Ryan Grim, at right, accompanied by his family, is sworn in as Marquette’s new Chief of Police and Harbor Master by City Clerk Kyle Whitney at Monday’s Marquette City Commission meeting. (Journal photo by Taylor Johnson)

MARQUETTE — The Marquette City Commission appointed Marquette City Police Department Lieutenant and Acting Patrol Captain Ryan Grim as the the new Chief of Police and Harbor Master at its meeting Monday night. Grim’s position will take effect on April 11.

“I think this decision is the perfect decision for the city, and I’m excited to see what you do leading this department,” Commissioner Jessica Hanley said, speaking about Grim’s appointment.

Grim graduated with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Northern Michigan University in 2000. He graduated from NMU’s Regional Police Academy in 2001, where he was the recipient of the Distinguished Peer Award and Physical Fitness award. In the same year, he was hired at the Marquette City Police Department.

In 2004, Grim was awarded a Meritorious Service Award for water rescue. In 2005, he was chosen as the department’s Patrol Officer of the Year and earned a Lifesaving Award for his actions during a fatal apartment fire.

He was promoted to Road Patrol Corporal in 2006, Sergeant in 2010, and Lieutenant in 2017. He is also a 2019 graduate of the Michigan Police Executive Development Seminar.

Grim is currently the Police Accreditation Coalition president, A MLEAC Accreditation Assessor, and is a member of the Michigan Municipal League’s Law Enforcement Action Forum.

He will replace Blake Rieboldt, who has been Chief of Police and Harbor Master since 2015. Rieboldt was presented plaques from the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police Accreditation and the Northern Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police at the commission meeting.

Rieboldt was also presented a certificate of appreciation by Marquette City Manager Karen Kovacs on behalf the city.

“I’m incredibly proud of the current and past leadership of the department, but especially of Chief Rieboldt, who had been motivated and has fostered the growth and professionalism of this phenomenal department,” Kovacs said.

Also at the meeting, the commission unanimously voted to approve a resolution authorizing a Michigan Land and Water Conservation grant application. The city of Marquette is applying for the grant to install a day-use access road and parking at Tourist Park. The project would create a large event space on the north side of the park, increase parking, and provide access from County Road 550.

The project budget is $500,000 and the grant match requirement is $250,000. The Tourist Park Enterprise Fund has sufficient funds to cover the match. The project is projected to start next summer.

The City of Marquette is also applying for a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Recreation Passport grant, on behalf of the Marquette Lions, to improve Lion’s Lakeside Park. The Lions have proposed the project to connect Lions Lakeside Park to Father Marquette Park, provide ADA access, improve the view of Lake Superior, and interpret both the the natural and cultural resources of the park.

The project budget is $140,000 and the grant match requirement is $35,000. The Marquette Lions have committed to covering the match. The commission unanimously passed the resolution to apply for the grant. Work is projected to start next summer.

“This park marks the site of the first Lions Club meeting in Michigan, and that was 103 years ago. It also is the site where we have our nation’s flag welcoming people to downtown,” Commissioner Sally Davis said. “I really look forward to the improvement of this park and it being more acknowledged by the community.”

Finally, the commission passed a motion to approve a proposed amendment to the City of Marquette’s Solid Waste Services contract for curbside collection service with Waste Management.

The change means residents will now have to buy garbage bags of their own choosing and affix a City of Marquette garbage sticker to it, instead of buying the City of Marquette green garbage bags. The bag of the residents’ choice can not be more than 35 gallons and can not exceed the 30-pound weight limit. This change was made due to supply issues. This decision will not affect residents using the green and yellow garbage carts, as they will still be used as normal.

The cost of the garbage sticker will be $1.35, and replace the current cost of $1.50 per green garbage bag. The garbage sticker price will be effective April 1 through September 2024. Stickers should be available at businesses that carried the green city garbage bags. Residents who still have the green city garbage bags may use them until they run out.

“The tag will be on the front of the bag, facing outward so that Waste Management can see it from the street,” Kovacs said.

Residents should be receiving a flyer in the mail about the change soon, and any questions can be directed to city staff.