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Some key happenings to tell you about include:

• The Commission recently approved the allocation of over $6.4 million in Senior Millage funds to nearly 50 different agencies in our county. These funds continue to address senior health care and independence issues not covered sufficiently by state or federal funding.
• I need to make a correction in a statement I made last month. I reported the Commission had adopted a balanced budget but used $158,000 of General Fund reserves to achieve that balance. The Commission actually was able to balance the budget with receipts actually meeting expenditures without using that small amount from the GF surplus.
• The Kent County Veterans’ Affairs Department was recently authorized to hire three new part-time individuals to help process claims for emergency financial relief, pension, health care, etc. available from the Veteran’s Administration. This will add support to the one staff currently doing this work.
• The Kentwood Police Department is pleased to announce that citizens can now gain access to neighborhood crime activity in near real time. You can do this by either accessing crime information through the www.CrimeReports.com website or through the Crime Reports Iphone app available free in the Apple iTunes store.
• The Kent County Public Works Department is working with the West Michigan Take Back Meds work group to establish an unwanted prescription medication collection program in the near future. The work group plans to have several unwanted prescription collection points on April 28, the date established by the US Drug Enforcement Agency for the national collection program. Visit the web site www.wmtakebackmeds.org for info.
• There will be a change in the Executive Director position at the Grand Valley Metropolitan Council starting Jan. 2012. Mr. Don Stypula, Executive Director for the past decade will be stepping down. A recruitment and interview committee is busy at work to find a replacement and this will be announced soon.