Council President Deborah Lindley presented the following year end report summarizing the accomplishments of 2019 at the December 18, 2019 Village Council Meeting.

2019 Year-End Report

Debbie Lindley, Council President

Building and Zoning:

• The Planning Commission completed their zoning revisions.
• There was continuation of working with homeowners to get projects done within zoning guidelines

  Parks and Beaches:

• Received a state grant for 3.2 million and raised the 25% match to purchase the 42 Acres of Grand Beach Preserve. That process is in the works and the land closing should be completed soon.
• Worked diligently to complete a 5-year Parks and Recreation Plan, which was accepted by the council last month and will make it possible to apply for future state grants.
• Parks committee visited all designated parks and available park property.
• Donation to replace the white fencing along Grand Beach Road and the golf course that should be completed by Memorial day.

 Streets and Water:

• Dolly Trainor drainage project completed with paving to be done in the spring.
• Royal Ave. sidewalk completed using state granted monies for walkways and trails. The continuation of white posts will be completed at a later date weather permitting.

Police:

• Completed an almost 2-year investigation and trial of combined services with Michiana. Grand Beach signed an agreement with Michiana to provide combined services between the 2 communities. All state paperwork is on track to be completed in January of 2020.
• We say goodbye to our former chief Dan Schroeder and thank him for his many years of dedication to our village. A get together will be planned in the summer when residents are here to participate.
• We are happy to welcome our new chief Ryan Layman and assistant chief Jamie Flick.

 Golf:

•  The golf course continues to operate in the black with expanded merchandise for purchase.
• Walnut/Pump house permit approvals were given after a year and a half approval process by EGLE. Work will be started this winter from the bluff and completed by barge weather permitting. We will be making those decisions later on the agenda.
• There was an evaluation of tree health on the golf course with the removal of 15 of the most dangerous trees. Others will be considered on a monetary ability to remove.
• The maintenance department removed the bottom branches of the pine trees and will take down other smaller trees, weather permitting.
• Alternative plans were and are being considered for watering the golf course if there is a failure of the pump house.
• We continue to work with ServiScape to provide the best possible golfing experience.

Do Your Part to Make Sure You are Counted in the 2020 Census

The U.S. Census Bureau counts each resident every 10 years and 2020 is the year. The Census count is used to get Berrien County’s fair share of federal funds. It’s vital that every one of us be counted. Census-based funding is used for roads, bridges, education, school lunches, Head Start, Medicare, Medicaid, children’s health insurance, childcare and many more programs.

Based on Census projections, Berrien County is at risk of losing over $44 million per year for 10 years … that’s $440 million due to residents who do not complete the Census form. That’s money we have today that we are at risk of losing if we don’t count everyone. Each household will receive a letter next spring telling us how to complete the Census. Every child and every adult in each household counts.

If your principal residence is in Michigan, be sure to fill out the Census questionnaire that you receive in the mail or you can fill it out online at my2020census.gov.  It is very short and easy and should take less than five minutes to complete.  

The census bureau can be reached at (844) 330-2020.

Everyone Counts. For more information, go to BeCountedBerrien.org.

To find out about funding that Berrien County receives based on the Census results and to review the nine questions that will be asked on the questionnaire, click here.

Make sure you are counted!  Fill out the Census questionnaire when you receive it.

Census information is confidential for 72 years.  By law, your data can not be shared with anyone.