BUCHANAN CITY COMMISSION RE-FORMS DDA AFTER 5-YEAR HIATUS

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
BUCHANAN, MI – The Buchanan City Commission has completed all the steps needed to bring back the city’s Downtown Development Authority. The DDA was disbanded in 2020 after differences arose between DDA members and city officials. Commissioners had directed city staff last fall to bring back the DDA.
City Commissioners approved an ordinance amendment at their first May commission meeting after a public hearing that re-establishes the DDA. The amendment brings the city ordinance in line with 2018 state law changes on how DDAs operates.
The action also allows the DDA to once again capture taxes starting this summer under tax increment financing. Tax increment financing allows entities like the DDA to capture the taxes representing growth from a base level. In Buchanan’s case, the base level is not now but years ago when the DDA was first established.
Mayor Mark Weedon noted earlier in May that the DDA won’t be starting from scratch as the funds from the former DDA will still be available for DDA projects. “It’s exciting; they will be ready to start working when the downtown infrastructure project is done,” he said.
Last week’s commission action involved naming people to be members of the new DDA. Mayor Mark Weedon and City Manager Tony McGhee interviewed 14 people who had applied and recommended seven to be on the DDA board.

The newly constituted board is expected to hold its first meeting later this month to start developing plans to promote economic development. Last week, Weedon expressed high hopes for the new DDA board and urged the other applicants to stay involved. “Sitting through 3 days of interviews really made me aware of the amount of skill and talent we have here in Buchanan,” he said. “People spoke about what the city means to them and the importance of the community.”
Besides re-establishing the DDA, City Commissioners also took action to help a new business planning to open early next year. Commissioners approved a $20,000 economic incentive grant/forgivable loan to a new coffee shop at 108 West Front St.
Community Development Director Rich Murphy reported that Niles business owner Dustin Jankoviak is investing $435,000 in the renovation of the West Front Street building to put in the coffee shop. The new coffee shop is expected to open early next year in the former Harger building next door to the Buchanan post office. The building is currently home to the Home Source Group realty company. The coffee shop will also offer a breakfast and lunch menu.
Jankoviak said he opened the 2nd and Main business in downtown Niles to create a gathering place for the community and he wants to do the same thing in Buchanan. He noted that he’s no stranger to Buchanan as his father had a business in town for 20 years and he worked in Buchanan himself in the past.
Last week’s commission meeting also featured action on the new 2025-26 budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. The general fund will have $3.95 million in revenue and $3.88 million in expenditures.  The budget approval comes after commission workshop sessions held over the last few months.
McGhee outlined what the new budget will look like, including not only the general fund but also the water and sewer, local and major streets, and capital improvement budgets. New items in the budget include starting a sidewalk repair program and more code enforcement, including building demolition.
“Our primary focus will be on completing the many construction projects currently in progress,” he said. “While we are getting those wrapped up, we plan to take a step back and engage in long-term capital improvement and operational planning. This strategic pause will help us prepare to approach future projects more proactively, starting in the 2026–2027 fiscal year.”
McGhee also gave a downtown construction update. He said the Front Street retaining wall will be done by June 6, as will the Days Avenue culvert repair. Some work including paving on Liberty and Rynearson will be done by mid-June. The second phase of the infrastructure project has started and has now expanded to Front Street.