The outside of the Van Buren Township Downtown Development Authority offices and its garage at 10151 Belleville Rd. had loose and peeling paint, so DDA executive director Merrie Coburn got quotes from painters.
At its regular July 22 meeting the DDA voted to hire Pacesetter Painting to paint the buildings at a cost of $6,840, as recommended by director Coburn.
Pacesetting is owned by Sarah Warring who lives in Van Buren Township and is on the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce.
The second quote was for $12,912 from A&M Painting and Powerwash of Wayne and Oakland County.
Coburn said she was concerned about how Pacesetter’s cost was about half of the A&M quote, but she looked into it and found Pacesetter had good recommendations and was local.
The DDA voted unanimously to hire Pacesetter to do the scraping, repairing, and painting.
In other business at its 37-minute meeting, the DDA:
• Approved reallocating $40,000 in the 2025 budget to preserve the DDA fund balance. Coburn said the Amenities and Legal Fees line items came up short, due to the request for repainting of the DDA building and garage and the additional attorney costs for the Right-of-Way Acquisition for the Belleville Road Widening Project. The $40,000 is currently in the budget but is surplus of what it was originally budgeted for due to projects that will not take place until spring 2026;
• Approved the Amended 2025 DDA Budget and Proposed 2026 DDA Budget and recommended approval by the township board. There is slightly higher revenue this year, but there will be larger expenses in 2026 with the design work for Belleville Road;
• Approved allocating $2,000 to sponsor the Fire Department Pancake Breakfast event, which will earn money for fire department expenses. It will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 11. The event’s primary goal is to raise awareness about fire safety and emergency preparedness within the community;
• Received a report from Wade Trim on the survey taken by DDA members which shows where they want shovel-ready projects for grants. The results highlight a strong focus on business growth, marketing, and pedestrian safety in the DDA plan. DDA member Velon Willis said she would like to see some traffic calming on Belleville Road. Coburn said they are looking into getting the speed limit reduced from 45 to 35 mph;
• Heard Coburn report she has been actively seeking nine residents in the DDA district to be a part of the District Advisory Citizens Council to comply with the requirements of PA 57. She said since she can prove the DDA has exhausted its efforts, the DDA will be able to recruit members from areas surrounding the district, such as Harmony Lane. She said she hopes to have them appointed at the Aug. 5 township board of trustees meeting;
• Gave updates on the Belleville Road Widening Project, the Right of Way Acquisition for the project, and the Tyler Road Non-Motorized Pathway. She announced the Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) presented a check for $1,794,428 to the township for the pathway project on July 15. She said it is scheduled for 2026-27;
• Learned DTE has done an evaluation on the light poles along Belleville Road, and there are three that need to be replaced from the DDA stockpile due to rust and deterioration. She said the DDA is getting quotes for replacing the three poles to maintain the inventory per the agreement with DTE;
• Was advised the fence at Harmony Lane was hit and the DDA is working to get it repaired. The DDA has the parts, but it will cost $800 for labor that includes removing the old concrete for the poles. There is no one to assess, since they don’t know who hit the fence;
• Heard a report that McDonald’s will be demolishing its present building and replacing it entirely, Morning Belle is finishing up renovations of the former Twisted Rooster restaurant, and Domino’s is looking to occupy a vacant store front in the O’Reilly plaza;
• Learned Coburn was part of the review committee to find a consultant for the 181-acre township property development at the northwest corner of Belleville and Tyler roads. It is a multi-year project and the cost is being shared between the township and the DDA; and
• Heard DDA member Jessica Thomas announce she is collecting school supplies for the residents of Guiding Harbor through the end of the month. She said people can just drop them off at the Holiday Inn.
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