Village of Cassopolis voted winner of statewide Community Excellence Award

MUSKEGON — The Village of Cassopolis was voted the winner of the 2022 Community Excellence Award — the most prestigious Michigan Municipal League community honor.

The village is a small, rural community located in southwest Michigan in Cass County. Preliminary voting to determine this year’s four finalists (Cassopolis, Royal Oak, Farmington Hills, and Traverse City) was done by a small voting board. The top four projects competed at the League’s Convention, where they presented their projects on the main stage and marketed their projects at designated CEA finalist booths. This year’s convention took place in Muskegon, Oct. 19-21, and Convention attendees voted for their favorite project.

The Village of Cassopolis received the most votes and was awarded the official Community Excellence Award during the closing general session.

“On behalf of the entire League, I want to congratulate the Village of Cassopolis on receiving this year’s Community Excellence Award,” said Barb Ziarko, the president of the League’s Board of Trustees and Sterling Heights Councilmember. “They truly transformed their community with a variety of impressive projects that created a vibrant, sustainable, and exceptional community to be proud of. I would also like to thank everyone who submitted their projects this year. These projects are so important for Michigan’s communities. We are so proud of what everyone across our state has accomplished.”

Since 2007, the CEA has been the League’s most prestigious community award. It’s also affectionately called “The Race for the Cup” because the winning community gets a large trophy and bragging rights for the year. The 2021 winner was Reimaging, Reinventing, and Renewing Auburn Road which was submitted by Rochester Hills. View all past winners here. The CEAs are sponsored by the Plante Moran accounting firm.

“We would like to thank MML, Plante Moran of course, and we would like to thank everyone who realizes that just because you are small and rural you can still be exceptional,” said Emilie LaGrow, the village manager of the Village of Cassopolis. “We would like to thank our residents and our council for believing that we can do it. Our staff is phenomenal. It is a beautiful thing to see all of the hard work come to fruition and the community really embrace what happened and the changes, and truly love where they live. It’s the best reward ever. This [the cup] is pretty great too.”

This year’s competition had 14 total entries, and all were award worthy. The League would like to thank and recognize all the projects that were entered this year: Birmingham, Caro, Cassopolis, Farmington Hills, Ferndale, Grand Rapids, Ironwood, Meridian Township, Pentwater, Royal Oak, Southfield, Tawas City, Traverse City, and Vassar.

For additional information on the Village of Cassopolis’ project, visit their page on the CEA website: Imagine Cass Project Village of Cassopolis: Small, Rural, and Exceptional. The village also created a website with additional information that you can view at imaginecass.com.

 

SportsPlus

Berrien County

Niles Township marijuana proposal passes

Berrien County

2024 Berrien County local election results

Cass County

2024 Cass County local election results

News

Brandywine volleyball falls to Bridgman in D3 district opener

Community News

Santa, live reindeer to visit Niles Nov. 23

Business

Dowagiac to welcome the holiday season with festive event lineup

Dowagiac HS

Edwardsburg, Dowagiac spikers sweep district foes

Community News

SMC Founders Day celebrates 60th anniversary

Berrien County

MDHHS warns Michigan residents about increase in whooping cough cases

Crime/Court

Niles man gets probation for Joey Armadillo’s disturbance

Community News

Junior Farm Bureau presents plaque to Berrien County Youth Fair Association

Community News

Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant kicks off 84th year

Brandywine HS

Buchanan’s McBeth all-state at cross country state finals

Edwardsburg HS

Eddies control clock, use big plays to derail Beavers 29-8

News

Niles routs Paw Paw 42-14 in D4 playoff opener

Crime/Court

Dowagiac men get prison time on drug charges

Community News

Pat Ham student appointed honorary member of Dowagiac City Council

Crime/Court

Arrest made in connection to fatal Keeler Township home invasion

Community News

Dowagiac Chamber honors Anderson with Lifetime Achievement Award

Buchanan

New Buchanan tattoo parlor ‘a dream come true’ for owner

Dowagiac

Teacher/Staff Spotlight: Dara Killarney, Dowagiac Union Schools Transportation

Buchanan

McCollum Livery project added to Buchanan’s social district

Cassopolis

2025 Miss Cassopolis Pageant set for Nov. 9

Brandywine HS

Area cross country runners qualify for state meet