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CASSOPOLIS — The Cassopolis Village Council updated rules to better reflect their practices at their regular monthly meeting on Monday.

After concerns raised by Trustee Jim Pedersen in recent months, the council changed the official language regarding how regular meetings are rescheduled due to holidays or other conflicts. The practice has long been to move the regular meeting to pair with the scheduled monthly workshop meeting, though policy did not reflect that. This change aligns rules with the practice.

Trustees approved a letter of intent continuing the work toward developing a neighborhood at Don Horne Village Park, as well as several appointments to village boards and positions.

The council also approved multiple amendments to the 2025 budget.

Village Manager Emilie LaGrow reported that Cassopolis had been awarded a $50,000 grant from the State of Michigan Office of Rural Prosperity. The funds are to be used for the Imagine Center project, a proposed community center. The village has been planning the work, in part through public engagement sessions, and seeking funding over the past year.

Police Department Chief Michael Todd McMichael reported that the department had received new tablets for patrol cars and new body cameras for officers. Both will need to be installed. He also reported that, while the crossing guard position had been filled, a full-time officer still needed to be hired to staff the department.

The council will have a workshop meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, March 24 and the next regular council meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, April 14 at the Village Hall. The next Cassopolis Area Utilities Authority meeting will take place at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 17.