UTICA, Mich. – On any given Monday, and Mondays only, you'll find Rick Michelon inside the business he started in Utica in the late 1970s.
Now he spends more time on his hobby, but he still has an opinion on Utica's future.
"I'm the oldest businessman in town. I kind of like it the way it is. A new city hall wouldn't hurt. I'm still in the middle on it," Michelon said.
And that is likely an opinion you are going hear a lot in Utica-undecided. The city is considering selling all of its buildings.
First, because they're incredibly old and need a lot of work, and second, because the mayor feels this land would be better used to expand downtown Utica with new businesses like restaurants and shops.
"If we could compete with Rochester that'd be great --- Royal Oak isn't realistic -- but a small city like Rochester," Utica Mayor, Thom Dionne said.
As for the city buildings, they'd build news ones -- near Pioneer Park west of Van Dyke.
This area was a landfill in the '60s, but is now being cleaned up thanks to a grant.
"It is all conceptual right now. If we disseminate the info -- let them make the decision -- then we can start the ball rolling," Dionne said.
And that's what's going to happen. Town halls will be help residents and business owners who like Michelon are certain about the now, but uncertain about the future, make up their minds and decide.