By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer
Following a severe thunderstorm warning earlier in the afternoon, Albion City Council moved through a broad but largely orderly agenda Monday evening, taking up charter amendments, infrastructure projects, downtown redevelopment and operational changes during the May 18 meeting at Albion City Hall. The meeting adjourned earlier than usual despite covering a wide range of topics.
All agenda items received unanimous approval following discussion during the study session, with Mayor Pro Tem Andy French making many of the motions to approve items throughout the evening.
Several of the meeting’s largest topics involved proposed changes to the City Charter that could later appear before voters on the November 2026 ballot. City Attorney Cullen Harkness told council that Albion’s current requirements are stricter than most Michigan communities and that the recent city manager search had highlighted the issue.
Council also reviewed a Community Development Block Grant rental rehabilitation application tied to several downtown properties, infrastructure items connected to the ongoing construction season, and proposed Department of Public Services equipment upgrades.
Public comment drew more participation than usual for a routine meeting, with approximately five residents addressing council on topics ranging from neighborhood maintenance and parking enforcement to recreation opportunities and community concerns. Pastor Tim Kurtz, representing the Albion Ministerial Association, told council members they were being prayed for and encouraged as they carried out their duties on behalf of the community.
A public safety department representative addressed council to report two significant incidents from earlier that day, including a pursuit that was handled without injury and a barricaded subject wanted for home invasion and domestic violence. The Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team, a multi-jurisdictional drone team and negotiators responded to the barricade. Negotiators brought the subject out safely without force. No injuries or property damage were reported. The Albion Public Safety Department has indicated it plans to share data and statistics with council on a regular basis going forward.
Resident Ben Pierce, a fifth-generation Albion resident, praised the department during public comment. “I love our public safety department,” Pierce said. “I think they’re doing a fantastic job.”
At the request of the city manager, the council adjourned briefly to closed session before reconvening approximately 15 minutes later and approving an agreement by unanimous roll call vote. The subject of the agreement was not disclosed publicly.
During her report following the closed session, City Manager Dr. Sheryl Theriot announced that water meter installations across the city had reached 78 percent completion as of the previous Sunday. The raising of the new water tower is tentatively planned for early June, with the tank expected to come online in August or September. City Hall will serve as a cooling center this summer. Residents are encouraged to check the city’s website for the most current scheduling information.
Debbie Kelly, who has served as President and CEO of the Albion Economic Development Corporation and the Albion Brownfield Redevelopment Authority since October 2025, provided an update on 100 S. Superior Street, one of several downtown projects she is currently managing simultaneously. The city voted at its May 4 meeting to purchase the condemned building over staff and legal concerns about its condition. The building was condemned following an inspection by SAFEbuilt LLC, the firm under contract to provide building inspection services for the city. Kelly said a contractor has been selected to begin Phase 2 environmental work, including soil borings and sub-slab testing in the basement, after the Memorial Day holiday.
Work areas in the interior will be secured for the Phase 2 investigation. Kelly said she is seeking contractor names and pricing for exterior stabilization, which she described as a time-sensitive concern. The Phase 2 work is being advanced by the city’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, which expects to seek reimbursement if the city receives brownfield funding, several projects for which are already underway in downtown Albion. A brownfield designation applies to properties where environmental contamination or physical deterioration makes redevelopment financially difficult without public assistance, a tool the city has used on several downtown properties in recent years.
Finance Director David Clark reported that the city’s bond rating from S&P Global has been reaffirmed at BBB-minus following an annual review, and announced plans to present water and sewer rate studies to council at the June 15 meeting. Clark said he is proposing to phase a significant rate increase over approximately two and a half years rather than implement it all at once.
The Planning Commission met the following day to consider extending the current comprehensive plan, allowing additional time for a thorough public engagement process before a full update is completed.
Residents are invited to line downtown Albion on May 27 at approximately 1 p.m. to cheer on graduating students during the annual Calhoun graduation walk through the downtown corridor.
