By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer
The Albion City Council meeting on Tuesday evening drew a higher level of public engagement than in recent months, with about 20 residents attending to offer respectful yet pointed comments on the proposed city manager contract. While public remarks focused almost entirely on that personnel decision, council members also moved forward on a series of development-related items, tax incentives, and governance matters shaping the city’s future.
Council members reviewed a proposed brownfield plan amendment tied to a long-discussed redevelopment of South Superior Street properties located between the Bohm Theatre and Cass Street, near the corner marked by the Coca-Cola mural. The revised amendment included significant changes to project costs, reflecting millions of dollars in increased estimates, along with updated financial assumptions outlined in an 11-page supporting document included in the meeting packet. While the overall redevelopment concept remained largely unchanged, the amended plan would extend the period during which future property taxes are captured to reimburse eligible costs.
City officials said the project, sometimes referred to as the Big Albion Plan, will be the subject of a public open house scheduled for Monday, March 2. Additional information about the proposal and the open house is expected to be posted on the city’s website.
Council also held a public hearing and unanimously approved an industrial facilities tax exemption for Team 1 Plastics, Inc., related to a planned expansion of its existing facility in the city’s industrial park. The exemption applies to real property only and is intended to support future growth while retaining or creating jobs in Albion. The certificate will remain in effect for a period of 12 years.
Both the brownfield plan amendment and the Team 1 Plastics tax exemption were introduced by Economic Development Corporation Director Deb Kelly. No public comments were offered on either tax-related development item, in contrast to extensive public comment during the meeting on the city manager contract.
Council unanimously approved several additional items, including a grant application to the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, an appointment of Jay Loomis to the Board of Review, approval of an IT services proposal, and a change to City Hall hours following discussion. Under the approved schedule, City Hall will move to a four-day workweek of four 10-hour days, opening from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and closing on Fridays, while maintaining a total of 40 working hours per week. City officials said hours for in-person payments related to water bills and taxes will be adjusted accordingly. The new schedule will begin as a test run and is expected to be reviewed after a trial period, with opportunities for public comment.
Council members also discussed a proposed charter amendment that would reduce the number of taxpayer members on the city’s Board of Review from four to three, citing ongoing difficulty filling board seats and achieving a quorum. The proposal would place the amendment on the Nov. 2, 2026 ballot, allowing voters to decide whether to approve the change.
Near the end of the meeting, during the city manager’s report, council members heard a brief but notable update on a potential future redevelopment involving the former Austin School property. City officials said the site is being considered for a mixed-housing project that would likely use a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) structure. The proposal is expected to be reviewed next by the Planning Commission before returning to the City Council for further consideration.
All votes during the meeting were unanimous, except for the city manager contract approval, which is being reported separately.
