The City of Hudsonville wishes to thank all those that volunteered and served on various boards, committees, and commissions in 2007. We thank them for their willingness to serve their community. Julian Aukeman Lisa Aukeman Carol Baker Jeff Berens Royce Bierma Jack Blair John Blom Art Bolt Larry Brandsen Joan Brouwer Dan Brummel Stan Buell Doug Butterworth Gloria Byle Gerald De Weerd Marilyn DeJong Brad Dykstra Craig Elston Jacquie Elzinga Marshall Elzinga Betty Goorhouse Dan Gryzen Mary Gryzen Curt Hoogeboom Gary Huizen Alden Jelsema Joel Keegstra Theresa Kooistra Jim Kuiphof, II Virgil Leatherman Philip Leerar Case Lubbers Shirley Minnie William Minnie John O’Brien Gary Raterink Darl Redder June Richards Jim Roskam Dale Sall Ivan Shuck Dave Sikkema Randall Smith Kelly Ten Harmsel Norman Unema Laurie Van Haitsma Charles “Skip” VanDenBerg Neil VenderMaas Don VanDoeselaar Larry Ver Hage Nancy Westrate

City Commission

The year 2007 saw a change in service for our City Commission. The City would like to thank Darl Redder for his 3 1/2 years of service as a Ward 1 City Commissioner and Alden Jelsema for his 10 years of service as a Ward 3 City Commissioner. We would like to welcome our new City Commissioners, John O’Brien, Ward 1, and Philip Leerar, Ward 3.

Hudsonville Celebrates

In 1957, the Village of Hudsonville was incorporated into a Home Rule City and many changes occurred during the transition from being a small town to the third largest and fastest growing city in Ottawa County. The metamorphosis began when municipal water became available from Lake Michigan. Jerome Grysen, Mayor at the time, was instrumental in securing federal and state grants for the installation of sanitary sewer, storm sewer, curbs and gutters for the City of Hudsonville. The vision of the city leaders three decades ago continues to be a magnet that draws families and industry to our community.
The City Commission celebrated 50 years as a City at its December 11th meeting. Past Mayors, Commissioners, and Charter Commission members were invited along with the community for a time of reminiscing. A video presentation was viewed and several comments were made by past mayors or commissioners.
We want to thank all that helped to make this community what it is today. The vision today continues as we have strong visionary leaders who feel Hudsonville is one of the “Best Places to Raise a Family”.

Youth Theatre Arts Program In December we had a fundraising presentation through Master Arts Theatre called “Uh Oh, Here Comes Christmas”. This was a fund raiser for Hudsonville’s Youth Theatre Arts Program. We were pleased with the turn-out and would like to thank all those who supported this endeavor. During the Holiday Season, we sold gift baskets to raise money for scholarships for the Youth Theatre. This was a great success. We sold over 150 gift baskets and raised $2,800 for the Youth Theater. We want to thank Costco, Cracker Barrel, Farmers Co-Op, Gemmens’, Great Clips, Hair Masters, Harvest Health, Lannies Beauty Salon, Master Arts Theatre, Meijer of Jenison, Rainbow Grill, and Signatures for their donations for the gift baskets. The Hudsonville Youth Theatre Arts Program will hold it’s 2008 Winter Classes on Tuesdays, January 15—March 18. The classes will be at 5578 School Avenue and are for youth ages 7 to high school. We will be offering scholarships to qualified individuals. For more information or to register for classes call Master Arts Theatre (616) 455-1001 or (800) 455-5003.

Alcohol Update As most of you know, the vote to allow the sale of alcohol within the borders of Hudsonville was approved this past November. The Liquor Control Commission of Michigan has many controls over the sale of alcohol within the state. In order to regulate alcohol to better suit the needs of Hudsonville an ordinance is being worked on that will increase the regulation beyond the state laws where we are permitted to and it is beneficial to do so. The number of off-premise licenses which allow for the sale of beer and wine to be consumed off of the site is regulated by the state. Hudsonville is permitted 3 off-premise licenses to allow for the sale of alcohol other than beer and wine (spirits) to be consumed off of the site. Five on-premise licenses are permitted. They allow for consumption on premise and are primarily used for restaurants. There has been a lot of interest in these licenses, but it is unknown exactly how they will be used. The city does have the ability to deny licenses and some of them will not be given out right away but will be held with the intent of gaining fine dining restaurants that will benefit the community.

My Taxes Are Too High, What Can You Do About Them?

It’s a logical assumption that the city is totally responsible for levying all property taxes and spending the tax dollars collected. Such is not the case!!!!
Michigan law provides that the local unit of government (the city or township) do two things in regard to taxes. First, we must determine the state-equalized valuation of each property so that the tax burden is equally shared by all property owners. This is accomplished through the state and county government giving the municipalities equalization factors that they must use for compliance.
Secondly, because we already collect taxes, the other entities i.e. the local school district, the county, the intermediate school district, state (education tax), asked the local city or township to collect taxes for them and distribute the money back to the proper entities.
City tax rate ceiling is determined by the city’s charter. We currently levy 11.23 mils. This is for the city functions, library functions, library debt, DPW functions, Fire and Sheriffs Services. The city is authorized to levy up to a 20-mil maximum. The state keeps on cutting our sources of revenue because they tell us we are not at our limit of levying 20-mils.
Taxes of other entities are determined by various statutory authorities or approved by special vote of the people. The city only collects those taxes and forwards them to each taxing entity.
The tax makeup of the 2007 year was:

SUMMER TAX RATE

TAXING UNIT School Debt School Building School Non-Homestead State Education Intermediate School Dist. Library Operating Library Building County Operating Administration Fee DDA Sub Total Homestead Sub Total Non-Homestead City Operating Total Homestead Total Non-Homestead	2005 MILS 3.5000 0.4929 9.0000 6.0000 4.2109 1.0000 0.7322 1.1666 1% of Tax Bill 1.0000 17.1026 26.1026 10.5000 27.6026 26.6026	2006 MILS 3.5000 0.4897 9.0000 6.0000 4.2093 0.9000 0.3303 2.3334 1% of Tax Bill 1.0000 17.7627 26.7627 10.0000 27.7627 36.7627	2007 MILS 3.5000 0.4987 9.0000 6.0000 5.5234 0.9000 0.5000 3.6000 1% of Tax Bill 1.0000 20.5131 29.5131 9.8303 30.3434 39.3434
WINTER TAX RATE
School Debt School Building School Non-Homestead County Operating County Emergency 911 County Parks Administration Fee Total Homestead Total Non-Homestead Grand Total Homestead Grand Total Non-Homestead	3.5000 0.4929 9.0000 2.3334 0.4411 0.3168 1% of Tax Bill 7.0842 16.0842 34.6868 52.6868	3.5000 0.4896 9.0000 1.1666 0.4407 0.3165 1% of Tax Bill 5.9134 14.9134 33.6761 51.6761	3.5000 0.4896 9.0000 0.0000 0.4407 0.3165 1% of Tax Bill 4.7168 13.7468 35.0902 53.0902

Driving Tips

Severe weather can be both frightening and dangerous for automobile travel. Motorists should know the safety rules for dealing with winter road emergencies. AAA reminds motorists to be cautious while driving in adverse weather. For more information on winter driving, the association offers the How to Go on Ice and Snow brochure, available through most AAA offices. Contact your local AAA representative for more information.

AAA recommends the following winter driving tips:

• Avoid driving while you're fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.
• Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
• Never mix radial tires with other tire types.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
• If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
• Always look and steer where you want to go.
• Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.

Tips for long-distance winter trips:

• Watch weather reports prior to a long-distance drive or before driving in isolated areas. Delay trips when especially bad weather is expected. If you must leave, let others know your route, destination and estimated time of arrival.
• Always make sure your vehicle is in peak operating condition by having it inspected by a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility.
• Keep at least half a tank of gasoline in your vehicle at all times.
• Pack a cellular telephone with your local AAA's telephone number, plus blankets, gloves, hats, food, water and any needed medication in your vehicle.
• If you become snow-bound, stay with your vehicle. It provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Don't try to walk in a severe storm. It's easy to lose sight of your vehicle in blowing snow and become lost.
• Don't over exert yourself if you try to push or dig your vehicle out of the snow.
• Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna or place a cloth at the top of a rolled up window to signal distress. At night, keep the dome light on if possible. It only uses a small amount of electricity and will make it easier for rescuers to find you.
• Make sure the exhaust pipe isn't clogged with snow, ice or mud. A blocked exhaust could cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger compartment with the engine running.
• Use whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could include floor mats, newspapers or paper maps.
• If possible run the engine and heater just long enough to remove the chill and to conserve gasoline.

Tips for driving in the snow:

M21 to M121

You may have seen the changing of the signs along Chicago Drive from M-21 to M-121. Why has this happened? MDOT (Michigan Department of Transportation) has stated that Chicago Drive currently has the highest traffic volumes it has ever had, including before I-196 opened. They have decided to work towards increasing its capacity for the future. One way they can do this is by better access management. A couple things they have discussed are eliminating some access points and shifting the westbound lanes between Hudsonville and Zeeland away from the railroad tracks and placing them alongside the eastbound lanes. MDOT plans on doing major repairs to Chicago Drive through Hudsonville in 2013. More information will be provided on Chicago Drive in the future.

Hughes Park

The City is now taking reservations for Hughes Park. The cost for renting the shelter house is $75. In addition to the shelter house, the park also has three sections open for reservation. Each section is set up with picnic tables and grills. The sections are near the restrooms and playground equipment. Sections rent for $20 to residents and $30 for non-residents. Other activities at Hughes Park include basketball, tennis, beach volleyball, horseshoes, frisbee golf, and baseball. For more information or to make reservations, contact the Clerk’s office at (616) 669-0200 ext. 412.

2007 Fire Department Stats

The Hudsonville Fire Department wrapped up another safe year with a near record amount of calls. A total of 439 calls for 2007 is a 13% increase from 2006. Here’s a break down of the calls: Medical calls increased 15% to 284 while fire calls increased 11% to 155.
The Fire Department purchased a Thermal Imaging Camera this year which will help find hot spots in walls and hot areas in piles of rubble during overhaul operations. Our department is in the process of getting specifications for a new rescue/quick attack vehicle which will replace an aging box truck. They are also looking to purchase water rescue equipment some time soon.
The department would like to thank the Mayor, City Manager and Commissioners for their continued support and seeing the need to keep improving the department. On behalf of all of us a HFD, we wish all our citizens a safe 2008.

Downtown Master Plan

After a series of public meetings with a lot of input, the Downtown Master Plan was completed and approved. We now have what we believe is a quality plan that is the result of a lot of effort with significant assistance from our consultant on this project, Nederveld & Associates. This plan was completed as a part of a grant we were awarded for the Ottawa County Urban Smart Growth Demonstration Project whose intent is to enhance the vibrancy, livability, and aesthetic character of Hudsonville. We want this plan to help with strengthening the viability of the downtown. To accomplish these goals, the Downtown Master Plan acts as a guide for new development in the downtown.
The next step is completion of the zoning for downtown, which we are working on right now. We anticipate completion of the zoning for downtown within the next few months.

Internet Safety Tips For Parents

Online predators are out there!!!

They can infect your computer with viruses, they want to steal your personal information and possibly your identity, and they may even want to harm the people who use your computer. Below is a list of helpful tips and reminders that can be used to help recognize these potentially hazardous situations and how to respond appropriately.

Tips for Students

• Do not give out personal information about yourself, your family, friends or school when you have not actually met the person or know and trust the website and know that it is secure (look for the lock in the lower right corner). This information can be used by online predators to distinguish you from another person and possibly find you in real life. This includes your name, address, phone number, school, school mascot, school colors, coach’s name, grade you're in, teacher’s name, principal’s name, friend’s names, and family’s names.
• Get to know your ”online friends” just as you get to know all your other friends. Be sure that you are dealing with someone that you and your parents know and trust before giving out any personal information about yourself via instant message, E-mail, and internet bulletin board, or on a website.
• Never send out your picture without your parents’ permission.
• Do not agree to meet someone who you have met online but you don’t know in real life.
• Be careful when someone offers you something for nothing, such as gifts or money. Remember, any offer “That is too good to be true”, probably is.
• Don’t ever accept a gift or an offer that involves having someone visit your house.
• Always tell your parents or guardian if you see something online that you know is wrong or makes you feel uncomfortable.
• Do not open email messages from people you do not know and especially when they contain weird or unknown attachments. Delete them.
• Don’t respond to messages that make you feel uncomfortable or uneasy.
• Try not to panic if you see an inappropriate website. Simply exit the window (click X in the top corner), Control-Alt-Delete, or turn off the computer if the website does not allow you to leave the inappropriate material.
• Only use credit cards or bank prepaid cards online with your parent’s permission and with a website that shows a locked padlock in the lower right corner of your web browser.
• If you feel uncomfortable about contact with a person, email or website talk to your parents or call the police. If possible try to save the email, IM chat, or images or at least try to print them out.
• If you feel uncomfortable about any contact or are unsure about any contacts, you can call the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Department Non-Emergency number at 1-800-249-0911.

Have fun! The Internet is a great tool that is used for many wonderful things. Just like any community, there are areas on the Internet where you can find yourself in compromising situations. A little bit of street smarts on the information highway will help make your internet experience fun, rewarding, and safe!

Chat Rooms

Most chat rooms have no-profanity rule and some rooms have foul-language filters that screen out inappropriate language. Likewise many parents who have access to their children’s e-mail accounts will not permit certain language use by their children.
For these obvious reason, and many others, some chat room users and e-mailers use a coded language that is based on acronyms. This is a rapidly developing language and complete literacy is very difficult. The Exploited child Unit of the national Center for Missing and Exploited Children has compiled a list of the most commonly used acronyms. This list will be updated regularly and often.

Filtering & Blocking Software

• Cyber Sentential - Provides monitoring of online activities and has a feature that allows an email to be sent to a specified email address in the event of a violation.
• Bess - K-12 curriculum tool for protecting children online at school.
• Cyber Patrol - Reports to provide customization of filtering, limiting the amount of time online and preventing of revealing of personal information.
• Net Nanny - Reports to provide customization of filtering, limiting the amount of time online, block of Chat rooms, and other features.
• Cyber Snoop - Keeps track of Internet activities, captures the full text of chats and messages, offers unlimited security profiles for multiple Internet users, provides time controls.
• Cyber Sitter - Monitoring software that reports several features to include filtering, blocking of chats and websites, mail, and other security features.

Identity Theft

The following web sites will help with information on identity theft.

• The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse - is a nonprofit consumer education, research, and advocacy program. The site reports to assist in providing helpful tips on privacy control.
• The ID Theft Center - A nationwide nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and implementing a comprehensive program against identity theft—by supporting victims, broadening public awareness, disseminating information about this crime and decreasing the potential victim population.
• Online Fraud - This site provides information for general Internet Fraud Tips to include Online escrow accounts, computers, software, credit card protection, charity scams, among other online fraud safety tips. This site also includes tips for Telemarketing scams, Elder Fraud and scams against Businesses.

Anti-Virus & Firewall

Antivirus protection is very important to have on your computer. There are several brands on the market. This is also true for Firewall software programs (software that assists in trying to prevent someone from “hacking” into your computer).
The important thing is to make sure that you ”update” your virus and Firewall protection on a regular basis. Each time you sign onto the Internet is the best practice. Several Anti Virus and Firewall protection software programs are available and can also be researched on the Internet.
Two of the major names are Norton and McAfee. Both products offer virus protection packages as well as parental control software and personal firewalls. Both of these sites also offer a look up feature for checking to see if a certain virus, worm or Trojan name that you received in an email or by word of mouth is an action threat to your computer.
These sites also offer a free check of your computer to make sure it is not infected or vulnerable to a threat.

Useful Internet Sites

On our website, www.hudsonville.org, is a document called Internet Safety For Parents. You will need Adobe Acrobat (which can be obtained for free at www.adobe.com) to download this 8 page document. This document contains family friendly and useful internet sites along with websites for filtering and blocking software, and identity theft information websites. It also has a list of commonly used acronyms for text messaging.

Dog Licenses

Hudsonville city residents can purchase dog licenses at City Hall until February 29 at the Treasurer’s Department. The law requires all dogs, age 4 months and older, to be licensed. Cost for the license is $15 for dogs if they are NOT spayed or neutered, and only $6 for spayed or neutered dogs. A current rabies vaccination certificate and documentation of spay and neuter is required. From March through the end of November licenses are available only from the Ottawa County Treasure's Office in Grand Haven and the cost doubles.

Don't Forget:
Taxes Due
February 14, 2008