Fennville chooses new police chief, agrees to sell former Recra-Lan land to DDA

Mitchell Boatman, The Holland Sentinel
·2 min read

FENNVILLE — The city of Fennville is looking to an out-of-state candidate to be the next leader of its police department. Fennville’s city commission voted Tuesday, Jan. 3, to offer its police chief position to Rudolph Johnson III, a resident of South Carolina.

Johnson is currently the deputy police chief in Allendale, South Carolina.

Fennville’s city commission voted Tuesday, Jan. 3, to offer its police chief position to Rudolph Johnson III, a resident of South Carolina.
Fennville’s city commission voted Tuesday, Jan. 3, to offer its police chief position to Rudolph Johnson III, a resident of South Carolina.

City Administrator Katie Beemer said the city was impressed with Johnson’s policing experience and demeanor.

“He has been in policing for 20 years, since 2003,” Beemer said. “We were really impressed with him as an interview committee. He was a top choice early on because of his experience and demeanor. He’s very knowledgeable about policing, he’s kind and we think he will be a great fit for the community of Fennville.”

More:Fennville police chief Greg Rekucki will resign in January

More:Fennville reprimands outgoing police chief in final days with city

Beemer said Johnson has experience in a variety of law enforcement roles, including forensics, narcotics, probation and more. An exact start date for Johnson is pending contract negotiations and Johnson’s move to Michigan.

“We’re hoping to have him and his family join us soon,” Beemer said.

Johnson will replace Greg Rekucki, who resigned as chief Jan. 1. Rekucki, the community's longest serving police chief, was reprimanded days before the end of his tenure. The police chief is the only full-time member of the Fennville Police Department.

Land sale to DDA approved

Commissioners also approved the sale of a group of three downtown land parcels to the Downtown Development Authority on Tuesday.

Fennville purchased the land in 2003 for $303,000 with the intent of leasing the land to the DDA. Once that lease is fully repaid, the city agreed to sell the land to the DDA for $1.

The building at 220 E. Main Street is being sold by the Fennville DDA to the building's downtown neighbor Las Brazas Tortillas.
The building at 220 E. Main Street is being sold by the Fennville DDA to the building's downtown neighbor Las Brazas Tortillas.

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The land is across from city hall, between Main Street and Fennville Street, referred to locally as the Recra-Lan property. It's currently a parking lot and greenspace.

Beemer said the DDA plans to pay off the remaining balance of the lease in the coming days. Prior to Tuesday's vote, the DDA had paid $206,800.64 of the $303,000. Funds from the recently approved sale of the building at 220 E. Main St. will go toward paying the balance.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Fennville chooses new police chief from South Carolina