GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The City of Grand Rapids is adjusting some municipal services following the state’s new COVID-19 epidemic order.
Aligning with the implementation of the state-wide order, most city offices will be available by appointment only from Nov. 18 through Dec. 8.
During this time, the only office that will remain open for walk-in service is the Customer Service Center, located on the Monroe Avenue level of City Hall. The center will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Customer Service employees will be available to help with the following:
- Water/Sewer Payments
- Refuse Account Payments
- Parking Ticket Payments
- Purchasing tags and bags for refuse and yard waste collection
- Set up water/sewer or refuse accounts
- Miscellaneous Receivables Payments (code compliance, NSF fees, permit fees)
- Accounts Receivable Payments
- Community Development Block Grant Loan Payments (anything beyond payments goes to Community Development)
The City has provided the following list of service changes that will be in effect through Dec. 8 unless otherwise noted:
- City buildings are closed to walk-in traffic during the current MDHHS order which is scheduled to expire on Wednesday, Dec. 9. Staff members are available to provide services via email, phone or 311 Customer Service. The City’s website – grandrapidsmi.gov – also offers a wide range of services. Call Customer Service at 311 or 616.456.3000 to see if your request can be processed by 311 without an appointment. If it can’t, 311 can arrange a video conference, telephone conference or in person appointment with the appropriate department representative. Anyone seeking an in person meeting must seek an appointment with the appropriate department if the service question cannot be answered buy the 311 Service Center. A City Hall ambassador will be at the Calder Plaza level to check in anyone arriving for an appointment or requesting to see a department. All visitors must wear a face covering in compliance with Section 7 of the MDHHS order or provide a valid reason for not wearing one.
- The Police Department’s lobby remains open, but access is restricted. Walk-ins are permitted for records and police issues. Fingerprinting has been temporarily suspended.
- The City Treasurer recommends customers to take advantage of the multiple payment options with no convenience fee:
- GR PayIt
- Official Payments – 877-495-0333
- City of Grand Rapids Drop Box on Ottawa Avenue –will be checked at least once per day. We will monitor the volume and empty more frequently if needed.
- US Postal Service
- The November 17 City Commission meetings will take place as scheduled remotely. All meetings will take place online via Webex. For more information on how to watch or listen by phone to the online meetings, CLICK HERE. The City Commission meetings are shown live in English on Comcast Channel 26, Facebook and YouTube. They also are streamed live in Spanish HERE. The Commission’s December 1 and 15 meetings are also planning to occur remotely.
- The November 18 Civilian Board of Appeals has been cancelled and will be rescheduled when it is safe to again operate a hybrid remote and in-person meeting.
- The City’s yard waste drop-off site remains open.
- Funeral services at City cemeteries are limited to 25 people.
- Parks and Recreation facility rentals are suspended. A full refund will be provided.
- Indian Trails Golf Course remains open, weather permitting. Only one person is permitted in the clubhouse at a time. All food and beverage sales are pre-packaged and sold to-go.
- The following park amenities remain available to the public.
“We have a responsibility to our residents and our employees,” said City Manager Mark Washington. “That’s why we are altering how we deliver services during this three-week period. It’s important we all do what we can to reduce the spread of this latest COVID-19 spike and maintain the critical services our community depends on.”
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