Buchanan’s financial situation has been the subject of discussion at many city commission meetings, with both officials and residents chiming in, and rumors spreading that the state will get involved.
Recently-resigned City Manager Ben Eldridge said at a commission meeting in September that if the city "finishes in the red" in the 2023-2024 financial year, "the state of Michigan will send somebody here to take over the city like they did in Benton Harbor twice."
But in a later meeting, Buchanan Mayor Sean Denison said that was false.
“I'm here to tell you tonight as mayor, the city of Buchanan has not been contacted by the state concerning any such thing," Denison said. "That story is misinformation and unequivocally untrue.”
The Michigan Department of Treasury confirms that no takeover of Buchanan is in the offing. Spokesman Ron Leix said Buchanan is in good standing with the treasury.
Denison did call the city’s financial situation challenging. He said it needs to fix the city’s aging infrastructure, but state reductions in revenue sharing have made this difficult.
Michael Symonds reports for WMUK through the Report for America national service program.
