The city of Grand Rapids has paid out another $63,000 in small claims to resolve damage done by city vehicles to parked cars and other roadside objects.
Among the 30 total claims paid by the city, 24 were related to collisions by city vehicles. The remaining six claims had to do with damage caused by sewer backups.
The claims are for incidents which took place between November 2025 and April 2026. They were paid out during the second fiscal quarter from April 1 to June 30, 2026.
The expenses come on top of another $35,000 in city vehicle collision damages already paid out earlier this year for a total of nearly $100,000. City Media Affairs Manager Steve Guitar directed The Grand Rapids Herald to his comments made on the topic in April saying that each collision incident is reviewed and includes reviewing on-board camera footage and “internal follow-ups.”
“This winter delivered more than half of a typical season’s snowfall in a short period of time,” Guitar wrote. “Crews worked 12‑hour shifts, providing continuous 24‑hour coverage for 22 straight days. Throughout the season, drivers logged 23,625 hours and covered 382,500 miles while managing plowing, salting, traffic, pedestrians, carts and roadside obstacles in challenging conditions.”
The most expensive single collision occurred in December when a snowplow caused $6,700 worth of damage to a parked vehicle. Snowplow collisions also make up the second and third largest expenses at $6,665.54 and $5,460.
While the small claims report offers limited details surrounding the collisions, some entries include context, such as when a garbage truck caused $3,912.03 in damage when it moved through an alley and struck “corner of roof, siding, and gutter of home.”
Another entry for $1,436 describes damage to a vehicle by a garbage truck which “extended arm and damaged claimant’s front bumper.”
One city employee was even impacted by a $684.02 city vehicle collision billed to the water system. That individual works for the Grand Rapids Fire Department.
Another incident which saw a snowplow cause $5,148.90 in damage to a parked vehicle in January noted there were “icy conditions” on the roads.
Vehicles were not the only objects struck as three claims refer to damage done to mailboxes. The most expensive mailbox claim was for $300, with the remaining two costing $200.88 and $169.93 respectively.
Grand Rapids paid $496.50 to the Amway Hotel Corporation after a January snowplow “damaged gate entry card reader.”
Write to jackson@grherald.com