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Flat Rock council opens due diligence window on potential dam purchase; councilmember stresses exit right
Summary
Mayor Steven Beller told the council it will review a purchase agreement that — if signed — starts a 60‑day due‑diligence period (with a 30‑day extension option) to study environmental, structural and long‑term maintenance liabilities for a dam; a councilmember said the city can withdraw 'for any reason or no reason at all.'
Mayor Steven Beller told the Flat Rock City Council that the body would review a purchase agreement tonight that, if signed, would start a due‑diligence period before any final purchase decision.
"If we do sign the purchase agreement, we have 60 days with an optional 30 to get the questions answered that we wanna get answered," the mayor said, describing the interval as a time to hire engineers and specialists to determine environmental conditions, structural connections and long‑term maintenance costs. He said the council has already contacted the Wayne County Brownfield Commission and intends to arrange drilling in front of the dam to test for chemicals.
Councilmember Duzek emphasized that signing the agreement is not a point of no return. "The city of Flat Rock can get out of the agreement, for any reason or no reason at all," she said, noting the language was intentionally drafted so the council could walk away during due diligence if new information made purchase unwise.
Council members also described plans to have engineers from Canadian National (CN) and outside firms review historic records, assess whether the dam is connected to the railroad bridge, and estimate 5‑, 10‑ and 20‑year maintenance needs. One councilmember said the seller has indicated it will provide prior test results and cover any additional tests the city requests during due diligence.
The council did not vote to purchase the dam tonight; instead, members agreed to review the purchase agreement and proceed into a formal due‑diligence stage if they approve the agreement. That stage will determine whether to move toward closing, and the mayor asked residents to be patient while the city gathers the necessary information.
Next steps: the council will complete the purchase‑agreement review and, if it votes to sign, enter the stated due‑diligence period during which the city will commission environmental and structural testing and review records before any final decision.
