BC City Connection Podcast
BC City Connection is the official podcast from the City of Battle Creek, Michigan government. Host Richard Piet visits with various city leaders and experts - from administration to small business development and public works - hear engaging and informational discussions from Battle Creek.
Episodes
37 episodes
Battle Creek Residents Can Cut Landfill Waste and Enter Local Photo Contest - Here are Details on Both
Food scraps, old tires, Styrofoam, stormwater, and trees all sound like separate problems until you’re staring at your trash can wondering what actually belongs where. This time on BC City Connection, Battle Creek Department of Publ...
Community Resource: Battle Creek Housing Commission
The housing crisis can feel abstract until you look at a waitlist, a fixed income, or a building that needs repairs just to stay livable. This time on the BC City Connection Housing Podcast, Chris Lussier, the new CEO of th...
Protected Places: How Advanced Info Sharing with Battle Creek Police Brings Safer Responses
This time on the BC CIty Connection, Battle Creek Police Sgt. Corey Champlin discusses Protected Places, a voluntary program that helps dispatch and officers get better information during emergencies. Sgt. Champlin shares h...
Understanding the Goals of the Fair Housing Center in Southwest Michigan
Housing discrimination isn’t always a slammed door. Sometimes it’s a quieter pattern: one person gets the full tour, another gets brushed off; one gets the helpful phone number, another gets “check the website.” Those small moments ...
Community Oversight Board 101
On this episode of BC City Connection, Community Oversight Board (COB) Chair Carey Whitfield and Vice Chair Clare Tanner to explain how Battle Creek’s police complaint review and appeal process works. The Community Oversigh...
Opening Doors To First-Time Homebuyers Among Underserved Populations
This time on the BC CIty Connection Housing Podcast, REALTOR Talia Champlin joins the city's Darcy Schmitt to discuss what “equitable pathways to homeownership” really means and why the hardest part is often stepping onto the path in t...
Assistant City Manager Handoff In Battle Creek
In their first interviews since Battle Creek Assistant City Manager Ted Dearing announced his retirement, he and successor Marcie Gilette talk through the priorities, partnerships, and resident input that will guide what comes next. Ted also re...
How Habitat For Humanity Makes Homeownership Possible In Battle Creek
This time, the BC CIty Connection Housing podcast visits with Executive Director Mike King from Habitat for Humanity in Calhoun County to break down how the program turns renters into homeowners through affordable payments, volunteer labor, and...
Open4BizBC.com: A Step-By-Step Plan for Potential Entrepreneurs
This time on the BC City Connection, John Hart of the Small Business Development Office talks about Open4BizBC.com, a self-serve website that helps entrepreneurs understand what it really takes to open a business in Battle Creek. Th...
Turning Blight Into Affordable, Accessible Housing
This time on the BC CIty Connection housing focus, Darcy Schmitt and Krista Trout-Edwards share how the city and the Calhoun County Land Bank align land, zoning, and neighborhood input to turn vacant parcels into infill homes.
How Neighborhood Planning Councils Shape Battle Creek Decisions
On this episode of BC City Connection: Exploring how Neighborhood Planning Councils (NPCs) give Battle Creek residents a structured voice on policing, code, planning, and development, and why diverse, new members are vital. Commissi...
Housing: 2026 Housing Master Plan
Over the course of 2026, the BC CIty Connection will include some conversations specifically focused on housing in the city.In the first of those episodes, Planning Supervisor Darcy Schmitt lays out how Battle Creek tackles the ...
Digital Services: Ensuring Information is Accessible
This time on BC City Connection, a discussion outlining how Battle Creek is building an accessible digital city that meets Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) standards and puts residents first. From language-ready ...
Mayor, City Managers End 2025 and Look Ahead to the New Year
In this episode of the BC City Connection, Mayor Mark Behnke, City Manager Amanda Zimmerlin and Assistant City Manager Ted Dearing reflect on a year of change in Battle Creek and share plans to turn that transition into momentum. Epi...
Sirens, Safety And Smarter Alerts
Battle Creek’s outdoor sirens are being modernized for targeted, reliable severe weather alerts. Also, learn why monthly tests are important. In this episode of BC City Connection, Bret White from the Community Emergency Re...
Meet Battle Creek City Manager Amanda Zimmerlin
In her first visit to the BC City Connection podcast, Battle Creek City Manager Amanda Zimmerlin discusses her background, what drew her to Battle Creek and the challenges and successes she sees in the Cereal City.Zimmerlin joined the Ci...
Grant Allows Battle Creek to Continue Assisting Families with Lead Abatement
Since 2018, the City of Battle Creek has been selected to receive the Michigan Medicaid CHIP Lead Hazard Control Community Development Grant. Fiscal year 2026 is included.The grant was approved for a total of $1,345,000. In t...
Fire Station Improvement Updates; Meet BC's New Chief Facilities Officer
A plan to reimagine Battle Creek fire stations is coming to fruition. In this episode of BC CIty Connection, Battle Creek Fire Department Battalion Chief Cody Titus discusses how the changes will advance firefighting in the city.
Drinking Water Update: City Actively Addressing Elevated TTHMs
The City of Battle Creek is actively addressing elevated total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) in the water system, a maximum contaminant level violation.The municipalities affected include the City of Battle Creek, Springfield, Emmett Township ...
Get Alerts and Info from the City of Battle Creek - and Offer Input
In this episode of BC CIty Connection, Breanne Humphreys and Eric McClure from the City Hall communications office talk about the opt-in city alert system which helps residents stay informed.The BC City Connection podcast is also discuss...
Safety and Crime Prevention Tips from Battle Creek Police
In this episode of the BC CIty Connection, Lt. Ryan Strunk and Sgt. Chris Rabbit bring listeners a wide-ranging list of safety and crime prevention tips.From driving safety to situational awareness and fraud, the BCPD encourages...
What Every Property Owner Should Know About Code Compliance (and Free Paint)
The City of Battle Creek understands code compliance can be perceived as a roadblock sometimes. However, the city code compliance office wants to be helpful and resourceful for residents.In this episode of the BC City Connection podcast,...
BC Community Development Fellow Supports City and Business Efforts, Fosters New Leadership
In a partnership with the Community Economic Development Association of Michigan (CEDAM) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), the City of Battle Creek welcomed a Community Development Fellow in 2025.The role "...supp...
Battle Creek City FOIA Requests Now Accepted Online
The City of Battle Creek has activated a new online portal for Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.In this episode of BC City Connection, Battle Creek City Attorney William Kim discusses the new process for FOIA requests, as well ...
Battle Creek Starts Thinking About Summer Recreation in January!
Even when Battle Creek residents might be immersed in winter activities, the city's Recreation Department is planning for warm weather fun - even when the snow is still flying.This time on the BC City Connection, Recreation Director Dan...