By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer
With Mayor Victoria Garcia Snyder and Mayor Pro Tem Andrew French absent from the April 6 meeting, Council Member Lenn Reid nominated colleague Vivian Davis to serve as temporary chair — a motion that passed unanimously among the five members present. Davis took the mayor’s seat with a smile and guided the council through a full agenda that wrapped before 9 p.m., a feat that drew quiet appreciation from a larger-than-usual crowd that had packed the chambers.
The evening opened with a proclamation recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month. Amber Depuydt-Goodlock, System Manager of Bronson Sexual Assault Services, told council that in 2025 the organization provided free services to 1,145 survivors and delivered prevention education to 4,411 youth from pre-kindergarten through high school. Volunteer victim advocates contributed 3,565 hours of on-call crisis response at local hospitals and police departments. Accompanying Depuydt-Goodlock and SAS Advisory Board member Anne Flynn of Help Me Grow Calhoun was Chewy, a Canine Companions facility dog who works with children at the Child Advocacy Center. For more information, visit bronsonhealth.com.
Much of the evening was devoted to topics that will be covered in separate stories — a lengthy brownfield redevelopment presentation for two sets of downtown properties near Superior Street Mercantile and Cuts by Moose, and an extensive infrastructure discussion covering emergency sewer repairs, aging pipes, sidewalk liability, and city finances. A public hearing on the brownfield plans is set for April 20. Residents concerned about tree removal also filled the chambers and addressed council during public comments, with more tree coverage planned for next week following a Wednesday meeting at the Whitehouse Nature Center.
Council approved resolutions authorizing Congressional Directed Spending requests to U.S. Senators Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters for rehabilitation of West Erie Street at an estimated cost of $2,700,000. The requests were prepared by City Manager Dr. Sheryl L. Theriot, who submitted to both senators at slightly different match ratios to maximize the city’s chances in a competitive federal funding environment.
All residents are invited to the 5th Precinct Meeting on Tuesday, April 14 at 6 p.m. at Marshall Opportunity High School, 225 Watson Street. Council Member Vivian Davis announced the meeting will include updates from City Manager Dr. Sheryl L. Theriot, Transportation Director Mallory Avis of Ride Calhoun — whose van serves Albion full time — and Public Services Director Jason Kern on street conditions.
For details on city events check cityofalbionmi.gov and the city’s Facebook page. Community organizations may post events at no charge through Albion eNews at albionenews.com. Unless events are posted to an official source, details may change and cannot be verified for newspaper publication.
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