Joel Dye. Courtesy city of Holland
A city in the region has appointed a long-time member of its team to a new leadership role.
The city of Holland said this winter that it has named Joel Dye, who has been with the city for nearly 15 years, as director of Community and Neighborhood Services.
The role
Dye will manage daily operations of the Community and Neighborhood Services Department, which oversees planning, development, construction codes, housing and neighborhood relations programs and code enforcement.
He will also serve in primary roles on larger city policy-formation committees related to general development and participate in establishing city visioning and developing programs to address the identified goals.
Dye said he’s thankful, excited and humbled to serve in the director role.
“I have been with the city since 2001,” Dye said. “They hired me to oversee the Home Repair Program. Over the years, I have taken on additional duties, working my way through this department.”
Dye background
Dye joined the city of Holland from Antrim County, where he worked as an associate planner.
At the city of Holland, he has served as the Home Repair Program manager, planner, community development coordinator and interim director of Community and Neighborhood Services.
As a Holland resident, Dye indicated that he has the added personal perspective of life in the city, which puts him in a lot of social interactions with residents.
“It really gives me some insight to how the city operates through both the lens of City Hall operations, but also being a resident,” Dye said.
The Dye family has also been active in several local organizations: Holland Little League; Holland Youth Football; First United Methodist Church of Holland; and Holland Public Schools.
Dye graduated from Grand Valley State University with a degree in geology and planning, before going on to pursue a master’s degree in public administration from the School of Public and Nonprofit Administration.
He said his academic background has benefitted him in his role, since he has a good grasp and understanding of planning and geography and the public administration process.
“I understand the general government and processes that government goes through to listen to citizens’ concerns and then develop programs and ideas to address those concerns,” Dye said.