A formal contract between the city of Buchanan and non-profit economic development group Live Buchanan has been put on hold following a vote this week by city commissioners.
At their regular meeting, commissioners were considering a contract with Live Buchanan that would have funded the group at the level of $56,000 per year for five years.
Live Buchanan’s Ashley Regal told commissioners they’ve been working to designate Buchanan as a Michigan Main Street City with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which would free up development support for the city. She made a pitch for moving forward.
“This is a make or break moment for the Main Street program in Buchanan,” Regal said. “Voting no would throw away two and a half years of work and put us behind at least another three years until the next Main Street application cycle opens. Voting yes signals your commitment and belief that our downtown is worth investing in.”
Commissioner Larry Money wanted more information before the commission would commit to a formal partnership with Live Buchanan.
“I think this is a great program, but a lot of the information that we have received has not given us time to really put our teeth into it,” Money said. “Yes, we’ve had two and a half years and I am not going against anything that you or Rich have done with this, but I would like to see this commission as soon as possible call a special meeting.”
Regal is the city’s Assistant Director of Community Development under Community Development Director Richard Murphy.
Commissioner Dan Vigansky went back and forth with Mayor Sean Denison about the benefits of Live Buchanan. Denison had some words of support for the group.
“All they’re trying to do is make our community better, but yet they get beaten up and harassed and spoken ill of,” Denison said. “It’s absolutely disgraceful.”
Vigansky complained that the Downtown Development Authority has been destroyed.
Commissioners voted to postpone any vote to work with Live Buchanan pending further discussion. However, most said this is not a dead issue and that they just want more information.
