The end of 2023 marked the beginning of the future for the Village of Marcellus. During the last regular meeting of the year on December 28, the Council approved contracts for building department services, and garbage and recycling, and celebrated its certification as “the 18th community in the state of Michigan to reach the Redevelopment Ready Communities® Essentials designation (RRC)” from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
What is the importance of RRC certification?
Greater access to grant funding and other sources of support through MEDC.
In 2021, the Village met only 13% of the requirements to be considered aligned with RRC Best Practices. Since then, Marcellus’ most notable achievements listed in the notification’s executive summary are the Village’s updated Master Plan and Zoning Ordinance. Both are critical components of attracting and maintaining economic development.
RRC, a voluntary technical assistance program offered through MEDC, “empowers communities to shape their future by building a foundation of planning, zoning, and economic development best practices and integrating them into their everyday functions.”
Planning, zoning and economic development have been challenges for the Village in the past few years. Slow communication, insufficient information, outdated ordinances, and of course, access to funding, have contributed to economic stagnation in the downtown corridor. But that is no more. These factors were specifically addressed and resolved through the Village’s process of gaining RRC Essentials designation.
The Certification Snapshot noted that: The Village of Marcellus has worked diligently to achieve the Redevelopment Ready Communities® Essentials designation, exhibiting a strong commitment to improving their redevelopment readiness. Your community has found a balance between removing unnecessary development review delays and hurdles, while preserving the integrity of the community’s vision and goals, ultimately positioning your community for success.
As noted in the RRC notification, dated December 14, 2023, one of the essential keys to success is providing a straightforward path for new or current businesses to grow and thrive in the Village. In other words, Marcellus needed to straighten out its circuitous route to economic development.
Enter SAFEbuilt, “a comprehensive community development services provider.” SAFEbuilt will now provide the following professional services to the Village: Zoning, Building Official, Electrical Inspector, and Mechanical/Plumbing Inspector. What SAFEbuilt offers is a streamlined, easily accessible path to opening a new business, expanding a current structure, new construction, and all things development within the Village limits. Their services will be available online, which means applying for permits and paying for them can be done quickly and efficiently in a short period of time. Yippee!! (Probably shouldn’t editorialize here, but this is a Yippee!! moment for Marcellus. Dare we say, no muss, no fuss.)
Gamechanger? Could be. The RRC designation combined with the ongoing efforts of the Downtown Development Authority are providing the Village with some powerful tools for growth. According to Village Clerk/Manager Jacqueline Terrill, being RRC certified makes Marcellus eligible for the Match on Main program, “a reimbursement grant program that serves to support new or expanding place-based businesses by providing up to $25,000 in funding to support eligible activities.”
In other business, the Council took advantage of the newly revised ordinance governing garbage and recycling services in the Village. The ordinance empowers the Council to reject and then renegotiate any and all bids submitted for those services. As the Village’s contract with LRS expires in early February, it has been imperative that a decision be made on the bids submitted by LRS, the current provider, and Borden Waste-Away Service. In an effort to keep costs down and services intact, the Council unanimously agreed to award the contract for commercial services to LRS and residential services to Borden.
The Village Council meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 7:00pm at Village Hall. The public is always welcome to attend.
For more information about RRC designation, visit https://www.miplace.org/programs/redevelopment-ready-communities/. To learn more about the Match on Main grant program, visit https://www.miplace.org/small-business/match-on-main/.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.