When the Three Rivers City Commission met Monday, August 5, it was both typical and atypical.

The meeting was held at 6 p.m. Monday because Michigan’s primary election was held Tuesday. There almost wasn’t a quorum of commissioners until Fourth District Commissioner Carolyn McNary joined Mayor Tom Lowry, First District Commissioner Pat Dane, and Second District Commissioner Steven Haigh.

Once there was a quorum, it meant that business could proceed. Monday’s agenda included discussion of the Brownfield Redevelopment Plan #7. The quorum was exact, meaning that anything needing to advance had to come with a unanimous vote.

That didn’t happen when Dane voted against setting a Tuesday, August 20 public hearing on the newest Brownfield proposal. The 3-1 vote came after approximately 20 minutes of discussion by people including Brian Farkus, director of workplace housing for Allen Edwin Homes, residents of The Meadows housing for ages 55 and older, and Commissioners Dane and McNary.

“I guess I’m upset with the fact that you’re actually landlocking the seniors,” Dane said.

The latest proposal has The Meadows situated between two rental unit developments. None of the renters are going to invest in the places they’ll live in, Dane said.

“How can that be fair, to be put in between two rental units?” Dane asked.

The Brownfield land was supposed to be part of a senior development, Dane said. She asked how anyone knew that it wouldn’t work to continue with that idea.

“We never had any other interest, whether it was from a local contractor or an outside contractor. Nobody else (besides Allen Edwin) has ever expressed interest,” Lowry said.

“Don’t you wonder why nobody else has ever expressed interest?” Dane asked. “It’s one contractor that seems to want to do everything.”

Those comments weren’t fair, McNary said. There has been plenty of opportunity for others to pursue the Brownfield project, and Allen Edwin are the ones doing so. According to McNary, Allen Edwin are the ones making an investment.

“They’re creating a growth in our, if not just our city, but in our area,” McNary said. “We can grow as a people in this area or we can just stay complacent and let all the McNarys live over there and all your people live over where you live.”

At some point, expansion needs to happen, McNary said. At the same time, she did share her support for ensuring that there would be safety for The Meadows’ residents. In July, resident Jean Withers shared the concern that new residents would be driving on a road that commonly includes elderly people out and about.

“Drivers do not see these people until they’ve already followed a curve in the road, creating a potentially dangerous situation,” Watershed Voice reported in July, summing up the concern.

McNary reiterated her support for advancing development of the Brownfield area. She also said she hoped to see more people who feel that way attending commission meetings.

“I’m talking about the rest of us in the community who have to speak out for something this big. It can’t just be (residents from) the senior complex. It can’t just be commissioners. We need more people to come here,” McNary said.

At-large Commissioners Torrey Brown and Lucas Allen and Third District Commissioner Chris Abel were absent from Monday’s meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 20 at Three Rivers City Hall.

Frank Stanko is a staff writer for Watershed Voice.