BUCHANAN FEED MILL TO BE DEMOLISHED; CITY COMMISSIONERS EARN PAY RAISES

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
BUCHANAN – Buchanan City Commissioners received updates on a number of current and future projects at their meeting Monday night. Commissioners acted on items related to the demolition of the Buchanan Feed Mill and the upcoming streetscape project and discussed plans for possible upcoming state grant applications.
Community Development Director Richard Murphy reported on the demolition of the old Buchanan Feed Mill and Tire Shop at 111 Railroad St. and 708 S. Red Bud Trail. The work is expected to be done this spring or summer by Melching Inc. of Muskegon. The company was the low bidder with a bid of $193,700.
Murphy said funding for the project is coming from a grant through the Berrien County Land Bank Authority. He and Shea Muller of Point Blue LLC (the company who is overseeing the bidding process) said that several companies bid on the project and that Melching’s bid actually came in under budget.
“It looks like we can proceed with the project,” Murphy said. “We’ve been working on this for a couple of years; it’s a milestone and a tangible improvement to that area. The next step will see what interest there is in the property once the structures are demolished.”
The feed mill and tire shop will be demolished in this project. The nearby silos are on a different parcel of property and will not be part of this demolition. Muller said that possible contamination from underground storage tanks on the site is also being addressed through remediation.
Murphy and City Manager Tony McGhee reported on the upcoming downtown streetscape infrastructure project. An informational meeting about the project is scheduled for next Monday, March 3 at 6 p.m. at the Buchanan City Hall.
They said city staff, engineers and contractors will be on hand to answer people’s questions. Downtown residents and businesses are especially encouraged to attend. McGhee reported that work started this week with the removal of trees on Front Street and the setting up of detour routes.
The $19.4 million project will replace water and sewer lines as well as downtown streets and sidewalks. A new sanitary sewer line is being constructed from the wastewater treatment plant to the downtown, water and sewer lines will be upgraded and downtown streets and sidewalks will be redone.
Monday, commissioners took action to hire a bond consultant to finish the financing for the project. The city is getting a low interest U.S.D.A. loan to finance most of the project but has a shortfall of $1.5 million to cover. The commission approved an engagement letter with Bendzinski & Co., a bond company.
McGhee said the company will see what interest rates they can find for the city. The goal is to get financing at a low interest rate and that can be paid back within five to seven years.
McGhee also brought state grant possibilities to the commission ahead of an April 1 application deadline. He outlined two possibilities: Kathryn Park improvements and more Riverfront Park improvements.
The Kathryn Park grant would come from the state’s Land, Water and Conservation Fund if successful and would pay for playground equipment and parking. He said the project would cost a total of $250,000, with the city providing half that amount as a local match.
The Riverfront Park grant would be to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund and pay for restrooms and a pavilion. He said that project could cost $500,000 or more with the local match being 25 percent or more.
Commissioners spoke in favor of both projects and McGhee said he would put together information for both to bring to the commission in March. He said any local funds needed for the projects would come out of the city’s 2026-27 budget.
Also Monday, the commission approved a second reading of a new fire prevention ordinance that allows for inspections of local businesses. McGhee said the plan is to inform people about the new ordinance and start inspections in July. He will next bring a rental housing ordinance proposal to the commission.
Commissioners are getting a pay raise recommended by the city’s compensation commission. The compensation commission was formed earlier this year and met recently to make the recommendation. This is the commission’s first pay raise since 2018.
City Clerk Kalla Langston-Weiss said the pay raise automatically went into effect after city commissioners failed to take any action to reject the pay raise. The pay raise question will next come up two years from now.
Changes are as follows:

• Commissioners will earn $80 per meeting (previously $50), and $50 plus $25 (previously $15/hr) an hour for special meetings
• Mayor will earn $100 per meeting (previously $70) and $50 plus $25 an hour for special meetings