State of the community: Here are some key projects for Calhoun County in 2023

Government leaders in Calhoun County looked ahead to key projects and initiatives in 2023 while also reflecting upon the past year during a State of the Community address on Friday.

The virtual event was livestreamed and archived on the City of Battle Creek YouTube channel, featuring the city managers from Albion, Battle Creek, Marshall and Springfield as well as Calhoun County Administrator/Controller Kelli Scott.

"2022 for Calhoun County government was a year of, really, determination," Scott said. "We were committed to, even with short staff and even with reduced revenues, trying to make sure that things that were stalled or slowed down or got behind during COVID were restored."

Here are some of the ongoing projects that were highlighted:

Albion

Albion City Manager Haley Snyder said the city has received a $300,000 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant for the continued expansion of the Albion River Trail. Improvements in this latest phase will include extending the trail along State Street to McIntosh Park, as well as along North Albion Street to connect to Holland Park.

"We are very excited to see our non-motorized trails continue to expand and offer more recreational opportunities for our community," Snyder said.

The city has also received substantial funding for infrastructure, including seven Michigan Department of Transportation local bridge grants totaling $522,000. A $1.7 million MDOT local bridge grant will cover the full replacement of the North Albion Street Bridge this spring, Snyder said.

Albion is also in the process of implementing a new rental registration program ordinance approved by city council members last year.

"This is something that has been talked about in the city of Albion for many years," Snyder said. "About 43% of the homes in Albion are rental units so having a proper registration program in place will allow us to make sure all of those units are registered, make sure that they are inspected and that we are providing safe homes for our residents."

Battle Creek

Battle Creek is currently in the process of evaluating its police, fire and EMS services, looking specifically at the number of calls for service and the state of facilities.

"We have been looking at the service delivery models in those three areas to make sure that we have the right models in place and the right human and financial resources in place," Battle Creek City Manager Rebecca Fleury said.

Results of an ongoing study by the Center for Public Safety Management are expected later this year. City staff will carefully review the report and will share findings with the City Commission as they consider recommendations going forward, Fleury said.

The city also plans to advance its diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in 2023 with newly hired DEI Officer Kimberly Holley. Additionally, the city is considering the potential creation of a Citizens Review Board to oversee police relations, with a City Commission workshop expected in the near future.

Fleury also anticipates the city will have more to share in 2023 regarding the vision to naturalize the north branch of the Kalamazoo River through downtown Battle Creek. Built in the late 1950s and 1960s as a flood control measure, a concrete channel currently runs southeast from East Fountain Street to its convergence with the Battle Creek River near Hamblin Avenue and has exceeded its lifespan.

"As we talk about river naturalization, we’re trying to do the right thing environmentally but also highlight the aesthetic, recreational, economic and quality of life implications that could happen if we were to remove that channel safely and enhance that as a sense of place," Fleury said. "We know there is a lot of interest and we look forward to being able to share some (restoration designs) later in 2023. ... We feel like we’re in a good position."

Marshall

The city of Marshall is continuing its efforts to make a new park near the city's athletic fields a reality. The project, known as Eaton Park, would be developed at the northwest corner of Hanover and Fountain streets.

"We’re hoping to incorporate some pickleball courts, which seems to be the trend going on right now, and then like many communities in the region, we're trying to get our splash pad going too," Marshall City Manager Derek Perry said, acknowledging "there's a lot of excitement" around the project.

Perry said the city also to intends to develop construction plans for Brooks Memorial Fountain, described as an "icon of the community," as well as repair Carver Park Fountain in 2023.

"This stuff ages and it really requires continual reinvestment and that’s one of the things we’re going to be looking at is developing a plan to make sure that our community icon is maintained now and into the future," Perry said.

The city also intends to continue its partnership with the Marshall Area Economic Development Alliance (MAEDA) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to promote and develop the Marshall Megasite, a nearly 2,000-acre parcel along Interstate 94 and Interstate 69 that's being considered as a possible home for an electric vehicle battery or semi-conductor manufacturing business.

"We think that’s critical for the viability of our community going forward," Perry said of the site. "We're going to do what we need to do to make sure that comes to fruition."

Springfield

Springfield City Manager Vester Davis Jr. said he's proud of the city's efforts financially, commending staff for ensuring the city has no deficit fund balances and also no fund deficiencies entering 2023.

"We are steadily being fiscally responsible with the taxpayers’ dollars and having more success with investing those dollars back into the community," Davis said.

The city has prioritized public utility infrastructure, community development and park improvements in its disbursement of $544,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

The city also intends to complete a job classification and compensation study to better define and appropriately compensate city employees, attack underfunded pension and other post-employment benefits and implement an updated parks and recreation plan this year.

Calhoun County

Calhoun County government has allocated $23 million of the $26 million in ARPA funding it has received. According to Scott, 50% of the funds replaced lost county governmental revenues from 2020-23, with another 25% going toward the county's public health response and 25% toward helping the community recover from negative COVID-19 impacts.

Scott noted the continuation of the county's broadband initiative in 2023, saying the county has received a recommendation from its engineering consultants and recently issued a request for proposals to select internet providers.

"We did get some pretty good response for local providers who are willing to partner with the county and expand internet for our residents," Scott said, acknowledging it will be a multi-year project.

Scott also indicated progress related to ongoing discussions about the creation of a countywide public transit authority.

"Public transit is a huge priority we’ve been working on," Scott said. "We do expect the actual creation of that authority and some action plans to happen starting this year."

Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Local leaders announce key projects for region in State of the Community address