The city of Buchanan is moving toward a partnership with the Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber.
At a meeting this week, Buchanan City Commissioners heard from the chamber’s Arthur Havlicek, who told them about plans to continue the Live Buchanan program under the chamber’s wing.
Live Buchanan is an economic development initiative that sought to designate Buchanan as a Michigan Main Street City with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Commissioners put the brakes on Live Buchanan over the summer, losing the organization’s director. At this week’s meeting, Havlicek told them the city should keep it alive. He said there are key benefits to getting Michigan Main Street City status.
“Strengthening the existing tax base, providing a positive community image, helping create visually appealing and viable downtown buildings through the preservation efforts, attracting new businesses, creating new jobs, and increasing investment in the downtown,” Havlicek said.
Havlicek said the city is now allocating about $69,000 per year to the Michigan Main Street effort. He proposed upping that to $100,000 per year for five years. The Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber would then take over the effort, hiring a new director.
“What we’re proposing is that the eventual full-time director, which is required, is not a city employee. In fact, they’d be a regional chamber employee. So we would be assuming all of those risks and liabilities.”
Havlicek said keeping Live Buchanan alive will not interfere with an effort to restart the Buchanan Downtown Development Authority. In fact, he said the chamber recommends reconstituting the DDA.
Commissioners voted to draw up a contract with the chamber, likely to be considered later. Commissioner Dan Vigansky objected, saying the matter should be delayed until April so the new city manager has time to review it.
