Thank you all for your interest and support in this effort!

Please attend the Next Village Meeting and Speak Out!  Tomorrow, Monday, June 9 @ 7:00 PM – Caledonia Village Hall – 250 S. Maple St SE

Email Concerns / Opposition to: vilofcal@villageofcaledonia.org  They need to be flooded with letters of opposition!  Right now they are concerned with their own agenda, NOT the residents' concerns.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, Oppose the DNR Grant

The village applied for a DNR Passport Grant to fund a portion of the project. This grant is meant for recreation — not merchant parking. Let the DNR know: This is a misuse of public funds! The Village application and documentation submitting violates several grant requirements. 

DNR Grants Office: (517) 284-7268 Regional Contact:

Email Riley Millard – millardR2@michigan.gov

Reference: Grant Application Reference ID: RP25-0028

Check out all Grant Application Documents Here: Village DNR Grant Application and Supporting Documents 

Want UPDATES?  See this google DOC: MORE INFORMATION

6/8 - Updates

1. Door hangers to get the word out were dispersed by STOP THE LOT this weekend to most of the Village of Caledonia and petition signatures have increased significantly! Thank you for your support! Please consider also emailing the DNR, Village, and School Board. We are well over 250 signatures between the online and paper petitions. A Phase 1 petition will be submitted to the Village very soon, and we will continue to push for more support throughout the summer and into the fall.
2. Unfortunately, our signs were removed from the public trailhead board. Would the Village Council really remove community materials from a public space
3. Parking Lot Proposal Raises Site Control Concerns: The land the Village wants to use for the proposed parking lot is owned by Caledonia Community Schools, but it is also under a permanent easement held by Kent County for the Paul Henry Trail. While the Village mentioned this easement in their DNR grant application, they offered no evidence of County approval—and a recent phone call with Kent County confirmed they were unaware of the project.
   1. The Village also claimed they had a “written commitment” to lease the land from the school. However, a letter from Superintendent Dirk Weeldreyer clearly states no final agreement exists and any lease would be contingent on grant approval. DNR guidelines require clear, documented site control before funding can be awarded. As it stands, the Village has not met this requirement, and their public claims appear misleading.
4. Lack of Transparency and Ethical Concerns: We are deeply concerned about a lack of transparency, possible hidden agendas, and the Village Council’s failure to uphold its own Code of Ethics and Conduct. According to the Village’s adopted policy, elected officials are expected to act with honesty, accountability, and respect for public trust. However, this process has been marked by:
   1. Misleading public statements
   2. Lack of resident notification or engagement
   3. Inaccurate meeting minutes
   4. Omission of dissenting public comments (if you sent a letter of opposition to the Village, it was NOT submitted in the grant application).
   5. Contradictory and incomplete application materials

If the Council truly believes in ethical government and community-first decision-making, it must pause this project, engage the public honestly, and reconsider its direction.

ACT NOW!!