He’s a man in perpetual motion. It’s been about six months since Kentwood Mayor Stephen Kepley took office and his days are fast-paced and he is always on the move.
“Lots of work and hours,” Kepley said enthusiastically. “You can’t do it by yourself. There are so many wonderful staff members doing an excellent job.”
Ordinance changes, code enforcements, budgets, event planning, partnerships, and mentoring are all in a day’s work for the busy mayor.
The first Saturday of May is Community Pride day in Kentwood. All residents are encouraged to declutter, clean and get rid of stuff for free. Bring your own junk. The city will take care of it.
Kepley is also excited about the huge 4th of July celebration in the community. Plans are underway for a 5K run/walk, pancake breakfast, fireworks, and events for the entire family. Thousands of people will be in attendance.
During his tenure, Kepley is constantly evaluating work positions when individuals leave the city as an employer.
In the Human Resources area he continually reshifts, changes job descriptions, shuffles and divides responsibilities.
And as a result: “We were able to place another police officer on the street. This is great for public safety—More boots on the streets,” he explained.
Four directors are expected to retire from the city in 2014-2015.
Fiscal responsibility is of utmost importance to the city and Kepley has the support of his entire team.
“I trust managers to spend money like it is their own,” he enthused.
An upcoming project in the fall is a partnership with Kentwood Parks and Rec and local schools.
WKTV’s Citizen Journalism program will continue to keep you up to date on information from the Mayor’s Office.
