The Water Resources Department is more than just digging ditches and drains through the county. They are beginning to focus on how to be better at protecting this valuable resource for the community. They are responsible for planning, developing, and maintaining surface water drainage systems.
The resources contain Soil erosion, municipal storm sewers, drain inspections, drain creation, and development review. Currently Ottawa County has 1,411 catch basins that were cleaned in 2024. This work has continued to include 1,199 in 2025. This is of the 7,995 total in Ottawa County. They also oversee 310 drainage or retention pods, and 62 were inspected last year.
They also are averaging roughly 90 new development reviews for housing and commercial development of property.
They oversee 8 different dams in Ottawa County, and take up an important aspect of pollution cleanup from these dams and drains. These touch over 30 different watersheds through the county.
Birthdays: Hadley Streng (March 26th), Dave Garland (March 29th), and Jay Greer (March 30)
Wedding Anniversaries: None
Rotary Anniversaries: Tom Baetens- 45 years (March 23)
Announcements:
NEW TO ROTARY - The first of the 5th Mondays Meetings, which are meetings set to replace the traditional Monday noon meeting with a social after-hours event, is set for Unicorn Tavern on Monday March 30 at 6:00PM. More 5th Mondays will be in August and November (where there are 5 Mondays for the month). More information to come!
Ellen shared some take-aways from the PELS training this past weekend.
We are opening the Rotary Store soon, any interest should see Dale or Nate Patterson to start your order. When enough product has been requested, we will process the order.
We are still looking for nominations for the "Service Above Self Citizen of the Year". Please turn them in to Chris Streng or Dale Swihart!
Change for Change jar is on the back table. Drop your change to assist our Interact Club in granting additional Micro-Loans with the Interact Club of Grand Haven High School.
We have a Rotary Spotlight every month on WAWL.
Save the Date - This Friday, March 27th will be a Literacy Summit at Trillium in Spring Lake
The Jeep Raffle is live. The Grand Haven aquatics center is the beneficiary and the drawing will be this summer. We are currently around 100 tickets sold. Let's sell 1,000 tickets!
We are in search for our next Peace Fellow to study overseas. If you know of someone looking for education or a career change please let Gernot know.
50/50 Raffle: No winners today - the pot rolls over!
Coffee at the Grand Haven Rotary Meetings provided by Kenzie's BE Cafe - please be sure to thank them by visiting the shop for a coffee or your next meeting!
