The field of candidates for St. Joseph City Commission in November’s election is now down to six. After Tuesday’s primary, moving on to the final race are Michele Binkley, Thomas Jennings, Ben Rimes, Michael Sarola, Brook Thomas, and Marc Williams. November’s election will pick three commissioners. The top two vote getters will receive four year terms, while the third place candidate will get a two year term. Meanwhile Tuesday, voters in Oronoko Township approved a police millage.
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Eight of nine candidates for the St. Joseph City Commission who will appear on next week’s primary ballot took part in WSJM’s candidate forum Wednesday night. One question they were asked was how they believe the city’s future should look in terms of being a small town in which to raise a family versus being a tourist town. Candidate and restaurant owner Tom Jennings drew on his experience with business in New Buffalo.
“I like both towns, but St. Joe had year round business because we have residents that live here year round and so we weren’t dependent totally on the three months that the tourism season is,” Jennings said.
The city of St. Joseph will continue its economic development agreement with Cornerstone Alliance. The matter came up at Monday’s meeting of the St. Joseph City Commission as Cornerstone’s Rob Cleveland recapped some recent work the organization has done to attract investment.
“We always like to bring site consultants here,” Cleveland said. “As you’ve heard me say before, the Senior PGA is really our event to do that.”
Cleveland said site consultants are frequently in town. He pointed to Whirlpool’s project at the Tech Center as a major win for the community.
“To get them to commit to the St. Joe project is a big deal. At least $60 million of new investment.”
July 26, 2021
The St. Joseph City Commission is looking at a new way to attract development. During a Monday meeting, commissioners heard from Cornerstone Alliance and Lean and Green Michigan about the Property Assessed Clean Energy program, or PACE. Cornerstone’s Rob Cleveland said PACE financing allows a property owner to voluntarily enter into a special assessment agreement to pay for energy efficient improvements.
“A real world example right here in St. Joe would be somebody buying one of our buildings in downtown that needs $100,000 in a new storefront, which would be new windows and maybe an HVAC unit,” Cleveland said. “So they would get that $100,000 lended to them up front, and then we would come to the city and ask you to apply a special assessment just to that building that would then be repaid on a 10 year, 20 year, 25 year basis. No taxpayer dollars, nobody else is being taxed.”
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