2008 Woodie Awards
Mount Pleasant to receive nearly $1 million for City Hall
Isabella Bank and Trust to take over location in October
By: Nick Persons
Issue date: 2/13/08 Section: News
City Hall no longer is for sale.
Isabella Bank and Trust is set to take over the structure at 401 N. Main St. in October.
The corporation will pay the City of Mount Pleasant $995,000 for the property, according to the agreement reached at Monday night's city commission meeting.
City Manager Kathie Grinzinger said there were no other offers on the table.
"We had budgeted $940,000-$945,000, hoping that we were budgeting low," she said. "We're very happy with the price and we're very happy with the purchaser."
Grinzinger said the two sides have been negotiating for the last six weeks.
"Isabella Bank Corp.'s been growing quite dramatically over the last few years," she said. "They need more room for their increased employees and increased business. They could probably have increased their office space anywhere in the county so we're very happy to keep them downtown."
As Isabella Bank and Trust moves into the building, City Hall will be relocating to the Borden building, 320 W. Broadway St. But before the move can occur, the former milk factory must be renovated.
Greg Baderschneider, director of parks, buildings, and grounds, showed the commission pictures of the renovation's progress. He said electrical and plumbing structures currently are being established. The contractor has until Oct. 1 to complete the project.
"The developer has hopes to complete it earlier than that," Baderschneider said. "At this point, I think the progress is moving forward."
The city initially estimated the undertaking to cost $6 million, but Finance Director Nancy Ridley said that amount has been lowered to $5,815,310.
"Originally we had a loan from the state of Michigan that we were going to have to pay back," she said. "That loan has been turned into a grant, so our total cost has gone down."
Auditing expenses increase
When the city decided to audit the city's cemetery accounts last November, it was estimated to cost $6,000.
But the city will now have to pay $12,440 to The Rehmann Robson Group, LLC, an independent accounting firm.
The account was investigated in light of the embezzlement accusations leveled at former City Clerk Rob Flynn and the discovery of thousands of dollars missing from the account.
Grinzinger said the investigation has been lengthened by difficulties examining the records.
"It took the auditors much more time than we had anticipated," she said.
news@cm-life.com
Isabella Bank and Trust is set to take over the structure at 401 N. Main St. in October.
The corporation will pay the City of Mount Pleasant $995,000 for the property, according to the agreement reached at Monday night's city commission meeting.
City Manager Kathie Grinzinger said there were no other offers on the table.
"We had budgeted $940,000-$945,000, hoping that we were budgeting low," she said. "We're very happy with the price and we're very happy with the purchaser."
Grinzinger said the two sides have been negotiating for the last six weeks.
"Isabella Bank Corp.'s been growing quite dramatically over the last few years," she said. "They need more room for their increased employees and increased business. They could probably have increased their office space anywhere in the county so we're very happy to keep them downtown."
As Isabella Bank and Trust moves into the building, City Hall will be relocating to the Borden building, 320 W. Broadway St. But before the move can occur, the former milk factory must be renovated.
Greg Baderschneider, director of parks, buildings, and grounds, showed the commission pictures of the renovation's progress. He said electrical and plumbing structures currently are being established. The contractor has until Oct. 1 to complete the project.
"The developer has hopes to complete it earlier than that," Baderschneider said. "At this point, I think the progress is moving forward."
The city initially estimated the undertaking to cost $6 million, but Finance Director Nancy Ridley said that amount has been lowered to $5,815,310.
"Originally we had a loan from the state of Michigan that we were going to have to pay back," she said. "That loan has been turned into a grant, so our total cost has gone down."
Auditing expenses increase
When the city decided to audit the city's cemetery accounts last November, it was estimated to cost $6,000.
But the city will now have to pay $12,440 to The Rehmann Robson Group, LLC, an independent accounting firm.
The account was investigated in light of the embezzlement accusations leveled at former City Clerk Rob Flynn and the discovery of thousands of dollars missing from the account.
Grinzinger said the investigation has been lengthened by difficulties examining the records.
"It took the auditors much more time than we had anticipated," she said.
news@cm-life.com
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