A credit union will soon occupy space in the downtown Richmond building that formerly housed a Chase bank branch.
Dan Sutton, the president and CEO of Kemba Credit Union, told Richmond Common Council on May 18 that the credit union had signed a multi-year lease for space in the 630 E. Main St. building. Earlier this year, the city decided to stop leasing second-floor office space inside the Richmond Municipal Building to Kemba.
Sutton said Kemba is “excited to be in the community” and that the new lease “shows our commitment to your city and to your residents and to our members.”
Kemba, which stands for Kroger Employee Mutual Benefit Association, acquired the former Richmond City Employees Credit Union effective April 1, 2023. In 2024, it then acquired the Wayne County government employees credit union, Sutton said, making residents in Wayne, Union, Fayette or Rush counties eligible to become members.
Sutton said Kemba will begin renovating its new space with hopes of completing its move by the end of September.
“I would just like to tell you how much I appreciate you investing in our community,” said council member Jerry Purcell, who is a Kemba member.
Police vehicles
Council referred to its finance committee an ordinance that would appropriate $360,000 from the city’s cash balance to purchase six police vehicles.
The ordinance is part of the city’s solution to Richmond Police Department last fall ordering of eight vehicles from Wetzel Ford. The vehicles were subsequently removed from the 2026 budget, but Wetzel was not informed RPD no longer had the money. Wetzel received the ordered vehicles in January.
The city will solicit bids for the six vehicles. A.J. Sickmann, the city’s attorney, said a delivery timeline is a legitimate bid specification. Wetzel Ford would be able to provide immediate delivery because the vehicles are already on its lot.
The city’s 2025 revenue was 106% of consultant Baker Tilley’s estimate, and the city spent 98% of its 2025 budget. As a result, the city’s cash balance rose to $3.4 million at 2025’s end.
Opioid settlement money will purchase the remaining two vehicles. Sickmann said that process requires requesting quotes, rather than bids.
The city receives an annual share of settlement money that Indiana receives from opioid manufacturers, distributors and retailers because of their roles in opioid addiction.
Council member Larry Parker does not want buying the police vehicles seen as a precedent that council will spend money the city can’t afford if there’s an ordering mistake.
A version of this article appeared in the May 27 2026 print edition of the Western Wayne News.