Michigan Municipal League_The Review_July-Aug 2022

BUCHANAN pop. 4,300

O n January 4, 2021, I reported to my new assignment as community development director of the City of Buchanan. Over a thousand years ago, the Potawatomi people settled here along the banks of the St. Joseph River. Later, a beautiful 19th Century mill town emerged on the frontier, harnessing waterpower from McCoy’s Creek to produce flour. Then Clark Manufacturing hit the national scene making axels for heavy machinery and thrived for decades in Buchanan until 1984, when Clark and their over 3,500 jobs abruptly left town. Buchanan is a small city that has always had a strong sense of self. It is off the beaten path, but in a good way. I had a feeling that this place was ripe for opportunity. A Vision for Buchanan By Richard Murphy “ The [Andrews University] students have a special disarming way about them that gets to the heart of the matter because the community knows they have no agenda... ” Rich Murphy (on Front St.) has dedicated his career to making cities, towns, and neighborhoods stronger and better places. “I love Buchanan! I come to work every day to make it a better place. Every community has opportunities and challenges. Use what you have, everything is an asset, leave no one behind—and strive to be the place where people want to be! That is the new economic model in the U.S. The places that realize this and put their chips on this strategy are the places that will succeed.”

JULY / AUGUST 2022

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THE REVIEW