According to yesterday's Grand Rapids Press, the Grand Rapids City Commission on Tuesday "retreated" from its earlier plan to consider a resolution against the Iraq War. Last week it was reported that the City Commission was drafting a resolution against the Iraq War focusing specifically on the $237 million that the war has cost the city of Grand Rapids. However, Mayor George Heartwell on Tuesday said that he was not sure how the community felt about the war. Instead, Heartwell said that the City Commission should use the interest in the City Commission resolution as "an opportunity for dialogue." Heartwell said that he would like to see the City Commission in the role of "playing host" to a forum that would perhaps be organized by in town groups such as the World Affairs Council, the National Issues Forum, or the Institute for Global Education.

Neither Commissioners Rick Tormala or James White were impressed by the idea of holding a public hearing on the issue and instead supported a vote on the resolution. A copy of the draft resolution prepared by Commissioners was not available online.