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NILES – The next steps for Arwen, LLC to grow its business a little greener were approved unanimously at the Monday night regular Niles City Council meeting.

Arwen, LLC is a part of the GreenStem business, a marijuana adult-use and medical provisioning center located at 1140 S. 11^th St.

During public comments, Arwen, LLC and GreenStem principal George Lynch told the city council that GreenStem was nearing its one-year anniversary in Niles on Tuesday, March 2.

“It has been nothing but a joy to work with the folks of Niles,” Lynch said. “We are now venturing into our next phase of our operation, and that’s why we are here tonight.”

With the approval of a provisional adult-use grow and processing license to Arwen, LLC, Lynch said the company is planning on investing $2.1 million to build out it growing and processing facility within the Simplicity Complex. The operation at the Simplicity Complex is named Simplicity Farms.

“We should be done sometime in April,” Lynch said.

For the facility, Lynch said they plan to hire 12 to 15 employees. According to the city council report, Arwen, LLC, plans to pay its employees a living wage of $15 plus, per hour, in its first year. The company reportedly estimates grossing $9.5 million in its first year of revenue.

“We are very excited to expand our operation in Niles and come full circle like we promised we would do, being a grower, retailer and processor,” Lynch said. “We are excited to get this part of our business going.”

Also on the agenda at the Niles City Council meeting was appointing Public Safety Director James Millin as the city’s emergency management coordinator.

According to the city council report, prepared by City Administrator Ric Huff, the position has historically been appointed to the city’s fire chief.

“The Michigan Emergency Management Act requires the county to appoint an emergency management coordinator,” Huff said in the report. “The act also allows for the appointment of a municipal emergency coordinator who will serve as a liaison to the county coordinator during a local emergency.”

The measure passed unanimously at the meeting.

The city council meeting was run by Gretchen Bertschy, mayor pro tem, in Mayor Nick Shelton’s absence. City council members Georgia Boggs and John DiCostanzo were also absent from Monday night’s meeting.