A lot of news reports and discussions are occurring around the recent One Kent proposal. The initiative, proposed by a group of business members from Kent County seeks to turn our region into one of the top 25 metropolitan areas in the nation by combining several local governments into one governmental unit. The One Kent group has been constructing legislation to implement a government consolidation model for the future.   I was asked to join a study group formed recently to examine the theory behind the One Kent initiative and to offer recommendations regarding the proposal.

On a day when Governor Snyder made local-government transparency a condition for state funding, the Wyoming City Council increased its own transparency. The council approved a contract with Precision Data Products for streaming video hardware and service, with the intent of broadcasting council meetings live on the Internet. Community access station WKTV will use existing cameras to provide the video feed. Gail Sheppard, the city's director of information technology, anticipates that the service will be active in May.  
 
The system includes $6,100 in hardware purchases and $4,700 in annual hosting and streaming fees.  
 
During the discussion of the purchase, City Manager Curtis Holt explained that the service could encompass more than just council meetings.  
 

WYOMING - Large earth movers and construction equipment is now on-site for the new Gordon Food Service HQ being built on Gezon Parkway.

The cornfield along Gezon Parkway between Clyde Park and Burlingame Ave. has been plowed over and is being leveled for the new buildings.  The current Gordon Food Service HQ is off of Clay Ave, also in Wyoming.