Date: February 4, 2020
Time: 9:00 am Refreshments, 9:30 am Program
Place: Holland Civic Center
Program: Waterfront Holland – A Community Vision by Keith Van Beek, Holland City Manager and Dave Koster, BPW General Manager
Waterfront Holland was a community engagement initiative between 2018 and 2019 to formulate a vision and framework for the future of Holland’s waterfront. Led by the City of Holland and the Holland Board of Public Works, and in partnership with Holland Charter Township, the process took a comprehensive, inclusive, and transparent approach to gathering public and private input.
Through a year-long series of community meetings, surveys, design workshops, and tours, ideas and aspirations have yielded a vision statement and a set of guiding principles.
The vision statement articulates the character and the unique sense of place the community desires for Holland’s waterfront. The guiding principles express our core values and serve as an evaluative criterion for any future developments proposed along Holland’s waterfront. It is important to bear in mind that this shared vision will be a long-term endeavor spanning the next 10, 20, and even 50 years.
Keith Van Beek was selected as the City Manager of the City of Holland in February 2018. Before joining the City of Holland, Keith served as City of Kentwood City Administrator for 12 years in a modified strong mayor form of government, and was the Deputy County Administrator for the County of Ottawa. He is a credentialed manager in the International City County Management Association (ICMA), past president and former board member of the Michigan Municipal Executives and the West Michigan Municipal Executives. Keith has served a number of community organizations and agencies, including as the chairperson of Community SPOKE, and is the current board chair of the Greater Ottawa County United Way .Keith is a graduate of Holland Christian High School, Calvin College, and has a Masters of Public Administration degree from Grand Valley State University.
Dave Koster is a lifelong Holland area resident. He has been General Manager of the Holland Board of Public Works since December 2011. This year he celebrates his 28th anniversary with the organization, having served in prior positions as BPWs Director of Operations, Power Resources Director, Production Engineering Supervisor, and Power Supply Engineer. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan Tech University in Houghton.
Dave also sits on the Boards of the American Public Power Association, the Michigan Public Power Agency as its Chair, and locally, on the Board of Directors for the economic development organization, Lakeshore Advantage. He is also active as a mentor for the West Ottawa High School Robotics Team (WOBOT
Upcoming Monthly Programs:
March 3, 2020 Lindsay Olson, artist, “Ocean Acoustics: The Art of Sound in the Sea”
April 7, 2020 Dr. Heidi Krause ,Hope Professor, “Art/Terrorist the French Revolution”