Dowagiac Area History Museum, opening in May for Dogwood Fine Arts Festival, will be free of admission to exhibits, but will charge $5 per adult non-member and $2 per college student for lectures and other designated events. Children younger than 18 will be admitted free.

Dowagiac City Council Monday night accepted Museum Advisory Committee recommendations, including continuation of a membership program from the former Museum at Southwestern Michigan College.

Benefits of membership include free admission to lectures and reduced rates for other events, a newsletter subscription and invitations to events and exclusive members-only events.

“We were over there this afternoon,” Mayor Donald Lyons said. “It’s coming along just fine. I think everybody will be proud of it. It tells Dowagiac’s story very nicely and will be a first-class-looking operation. Inside is every bit as nice as the outside. I’m looking forward to the grand opening.”

AT&T lease

Amended

AT&T is making improvements to the service provided to the area, for which it needs to place additional panel antennas, amplifiers and radio components on the Riverside Drive water tower.

The city has had an agreement on this water tower with cell phone providers since 2002.

Proposed additions were reviewed by Dixon Engineering, which agreed no harm would come to the water tower from proposed improvements.

Dixon will also be inspecting the project, which will be coordinated with tower painting this year.

AT&T pays an additional $400 per month, which will increase every five years by an inflation factor, as stated in the original lease.

Revenue generated by antenna leases is earmarked for the capital projects fund.

Sidewalk plowing

“I don’t know why we’re plowing sidewalks because nobody’s walking on them,” said Ron Leatz, explaining he would rather have his own sidewalk shoveled than endure continued damage to his block wall and lawn.

Across from his home on Main Street, school buses stop in the ACTION parking lot.

“Kids don’t ever walk on the sidewalk,” Leatz said. “If anything, they walk in the middle of the street, so we’re spending a lot of time and money — and repairs to lawns. Maybe residents need to shovel sidewalks. Then I don’t have to replant all the grass.”

Bench benefactor

Former councilman Junior Oliver reported the March 9 death of Laurance “Mike” McCabe, 84, who donated a railroad passenger bench to the historic Michigan Central Dowagiac Depot in 2010.

It was given when New York Central started closing stations about 1962.

It traveled with Mr. McCabe and his wife, Betty, from Detroit to New York City, Albany, N.Y., Philadelphia and back to Dowagiac when they retired to the family farm, Wilbur Ridge, on Wilbur Hill Road in LaGrange Township.

Keene’s Auto Repair repainted and delivered the bench in time for the third annual National Train Day May 8.

Garage Sale Weekend

Council granted Dowagiac Downtown Develop Authority’s (DDA) and Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce’s request to hold the fifth annual Community-Wide Garage Sale Weekend May 17-18. Business owners are encouraged to tie in with sidewalk sales featuring special sale merchandise or services.

“It’s amazing how busy the town is during that sale time,” City Manager Kevin Anderson said.

Last year, 70 residential host sites registered to participate. Shop owners reported talking with customers from Niles, Buchanan, Cassopolis, Decatur, South Bend, Granger, Mishawaka, Paw Paw and Kalamazoo.

An $8 registration fee will be charged to underwrite advertising, with participants who sell buyer guides earning part back.

Membership level                       Annual fee

Senior (60+)                                   $15

Senior couple/dual                      $25

Individual                                        $25

Couples/dual                                  $35

Children under 18                        Free

Sustaining member                      $100

Patron                                               $250

Benefactor                                      $500