ADRIAN — A pot of money has been set aside to help people harmed by odor problems from the Crimson Holdings powdered egg plant, and the city of Adrian is planning a meeting to gather residents’ input on how the funds should be used.

The meeting will take place on Monday, Feb. 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the Merchants Building at the Lenawee County Fair and Event Grounds, 602 N. Dean St.

Judge Laura Schaedler, in two separate actions, ordered Crimson Holdings to make payments to the city to be used for the benefit of affected residents. 

One pot of money is to total $100,000, of which the city has already received $50,000 and will receive the second half this year. The other totals $22,750 and is a little more specific in how it is to be used, with Schaedler having asked the city to develop a workforce-based remediation program in which underemployed people would be hired to help residents with things like minor cleanups and repairs.

The $100,000 comes with less direction from the court. During a discussion in December, city commissioners agreed that they wanted to seek input from the people most affected by the problems on how the money should be used.

In addition, city administrator Greg Elliott commented that the money should be used to benefit residents of the area, not just property owners, some of whom are absentee landlords. Elliott also noted that some residents have been more impacted by the odor problems than others: for instance, he said, people whose houses have central air conditioning have probably not been as badly affected as people who had to have their windows open all summer for ventilation.

Previously: City discusses use of Crimson Holdings remediation funds (12/6/2023)