Spring Lake Village Council votes to OK collaborating planning, zoning services

Village Council on Monday night unanimously agreed to collaborate on planning and zoning services with neighboring municipalities, but hiring its own planner in the future remains a strong possibility. Council voted 7-0 to use Grand Haven Township Planner Kristin Keery and Spring Lake Township Community Development Director Lukas Hill to replace former Village Community Services Director Kathy Staton, who retired last month. Staton was a full-time employee, but spent about half of her hours on planning and zoning matters, according to Village Manager Ryan Cotton.

Marie Havenga

Spring Lake

Jun 21, 2011

Keery will attend monthly Village Planning Commission meetings. She and Hill will split other duties. According to the approved joint proposal, the Village will pay $15,000 for a six-month trial period, which includes 12 hours per week at $50 per hour.

Independent planning firm Williams & Works submitted a proposal for $58 per hour. Cotton estimated a part-time direct hire would cost about $30 an hour.

Although council members passed the joint municipal proposal to fill their short-term planning needs, several members of the planning commission said they would prefer another part- or full-time village staff member as a permanent solution.

To read more of this story, see today's edition of the Grand Haven Tribune.