Zeeland Mayor Kevin Klynstra and Councilman Jim Broersma will not be running for re-election in November. Klynstra has been on the council for 30 years, the last 14 as mayor, while Broersma has served for 24 years.
Voters in the city of Zeeland will choose a new mayor and at least one new council member when they go to the polls this November.
Kevin Klynstra, who has served as the city’s mayor for the past 14 years, announced at the Jan. 21 City Council meeting that he would not seek re-election when his current two-year term expires later this year.
Shortly after Klynstra’s announcement, Councilman Jim Broersma announced that he, too, would not be running for re-election. Broersma has been on the City Council for 24 years.
Klynstra’s tenure as mayor is the second-longest in the city’s history, exceeded only by his predecessor, Les Hoogland, who served as mayor for 22 years from 1989 to 2011. Before he was elected mayor in November 2011, Klynstra served as a council member for 16 years.
“(After) 30 years with City Council, (and serving as) mayor, it was time,” Klynstra said.
Klynstra never had anyone challenge him for re-election during his time as mayor. He said that Councilman Richard Van Dorp, whose term expires later this year, has expressed interest in succeeding him. Van Dorp has been on the council 21 years.
“I’ve had a couple of other people that have said they were interested, but I don’t know how interested they are. We’ll see what happens,” Klynstra said.
Broersma was elected to the council in 2001, succeeding longtime Councilman Gerald Huizenga. He said he would like to see others in the community step forward and run for office.
Klynstra said he is most proud of seeing the growth of the city’s industrial park during his time on the council, while Broersma spoke of the growth and development of the downtown as a point of pride.
“I came on (council) when the awnings came down,” Broersma said.
Among the major changes that have happened downtown in recent years include the construction of the Heritage Square pocket park, which has since been renamed Hoogland Plaza in honor of Hoogland, the addition of a splash pad at the park, and the installation of snowmelt.
Mayor Pro Tem Sally Gruppen spoke of Klynstra’s leadership on a statewide level, as he recently served on the board of directors for the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Association of Mayors.
“I was so proud of him for doing that, because it put Zeeland on the map,” Gruppen said. “He’s got more of a voice (statewide).”
Mayoral terms in Zeeland are two-year terms, while City Council seats have four-year terms. Other council seats that are up for re-election this year are Van Dorp and Councilman Glenn Kass.
Kevin Klynstra, who has served as the city’s mayor for the past 14 years, announced at the Jan. 21 City Council meeting that he would not seek re-election when his current two-year term expires later this year.
Shortly after Klynstra’s announcement, Councilman Jim Broersma announced that he, too, would not be running for re-election. Broersma has been on the City Council for 24 years.
Klynstra’s tenure as mayor is the second-longest in the city’s history, exceeded only by his predecessor, Les Hoogland, who served as mayor for 22 years from 1989 to 2011. Before he was elected mayor in November 2011, Klynstra served as a council member for 16 years.
“(After) 30 years with City Council, (and serving as) mayor, it was time,” Klynstra said.
Klynstra never had anyone challenge him for re-election during his time as mayor. He said that Councilman Richard Van Dorp, whose term expires later this year, has expressed interest in succeeding him. Van Dorp has been on the council 21 years.
“I’ve had a couple of other people that have said they were interested, but I don’t know how interested they are. We’ll see what happens,” Klynstra said.
Broersma was elected to the council in 2001, succeeding longtime Councilman Gerald Huizenga. He said he would like to see others in the community step forward and run for office.
Klynstra said he is most proud of seeing the growth of the city’s industrial park during his time on the council, while Broersma spoke of the growth and development of the downtown as a point of pride.
“I came on (council) when the awnings came down,” Broersma said.
Among the major changes that have happened downtown in recent years include the construction of the Heritage Square pocket park, which has since been renamed Hoogland Plaza in honor of Hoogland, the addition of a splash pad at the park, and the installation of snowmelt.
Mayor Pro Tem Sally Gruppen spoke of Klynstra’s leadership on a statewide level, as he recently served on the board of directors for the Michigan Municipal League and the Michigan Association of Mayors.
“I was so proud of him for doing that, because it put Zeeland on the map,” Gruppen said. “He’s got more of a voice (statewide).”
Mayoral terms in Zeeland are two-year terms, while City Council seats have four-year terms. Other council seats that are up for re-election this year are Van Dorp and Councilman Glenn Kass.
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