Mark Washington

Rule Changes

City Manager; oversees day-to-day city operations

Every page the City of Grand Rapids publishes online now carries a federal compliance requirement. On October 27, the city's Fiscal Committee approved a three-year, $140,000 expansion of its GovStack website contract to add automated accessibility tools.

Updated 1 hour ago

Rule Changes

Said the city will try to schedule the Convention/Arena Authority before the commission ahead of the next concert season

Grand Rapids commissioners voted 6-0 on Oct. 27 to keep Acrisure Amphitheater exempt from the city's noise limits between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. About 30 people spoke at the hearing, and most opposed the exemption.

Updated Yesterday

Money Moves

Presented FY2027 budget flagging federal funding wind-down

Grand Rapids' City Commission agenda for Sept. 22 listed the city's annual public hearing on how it spends federal housing dollars: a review of the past year's work on roughly $8 million in Community Development Block Grant, HOME and Emergency Solutions Grant funds.

Updated 3 days ago

New Capabilities

Oversaw ArtPrize 2026 preparations and pilot services; no statement on HOT pilot outcome reported

Grand Rapids added evening and weekend shifts to its Homeless Outreach Team for ArtPrize, a 16-day test that ran Sept. 18 to Oct. 3 while an estimated million visitors crowded downtown. The festival is over, and the city has not said whether the extra hours will continue.

Updated 7 days ago

Built World

In office

Grand Rapids' wastewater plant treats 40 million gallons a day. Its North Primary Substation is aging, and a city commission committee approved a $1.75 million contract with Bazen Electric to replace it, capped at $2.15 million, with construction starting October 15, 2026.

Updated Oct 13

Rule Changes

Presenting FY26 crime trends and directing the 45-initiative violence reduction strategy

Grand Rapids is doubling down on a public health approach to violence as its crime picture splits. City Manager Mark Washington reported Sept. 22 that property crimes fell 3% and car thefts slipped 2.7% in fiscal 2026, while crimes against people rose.

Updated Sep 23

Rule Changes

Announced administrative order placing ALPRs under surveillance policy

After a contentious August briefing, Grand Rapids moved to bring its license plate readers under the city's surveillance policy. City Manager Mark Washington said he will issue an administrative order by mid-September that requires future Flock contract renewals and expansions to go through public review.

Updated Sep 9