By MAGGIE LANOUE
Contributing Writer
Albion City Council met Monday evening, Oct. 20 at the Marshall Opportunity High School Auditorium, 225 East Watson Street. The larger venue gave residents room to attend, though only a few people were present.
The evening began with presentations and recognitions. Community advocate Marquetta Frost brought students to receive a proclamation for Red Ribbon Week, celebrated Oct. 21-31, encouraging youth to live drug-free and mentor younger students. Councilmembers thanked the group for its positive message and participation.
A public hearing followed on a Commercial Facilities Exemption Certificate for 205 W. Cass St., formerly known as One Hour Martinizing. The property, owned by ACE Investment Properties LLC, will be renovated into a modern laundromat. Stephanie Dobbins signed the exemption application on behalf of the company and described plans to update the 3,000-square-foot building with new equipment and interior improvements. Council approved the exemption unanimously.
Council also approved a resolution continuing the city’s 90-10 health-insurance cost-sharing arrangement, opting out of the state’s Publicly Funded Health Insurance Contribution Act for 2026, which would otherwise require an 80-20 split. Another resolution adopted the city’s multi-year deficit-elimination plan, addressing an internal equipment fund deficit caused by recent vehicle purchases. Finance Director David Clark said the fund will be balanced within three years, and City Manager Doug Terry emphasized that the city is not deficit spending.
Terry next introduced a proposal to amend the city’s SAFEbuilt contract to strengthen code enforcement by adding part-time hours at an estimated cost of $90,000 per year. Police Chief Aaron Phipps described the unsafe housing conditions his officers encounter and said trained inspectors are needed to ensure compliance. Council members C.J. Frost and Jim Stuart asked for more precise data and possible local alternatives. Council voted to table the proposal until Nov. 17 to allow staff to gather more information. There was much discussion about the safety of both children in the households and the officers who currently visit the homes, and the benefits of hiring code enforcement officers with specialized experience and training.
Appointments followed for several city boards. Jim Stuart was reappointed to the Downtown Development Authority and newly appointed to the Albion Economic Development Corporation. Tom Hunsdorfer was reappointed to the Planning Commission. During discussion, City Attorney Cullen Harkness advised that members with related business interests should disclose potential conflicts and abstain from voting when necessary. The appointments passed unanimously.
Terry and a union representative also presented a proposal to shift City Hall to a four-day, 10-hour workweek—Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m—to save on utilities, provide extended service hours, and help employees who might like a day for medical appointments or more extended weekends. Frost requested more data on customer visits before deciding, and the item was tabled for 30 days.
Public Works Director Jason Kern presented the night’s final major item—a request to purchase a used leaf-vacuum machine for $65,000 to replace an aging unit. Kern said the used model performed well in testing and cost $35,000 less than a new one. The council approved the purchase unanimously and reminded residents to keep leaves out of the street.
In public comment, Police Chief Aaron Phipps announced a Drug Take-Back Day on Saturday, Oct. 26 and trick-or-treat hours Friday, Oct. 31 from 6-8 p.m. He also mentioned the Sweets on Superior Street event on Sunday, Oct. 26, from 1-3 p.m. People can come downtown with the kids, and feel free to dress up. He urged residents to contact him or Code Officer Liz Loomis with code-enforcement questions.
In the City Manager’s report, Terry highlighted progress on several projects, including new housing on Watson Street, a fast-food development on Eaton Street, installation of the million-gallon water tower, and neighborhood street reconstruction planned for 2026, among them Bemer, Magnotta, and Dean Streets. He also said elevator repairs at City Hall should be completed within weeks once parts arrive.
Councilmembers thanked city staff for their work on fall cleanup and sign maintenance. Stuart closed the meeting on an upbeat note, saying he was excited about Albion’s growing soccer scene.
“This coming Saturday, our regional soccer club is hosting tournaments,” Stuart said. “We have about 30 teams coming in, which means six to seven hundred people visiting Albion. That makes me very happy. If you’re looking for something to do, come on Saturday to the Marshall Opportunity School—east, west, and north fields will all be full of players.”
The meeting adjourned at 9:06 p.m. The next regular session is expected in early November. Councilmembers noted that the alternate meeting locations have provided handicap access during elevator repairs, but the auditorium’s acoustics and lighting made the meeting difficult for some attendees to follow. Many residents said they look forward to the elevator being repaired and the council returning to its regular chambers.cil meeting at the Marshall Opportunity High School Auditorium.
