Help downtown Albion thrive in '25! Attend our Annual Meeting

6 days ago3 min read

The Albion STAR Team is readying for another busy year, and we want everyone who is interested in and willing to promote our mission to join us!

The Albion STAR Team exists to organize around projects and activities that bring people to downtown Albion, promote historic preservation and downtown beautification, and positively influence the downtown economic climate. We accomplish this under the Courthouse Square Preservation Society, Inc., established in 1999 by local residents and leaders. The original mission was to preserve and celebrate the history of the courthouse square in Albion.

In 2021, the society merged with the Albion STAR Team. We continue to carry out the society's mission and create opportunities that will help our organization sustain and grow, promote Historic Downtown Albion, develop design projects that preserve and enhance the beauty of downtown, and collaborate with local businesses to help drive a healthy, thriving local economy.

OUR VISION: Albion's Historic Courthouse Square District, a National Register of Historic Places landmark, stands as the heart of county governance and a lively gathering spot. Here, the echoes of history resonate, community converges, and commerce thrives. The district serves as a gateway to the natural beauty and defining attractions that characterize Noble County's way of life.

If you share our vision and would enjoy engaging more in the community, we invite you to become an Albion STAR Team "member".

What does it mean to be a STAR Team "member?"

Membership in Albion STAR Team is just a way for us to bring like-minded community members together to help us carry out our mission. Our "members" select our leadership (Board of Directors) and are voluntarily put "in the loop" so they know about opportunities to volunteer in event planning and projects.

Our bylaws, which govern and guide our work, say this about "General Membership" in the Albion STAR Team:

Membership shall be open to all persons interested in and willing to promote the purposes of the Corporation.
Eligibility for membership in the Corporation shall be open to any current Albion resident, Albion business operator, or employee of a business serving the Albion community.
Each member shall have one vote on any issues brought before the general membership. There shall be no proxy voting.

Members can serve on Committees to help the STAR Team accomplish its work plans. This year, the STAR Team plans to plant and care for flowers in and around downtown, renovate the Gazebo on the courthouse lawn, take down and replace an historic mural, organize special events "on the square" for the community to enjoy, and collaborate with other community organizations to enhance and promote our thriving community.

Members may volunteer or be appointed by the Board of Directors to serve on committees pertaining to Corporation activities from time to time.

Members are always welcomed to attend our regularly scheduled board meetings to stay informed and engaged. Once each year, within the first quarter, an Annual Meeting is held and members are encouraged to attend. (See below.)

Being a STAR Team member is not a long-term commitment. In fact, membership is voluntary and can be for as long as an individual wishes to remain involved. Members may resign at any time by filing his or her written resignation with the board's Secretary.

MEMBERS CHOOSE DIRECTORS: At the Annual Meeting, a majority of the members present will vote to elect members to fill any vacancies on the Albion STAR Team's Board of Directors. Directors meet routinely to lead the organization. Directors serve three-year, renewable terms.