Page 2 — Thursday, June 10, 2021 — The Hastings Banner
NEWS BRIEFS
Lafey murder case delayed again
Taylor Owens
Staff Writer
The Nashville man charged in murder,
torture and concealment of a body is due in
court for a hearing at 8:30 a.m. June 23.
That proceeding that was delayed for the
second time Wednesday.
Andrew Lafey’s attorney, James Kinney,
told Barry County District Court Judge
Michael Schipper that the competency exam-
ination has been completed.
The court, however, has not yet received
the report.
That report will speak to whether Lafey is
able to understand and participate in his owndefense, and whether he could have been
legally insane at the time of the crime.
Lafey, 21, is facing counts of open mur-
der, torture and concealment of a body in the
death of 18-year-old Gracyn Brickley of
Ionia County.
Barry County Prosecutor Julie Nakfoor
Pratt alleges Lafey beat Brickley and shot
her with a rifle, before hiding her body at his
residence on Guy Road, south of Nashville,
on Feb. 16.
In her prosecution of the case, Pratt said
she plans to advance the argument of first-de-
gree murder.
Pratt said there is video evidence thatshows at least part of the incident.
Lafey also faces additional charges of
using a firearm while allegedly committing
the other offenses.
He did not appear in court, in person or via
Zoom, during the short court proceeding
Wednesday morning.Julie Nakfoor Pratt James KinneyJudge Michael SchipperPlanning commission recommends master
plan adoption, parking amendment
Sophie Bates
Staff Writer
After giving the City of Hastings Master
Plan a seal of approval Monday evening, the
planning commission sent the document to
city council for review and potential adoption
at the council’s July 28 meeting.
The master plan is a long-term guide that
uses past trends to inform projections on what
issues Hastings may face in the next five to 20
years. The master plan will be reviewed each
year to guide the city’s progress and be more
extensively reviewed every five years,
because the projections contained in the plan
are most accurate in the short term.
“The Master Plan for the City of Hastings
will be the guide for future growth and
development. It will explain who Hastings is
as a community, what we have, where we are
going and how we get there,” the document
reads. “This document will allow the City to
plan ahead and prepare for the future needs of
the residents, property owners and everyone
that is a part of the Hastings community.”
The master plan has two major
components: community and action.
The community section of the plan
analyzes existing conditions within the city,
summarizes community input and outlines
goals and objectives for long-term growth. It
is split into four sections: Hastings Showcased,
which focuses on creating a sense of place in
the city; Hastings Speaks, a compilation of
input from residents and community
shareholders gathered during the planning
process; Hastings Envisions, which uses
existing conditions and community input to
develop goals and objectives; and The Library,
a section of the plan that summarizes and
presents existing conditions.
The action section of the plan outlines
future land use, transportation, zoning and
action for Hastings. It also presents growth
strategies for the plan’s goals and objectives.
“This has certainly been an extended
process, thanks primarily to COVID, but I
think we have taken advantage of that
opportunity to gain some additional input, and
I really want to thank Rebecca [Harvey,
planning consultant] and her staff and
associates for all the work that they did on it,”
Chairman Dave Hatfield said after holding a
public hearing on the plan, which drew no
public comment.
Before sending the plan on to city council,
the commissioners had the opportunity to
make changes to the document.
Community Development Director Dan
King suggested commissioners add a principal
shopping district into the plan, which would
give the city additional special assessment
capabilities. Special assessment districts are
an economic development tool that assess an
additional tax on the full value of a property,
usually paid by property owners within the
district that would benefit from public
improvements.
“The way to think about this is that there
are a set of tools that we can use here in
Hastings for economic development purposes,
and the more tools you have in your toolbox,
the more capable you are to do certain things.
The one tool Dan [King] has referred to — the
Principal Shopping District Act — is a unique
tool in that it grants powers that you wouldn’t
otherwise have available to you to do things
cooperatively in your principal shopping
area,” interim city manager Gregg Guetschow
said. “By making a minor adjustment in the
master plan to reference a principal shopping
area, we then have the ability to use specialassessments for a variety of purposes in the
downtown. Whether we do that or not is
another matter, but if we don’t include it in the
master plan, we definitely won’t be able to do
it.”
King suggested they align the principal
shopping district with the boundaries of the
downtown development authority’s district.
Commissioners were in favor of the
addition, as well as a needed mapping addition
noted by Commissioner Chelsey Foster, and
unanimously approved the plan.
Later in the meeting, commissioners
reviewed a text amendment regarding the
parking of semi-trailers, recreational vehicles
and vehicles with two or more rear axles.
Currently, there is no zoning district, site
use or condition, or public space in Hastings
that allows for the outdoor parking or such
vehicles.
The amendment would allow for the
establishment of an off-street area where
vehicles with two or more rear axles could be
parked outside. Such an area may be
established in a non-residential district if
approved by the planning commission.
The amendment also targets an
inconsistency between two sections of the
zoning ordinance as it relates to recreational
vehicles.
One section of the ordinance prohibits the
outdoor parking or storage of a recreational
vehicle in residential districts, which is
inconsistent with another section that permits
the parking or storage of a recreational vehiclein any zoning district. By the ordinance’s
definition, recreational vehicles include
camper trailers, travel trailers, truck campers,
motor homes, boat trailers, horse trailers,
utility trailers and off-road vehicles.
The amendment reconciles the
inconsistency by permitting the parking or
storage of a recreational vehicle in any zoning
district, subject to locational standards.
In other matters, the planning commission:- Set a public hearing for its July 6
meeting to consider site-plan approval and a
special-use permit for Spectrum Health
Pennock Hospital parking lot reconstruction
at 1009 W. Green St. - Heard an update from Hatfield regarding
progress on accessory dwelling units and
adding two family dwelling units as a
permitted use in residential and apartment
zoning districts.
“In my last report, I had indicated to you
that we were really hopeful that we could find
a comprehensive way to address that in order
to really deal with it as a single issue, but as
we’ve delved into this more and more, it
became increasingly evident that that was
going to be extraordinarily difficult, if not
impossible,” Hatfield said.
The committee Hatfield appointed to
oversee the issues is currently working to
resolve non-conforming issues in single-
family neighborhoods. Planning Consultant
Harvey will likely present initial
recommendations at the July meeting.
Hastings citizens committee
plans election outreach
Benjamin Simon
Staff Writer
A citizens committee brainstormed Tuesday
how to get out the vote for the Aug. 3 Hastings
Area Schools bond request.
Committee co-chairs Becky Deal, Sam
Randall and Jenny Haywood, along with
Superintendent Matt Goebel, discussed a
strategy for reaching residents of the school
system.
The proposal would decrease the current
amount of 6.9 mills to 6.8 mills through the
2026-27 school year.
The bond would bring in $21.9 million and
allow for improvements in all district schools,
including new windows, public address
systems, bathrooms, locker rooms, an air
purification system and more, as well as
additional busses.
Fixing the high school roof would cost $1.
million to $2 million and carries the “largest
price tag,” Goebel said during the meeting.
“This bond you saw, it’s not flashy,” Deal
said. “We’re not getting like, you know, a new
swimming pool or a new football field or
anything flashy, or even gyms or anything.
We’re talking the roof. We’re talking windows,
busing. I mean, we’re talking cement. We’re
talking windows, refurbishing bathrooms.”
Deal, Randall and Haywood said their goal
is not to push people to vote for the request but,
rather, to encourage them to vote. They
mentioned that they haven’t heard many people
say they don’t support the request.
“There’s no secrets,” Deal said. “Nothing is
being held back. It’s completely on the website.
Everything is right in there. No secrets, no
nothing. It’s just information. Do what you feel
is right for you and your household.”
The 90-minute meeting took place in the
performing arts center at the high school. It
began with an eight-minute video and a follow-
up presentation by Goebel, who highlighted
what the bond would be used to repair or
upgrade.
The majority of the meeting was spent
strategizing between the 10 attendees, who
included parents and past parent-teacher
organization leaders. They created a spreadsheet
of potential contacts through high school clubs,
sports teams, local organizations and churches.
Over the next few weeks, the citizens
committee will contact residents in hopes they
can spread the word within their groups about
the upcoming election.
Deal called it “a giant phone tree.”
With the election taking place in the middle
of summer, the committee is concerned about
turnout – especially with the bond being the
only issue on the ballot.
“The August vote is the hardest one because
you’re probably out doing yard work or visiting
friends or working,” Deal said. “It’s too hot.
You don’t want to go stand in the polls.”
By reaching out to as many residents as
possible, committee members said they hope to
spread the details about the bond and encourage
more people to vote.
“People want our kids to be successful and
want to support our kids,” Haywood said.
“And I think, if you give them the information,
they’ll make they’ll make an informed
decision.”Book sale begins
tomorrow
The Friends of Hastings Public Library,
227 E. State St., Hastings, will host a book
sale this week, allowing readers, cooks,
students, DIYers and others to pick up some
new books.
The sale is taking place from 10 a.m. to 6
p.m. today and Friday, and from 10 a.m. to
2 p.m. Saturday. Books may be purchased
by the bag Saturday.Trees, trail part of
weekly program
The local No Family Left Indoors pro-
gram is continuing its tradition of inspiring
individuals, couples and families to spend
time outdoors. Weekly programs are
planned Tuesdays throughout the summer, a
combination of in-person, self-guided and
virtual activities.
Next week’s event, hosted by the Chief
Noonday Chapter of the North Country
Trail Association, will feature Trees on the
Trail, along the Paul Henry Thornapple
Trail in Middleville. Participants can learn
about the variety of native trees through a
scavenger hunt. Activity sheets will be
available at the marked brochure area near
the pavilion on the trail north of Crane
Road.
Additionally, participants can track down
the “blue blaze” (NCT trail marker) starting
at Stagecoach Park downtown.
More information can be found at cedar-
creekinstitute.org.Summer concerts
expand next week
The Hastings Live free summer concert
series will continue next week with the
Hastings City Band presenting the music of
Disney starting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday,
June 16, at Thornapple Plaza near the
Apple/Boltwood and East State Street inter-
section.
It will be the third of five concerts,
launching the rest of the Hastings Live sum-
mer concerts. Unlike past years, these pro-grams are taking place Thornapple Plaza.
The Thursday, June 17, concert, starting
at 11 a.m. with Brenna Harm, will feature
weekly children’s music, entertainment and
education.
At noon Friday, June 18, the Fridays at
the Fountain concert series will start with
Gary Niemensky providing entertainment.
The Friday lunchtime concerts are on the
Barry County Courthouse northeast lawn,
220 W. State St., Hastings.
Then that evening, Thornapple Plaza will
again be the venue for the first Friday Night
Features. FlyLiteGemini, a blues, folk, pop
and rock group from Grand Rapids, will
begin playing at 7:30 p.m.
All concerts are free, and attendees may
bring their own blankets or chairs for seat-
ing.
More information can be found at thor-
napplearts.org.Golf outing
registration Monday
Family Promise of Barry County is host-
ing a golf outing and ball drop Saturday,
June 26, to help raise money for its mission
to help the county’s homeless families with
children. The families the organization
works with are sheltered at the Family
Promise of Barry County’s Hope United
Methodist Church. The deadline to register
a team is June 14.
Sue Larghi, a member of the Family
Promise of Barry County board of directors,
said check-in time for the 8:30 a.m. golf
scramble is at 8 a.m. The ball drop is at 1
p.m.
They have arranged for a licensed heli-
copter from White Pines Helicopters of
Waterford Township to carry the numbered
golf balls to The Legacy in Hastings. The
sponsor assisting with dropping the balls
from the helicopter is John DeMaagd of
DeMaagd Marble & Tile, Inc. of Woodland.
For more information, call (269) 953-
6189 or email executive.director@family-
promisebarrycounty.org.
All proceeds will go to the operating bud-
get for Family Promise of Barry County
which is working to end homelessness in
the county.NOTICE TO BIDDERS
BARRY COUNTY ROAD COMMISSION
The Barry County Road Commission is offering for sale three pickups: (2) 2020
GMC 2500 Crew Cab SLE pickup (1) 2020 GMC 1 Ton Crew Cab SLE pickups
w/plow.Sealed proposals will be received at the office of the Barry County Road
Commission, 1725 West M-43 Highway, P.O. Box 158, Hastings, MI 49058, until
10:30 AM, Tuesday, June 15, 2021 for the following items. Please mark outside
of bid envelope with truck number i.e #900010.Specifications and additional information may be obtained at the Road
Commission Office at the above phone number or at our website http://www.barrycrc.
org., please make an appointment for all viewings of the trucks. NOTE: All trucks
are sold as is.Due to COVID 19 the opening will be done by Zoom Meeting on June 15, 2021
at 10:30 A.M. https://zoom.
us/j/95997230512?pwd=TFJUTDg1a3R2RzR2MjVBSmdaS3JFUT09 or by phone
1-312-626-6799, meeting ID #959 9723 0512, passcode: 186179(2) 2020 GMC 2500 Crew Cab SLE Pickups
4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission
Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors
1 - Summit White #900010 – Green Title - Approximately 29,300 Miles –
Minimum Bid $47,
1 - Summit White- #900040 – Green Title – Approximately 15,171 - Minimum
Bid $47,(1) 2020 GMC 3500 Crew Cab SLE Pickup Truck w/plow
4WD Duramax Diesel, Allison Transmission
Air, Cruise, PW & Locks, Keyless remote, Heated mirrors, BOSS Plow, 8-10’
EXT
1-Cardinal Red Truck #900170 – Orange Title (MUNICIAPL Title – NOT
SALVAGE)
Approximately 10,024 Miles - Minimum Bid $55,NOTE: All mileages are approximate – trucks are being driven until they are
sold.
The board reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to waive irregularities
in the best interest of the Commission.161835The Hastings Banner
Devoted to the interests of Barry County since 1856
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