[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6069687,"mediaKeyId","3066936-916464f4d3d6963d0646c993cbacd95e","parentId",3066936,"title","City Commission approves transit van grant, stadium lease extension, concession amendment and affirms FOIA denial","audioSeconds",254,"startMs",3819000,"endMs",4073000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3066936-916464f4d3d6963d0646c993cbacd95e&start=3819&end=4073","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3066936-916464f4d3d6963d0646c993cbacd95e/thumbnail_3819000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6069687/Battle-Creek-City/Calhoun-County/Michigan/City-Commission-approves-transit-van-grant-stadium-lease-extension-concession-amendment-and-affirms-FOIA-denial","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6069687-fd84589a0c74bd2fd5fd1afa74bd9ead/orig.mp4?Expires=1770428517&Signature=m1HDBoaY5crBKqwjvJ2V9H7iGKVY7KQXXyA6B~57mI-fAZYtZfKsjKe43l8xNpfcFScysqzMYEI3BJktBXpNvXM1B6gXd-DpbxljeuAkY1e7~dbXmOKhPvqXqJGrl8wuPwaBQ3muB~9dI7NoVbYyCk1mFc7yDUzaT5XHVYaFHXJ~2MTN7RMn37fcr-ZeqC6khm-LGd-EUHXdlVEBlBbruYP7ztUkvQsraLtwHCYcaCrCcWIM4GQsXnulw833pEPA9WCTDS5rqF73VQXUORK6uXa17t1xVyhaN7YiL8qvMn1IWZZvRswK8tpXh6YM9X8BfiKBks0dzb-o3d4zQ0932w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Battle Creek","date","2025-04-15T00:00:00Z","article","The Battle Creek City Commission voted on four resolutions April 15, approving transportation equipment purchases, stadium and concession agreements, and affirming the denial of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

Resolution 110 — Transit vans: The commission approved a resolution authorizing the interim city manager to execute contract 2025-O102C to purchase four transit vans in a not-to-exceed amount of $387,714.40. The purchase will use competitive pricing obtained from the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Office of Passenger Transportation (OPT) purchasing program and is funded by a Federal Transit Administration grant; the city manager or designee may approve change orders up to 10% for preapproved additional features. The resolution was moved and supported and the commission approved the measure.

Resolution 111 — C. O. Brown Stadium lease amendment: The commission approved a second amendment to extend the lease term with Cereal City Baseball LLC and the Northwoods League Incorporated through Dec. 31, 2031, with an option to renew for five additional years through Dec. 31, 2036. The original five‑year lease was approved by the commission in 2021. The amendment was moved, supported and approved.

Resolution 112 — Bailey Park concession amendment: The commission approved a first amendment to the concessionaire agreement with Cereal City Concessions LLC to align the concession term with the Bailey Park lease, extending to Dec. 31, 2031, with an option to renew through Dec. 31, 2036. The resolution was moved and approved by the commission.

Resolution 113 — FOIA appeal: The commission approved a resolution affirming the denial of FOIA request number 25-776. The denial and the resolution drew public criticism. During the meeting Autumn Smith addressed the commission during the public hearing and later during general public comment, asserting the city and the Battle Creek Police Department had misrepresented the existence of cold-case records stored on a secured server (the “p drive”) and urging the commission to reverse the denial and instruct release of responsive records. City staff explained the agency’s response was based on searches of relevant departments and that the records, “as described,” could not be located. The commission voted to affirm the denial.

Procedure and votes: Each resolution was moved and supported on the record and approved by the commission. The transcript records motions and recorded approvals; the transcript does not include detailed roll-call vote tallies in the public record for each resolution.

Ending: With the four resolutions approved and the public hearing closed, the commission proceeded to general public comment and concluded the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Commission regular meeting - 4/15/2025","oneSentenceSummary","On April 15 the Battle Creek City Commission approved four resolutions: authorization for transit van purchases funded by an FTA grant, an amendment extending the baseball stadium lease, a concessionaire agreement amendment, and a resolution affirming denial of a FOIA appeal. The FOIA action drew public criticism during general comment.","taxTitle","Battle Creek City, Calhoun County, Michigan","taxId",3332,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6069691,"Battle Creek public hearing on 2025–29 consolidated plan draws pleas for more rental assistance and services for chronically homeless",2304,1413000,3717000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3066936-916464f4d3d6963d0646c993cbacd95e&start=1413&end=3717","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3066936-916464f4d3d6963d0646c993cbacd95e/thumbnail_1413000.jpg","/articles/6069691/Battle-Creek-City/Calhoun-County/Michigan/Battle-Creek-public-hearing-on-202529-consolidated-plan-draws-pleas-for-more-rental-assistance-and-services-for-chronically-homeless","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6069691-bddbae56e8667b872fce3507a4922356/orig.mp4?Expires=1770428517&Signature=mVB~~5o8od1NwYZJBukVmWBQFPW2FQFp4HoOlkTnrvEsp8N0FSshk1m4~Q~9TTEKrNG112dPCvX0EjuRfhiXcXooEOBkMvczHOjySs1bbROAvMncK9mMZlyhTVe9FzllZyLcFRG5v6-KvIaBhsXbk22GXIXOO85EknjvhSvj5w2F7~~bcBs7Te4VB9qq3zKZuh55t-TpAnwouxMt4fkpAKMmcD43j7gqpi4N0wHtUGKwqjCWmNOcFL4BOf4WqHY7EYKANfP~AdybRZw448TRUpsjcD5Zxav1Vf-QB3iJf5DsVrYm5Sm7GDs~AJMNx~MexH~y9VXQ5yeLaccVJNkPXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Battle Creek City officials opened a public hearing April 15 to solicit input on the city’s 2025–2029 consolidated plan and the 2025 annual action plan for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds. City Community Development manager Helen Guzzo told the commission the city expects about $1,200,000 in CDBG funds and roughly $300,000 in HOME funds for 2025.

Why it matters: Community members and nonprofit leaders told the commission that the proposed allocation—heavily weighted toward rehabilitation and new construction—would not meet urgent needs for rental assistance, case management and supports for chronically homeless residents.

City staff presented the plan scope and timing. Helen Guzzo, manager of Community Development for the City of Battle Creek, said the city has participated in CDBG programs for about 50 years and that the consolidated plan will be drafted in the next three weeks and return to the commission for approval in June. Guzzo said current annual CDBG funding is about $1.2 million (down from approximately $1.8 million in 2012) and HOME funding is roughly $300,000; the city funds minor home repair, code compliance, public services, and HOME partnerships including Habitat for Humanity and a tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA) program.

Service providers and residents pressed for more operating and direct-assistance dollars. Robert Elkhart, director of the Share Center, said many clients meet HUD’s definition of chronic homelessness and need affordable rental options and supportive services now, not just new construction that takes years to complete. Elkhart said proposed public-service grants in the draft plan would be a small share of the total and risk leaving service providers unable to support TBRA recipients with case management.

Whitney Wardell, president and CEO of Neighborhoods Inc., said the organization has previously used TBRA allocations to serve at least 40 households and urged the commission to consider extending grant terms and reallocating past or current funds to cover rental arrears and prevent evictions. Speakers emphasized that the lowest advertised one‑bedroom rent cited was $678 per month and that the TBRA allocation in the draft—$98,000—would not meet community demand; one speaker calculated that at that level TBRA would cover only short-term assistance for a limited number of households.

Other testimony raised program design and accessibility issues. Jill Anderson and Robert Elkhart argued the plan places excessive emphasis on new construction versus direct rental subsidies, security deposits or application-fee assistance; they noted $4,489,357 in HOME funds carried forward for new construction from prior years and urged reallocating some of those dollars to TBRA and homelessness prevention. Habitat for Humanity representatives described building costs and said federal dollars the city commits can leverage volunteer labor and additional grants to stretch housing production across years.

Residents and neighborhood leaders urged broader approaches. Jim Marino, chair of the Post Franklin Neighborhood Planning Council, advocated for activating underutilized properties and infill development to increase housing supply. Kathy (last name not stated) promoted infill, tiny homes, duplexes and small multi‑family housing as lower-cost, quicker options. Gerald Cassatt, CLC homeless representative, and other residents described rising housing instability and recommended tiny-house and other alternative housing strategies.

Several speakers called for better coordination and a long-term funding approach. Daniel Jones, executive director of the Haven of Rest, thanked the commission for CDBG support and urged consideration of a dedicated, larger local funding source—such as a millage or budget reallocation—to sustain permanent supportive housing and services, citing examples from neighboring counties.

What the commission said: Commissioners and remote participant Commissioner Simmons acknowledged the breadth of housing needs and suggested convening a community housing summit with nonprofits, developers and government partners to coordinate solutions and consider a housing coordinator role.

Outcome and next steps: City staff said the consolidated plan will incorporate comments from the hearing, be posted for public review, and return to the City Commission for approval in June. No formal amendments or votes on the plan were taken at the hearing.

Ending: Community members and providers asked the commission for a rebalancing of funding away from some new-construction allocations and toward tenant-based rental assistance, supportive services and short-term homelessness prevention; city staff committed to reflect public comments in the draft consolidated plan that will come back to commissioners in June.","At a public hearing on the city's 2025–2029 consolidated plan and 2025 annual action plan, service providers and residents urged the City Commission to shift more CDBG and HOME funds toward tenant-based rental assistance, supportive services and homelessness prevention rather than new construction alone.","actionData","errors"]

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City Commission approves transit van grant, stadium lease extension, concession amendment and affirms FOIA denial

Battle Creek public hearing on 2025–29 consolidated plan draws pleas for more rental assistance and services for chronically homeless