BUCHANAN — After finding a dream home along the St. Joseph River just outside the Buchanan city limits, Buchanan Mayor Brenda Hess had a difficult decision to make: pass up the house or leave her duties as mayor.

Because the city’s charter does not permit the mayor to live outside the city, Hess was faced with the decision this week and when the offer on the new house was accepted, Hess decided to step down from her role as mayor. She announced the decision via social media Wednesday.

“I really wish finding our ‘forever home’ didn’t mean I would have to step down as mayor,” Hess said. “Buchanan is where my heart is. We are only going to be three miles away from where we live now.”

Hess said it is the type of home and her husband, Chip, have long been searching for and that it was the only reason for her decision. 

“It’s the only factor, really,” Hess said. “When your dream house comes along you just can’t pass it up.”

Hess does not know when her official last day as mayor will be, but she said she expects to serve up until the day she hands off the keys to her home in Ottawa Court.

Hess was appointed to be mayor by Buchanan commissioners in 2016, but she had been working to make her Buchanan community better long before her time as mayor. When she became a Buchanan commissioner three years ago, she sought to institute programs to improve child literacy. Last year, the Little Bucks Book Mobile debuted. Stocked with books, the roving library visited a number of locations in Buchanan, including some of the more rural sections, to offer children free books. Hess was also pivotal in establishing Little Libraries, where children could also pick out and keep books that they found. Outside of her job leading the city, Hess works for the Buchanan Community Schools District as a literary coach to elementary school children.

Reflecting on her time as mayor, Hess said she is most proud of helping to initiate the Buchanan Tree Friends, a project that is helping to promote the reforestation of Buchanan. The organization has so far raised $1,000 to plant trees this fall. Other new organizations that have had some help from Hess include One Buchanan, a group that focuses on promoting diversity and inclusion and a Youth Committee that meets during the school year. 

Hess said she is also proud that she got to be part of some major city developments, such as the city’s choice to opt into medical marijuana laws.

“We had to make a Police Power Ordinance and seeing it through the zoning process,” Hess said. “that was a really interesting process. I’m looking forward to seeing the economic development that comes along with that kind of work.”

Hess said her efforts to support her community will continue and she will be able to spend more time caring for an aunt in Battle Creek. Still, she said she will continue to find ways to help her Buchanan community. 

“I plan to still be involved with my community whether it be with the local libraries, the book mobile and some of the different committees I’m on,” Hess said.

Hess said she also hopes that serving as mayor inspired other women to lead their communities.

“If one little girl from school saw me and knew that I was mayor, I hope it inspired her to get involved in government someday. That would just mean the world to me,” Hess said.

The new mayor will be decided following the November election, after commissioners are selected to lead the city. The Buchanan mayor is selected by commissioners, who pick one of their own to serve in the role. If Hess sells her home before November, Carla Cole, the interim mayor, will take her place up until the election, because Cole herself is not running for re-election.

Hess’ name, however, will still be on the ballot because she missed the timeframe for withdraw.

City Manager Bill Marx said while the timing was not ideal, he understood that this was an opportunity Hess could not pass up. He said he has enjoyed working with her in the time she has served the city.

“She has been a positive influence on the community and the board,” Marx said. “You look for a diplomat and voice for the community and she has served that role quite well.”

Hess said she hopes the next city leader can help Buchanan continue to develop economically and help to promote local businesses. She commended the efforts of her fellow commissioners and Marx, who she said was always receptive to new ideas.

As she prepares for the next chapter in her life, Hess said the best part about being mayor has been working with the people of Buchanan. 

“Being the mayor is all about serving the people. I like meeting people and helping them solve problems and hearing their ideas,” she said. “You know, we just have so many great people in Buchanan that volunteer and I just can’t imagine a better place to be a mayor. It has been my honor and privilege to represent Buchanan.”