoning deaths in America today. How can I prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in my home? Here is a list of trouble spots that you can check or have checked:

We recommend a Carbon Monoxide Detector, because early detection is important. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that every home have at least one detector with an audible alarm installed near all sleeping areas. The International Association of Fire Chiefs recommends UL Listed CO Alarms be installed on every level of the home.

911

911 now has an additional toll free number. It is for non-emergency requests for responses or service.

What's the number?
1-800-249-0911
Toll Free 24Hours/7Days

Why a non-emergency number. . .

To assist the public when the use of 911 is not an urgent request or life & property are not in danger.

When should I use the toll free number?

Remember. . .

Emergency...................................911
Non-emergency...........................1-800-249-0911

Do’s and Don’ts of 911

Do not program 911 into your auto-dial telephone.
You won't forget the number, and programming the number invites accidental dialing of the number. Also, please do not dial 911 to "test" your phone or the system. This needlessly burdens the dispatchers and system with non-emergency calls.

If you dialed 911 in error, do not hang up the telephone.
Instead, stay on the line and explain to the dispatcher that you dialed by mistake and that you do not have an emergency. If you hang up, a dispatcher will call back to confirm that there is no emergency. If you don't answer, a police officer or deputy must be dispatched to confirm that you are OK. This will needlessly take resources away from genuine emergencies.

Briefly describe the type of incident you are reporting.
For example, "I'm reporting an auto fire," or "I'm reporting an unconscious person," or "I'm reporting a shoplifter." Then stay on the line with the dispatcher---do not hang up until the dispatcher tells you to. In some cases, the dispatcher will keep you on the line while the emergency units are responding to ask additional questions or to obtain on-going information.

Let the call-taker ask you questions.
They have been trained to ask questions that will help prioritize the incident, locate it and speed an appropriate response. Your answers should be brief and responsive. Remain calm and speak clearly. If you are not in a position to give full answers to the call-taker (the suspect is nearby), stay on the phone and the dispatcher will ask you questions that can be answered "yes" or "no."

Be prepared to describe your location and the location of the emergency.
Although an Enhanced 911 system will display your telephone number and location, the dispatcher must confirm the displayed address or may ask you for more specific location information about the victim or suspects.

If you are a cellular caller, your telephone number and location will not be displayed for the dispatcher's reference.
You must be able to describe your location so emergency units can respond. Be aware of your current city or town, address, highway and direction, nearby cross-streets or interchanges, or other geographic points of reference. Cellular 911 calls are frequently routed to a central Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) that could be many miles from your location. Be prepared to give the dispatcher your complete location---city or town, address or location, inside or outside, what floor or room, etc.

Be prepared to describe the persons involved in any incident.
This includes their race, sex, age, height and weight, color of hair, description of clothing, and presence of a hat, glasses or facial hair. Be prepared to describe any vehicles involved in the incident. This includes the color, year, make, model and type of vehicle (sedan, pick-up, sport utility, van, tanker truck, flatbed, etc.). If the vehicle is parked the dispatcher will need to know the direction it's facing. If the vehicle is moving or has left, the dispatcher will need to know the last direction.

Be patient as the dispatcher asks you questions.
While you are answering the dispatcher's questions, he/she is entering or writing down the information. If you are reporting an emergency, most likely a response is being made while you are still on the line with the dispatcher.

Listen to the dispatcher's instructions for assistance if you are in danger yourself.
The dispatcher may tell you to leave the building, secure yourself in a room or take other action to protect yourself.

Don't hang up until the call-taker tells you to.
Follow any instructions the dispatcher gives you, such as meeting the officers at the door, or flagging down the firefighters at the curb. Give the victim reassurance that help is on the way. Secure any dogs or other pets that may interfere with the emergency response. Gather any medications the patient is taking and which the medical crew will need to take with the patient.
Hudsonville Fall Festival

The annual Hudsonville Fall Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 4 at the Hudsonville Fair Grounds. Events planned include a 5K Run, sponsored by West Michigan Community Bank and Zeeland Hospital, a craft show, flea market, farmers’ market and bingo.
Breakfast and lunch will be available. The craft show, flea market and farmers’ market will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. If you would like to reserve a booth, please fill out the form on the next page and send it to the Hudsonville Chamber of Commerce. If you would like more information on the 5K Run, please contact the Chamber at 662-0900 or City Hall.
Rev up those motorcycles! Saturday, October 11 from 10 a.m. until noon at Wild Boar Harley-Davidson & Buell, located at 2977 Corporate Drive in Hudsonville, we’ll be holding a motorcycle rally to benefit the library’s book and endowment fund.
Participants will make an hour long trek to four different libraries and pick up a library catalog card at each stop. Whoever has the highest number on their cards when they return wins a $100 gift certificate to Wild Boar Harley-Davidson & Buell!
You can also get sponsors to help raise money. The person who raises the most in sponsorships wins a “Get out of overdue fines free” from the library for an entire year!
Stop at Wild Boar, the library or visit our web site to get a registration form and sponsor sheet. Registration fee is $10 per participant. If you know someone who has a motorcycle and is willing to go for a ride, then this event is for you!

As an added bonus, we will also be featuring the “Byker Chix” in leather and in person! Twelve brave women have volunteered to raise $500, dress up in leather and go on the rally. Wild Boar is providing us with the leather, the bikes and the drivers! If you want to make a donation for one of our lovely ladies, stop at the library. We have an anonymous donor who will match the $500 that each woman raises!
We’re also making a calendar (courtesy of John Dykstra Photography), that will be for sale beginning the day of the rally. Here’s a list of our chix:

Ms. January: Henrietta Byker Ms. July: Roxanne DeWeerd
Ms. February: Rose Austhof Ms. August: Shirley Minnie
Ms. March: Crystal Unema Ms. September: Grace Postmus
Ms. April: Joan Edson Ms. October: Joyce Van Dyk
Ms. May: Gloria Hoonhorst Ms. November: Barb Kornoelje
Ms. June: Wanda Giem Ms. December: Joyce Lenger

Come join us for fun and refreshments! Questions: Call Melissa at 669-1255

HUDSONVILLE FALL FESTIVAL
Saturday, October 4, 2003
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Hudsonville Fairgrounds

5k Run – Crafts – Farmer’s Market – Activities – More!

APPLICATION

___ Crafter ___ Flea Market ___ Farmer’s Market

Business Name_________________________________________________________

Address________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip____________________________________________________________

Phone__________________________________Fax____________________________

Email__________________________________________________________________

Contact Person___________________________________________________________

Please list items you will be selling_____________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

I understand that I will be assigned an interior 10x10 spot (Farmer’s Market spots will be outside). I have committed to staffing my booth from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on October 4 at the Hudsonville Fairgrounds (40th Avenue & Grant Street).

___ 10x10 booth - $15.00 ___ Table - $5.00
___ Farmer’s Market - $20.00

___ chair - $1.00

___ I will need access to an electrical outlet

Return by September 26, 2003

Hudsonville Area Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 216
Hudsonville, MI 49426
Phone: 616-662-0900
Lost & Found: The City of Hudsonville Public Works Department has recovered several items that have been left in the parks this summer. If you have lost or forgotten something at one of the Hudsonville parks you may call City Hall @ 669-0200 and provide a description. If lost and found items are not claimed by October 15th 2003 they will be donated to Love INC.

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