City of Niles

An Adventurous Beginning

Indians of this part of the country were leading explorer LaSalle along the Great Sauk Trail – a trading route that stretched from the Mississippi to present day Montreal and Quebec – to wait for the supply ship the Griffin. The Griffin was the first ship to be lost to the Great Lakes, never arriving to bring supplies to the La Salle expedition. La Salle decided to set up a fort known as Fort St. Joseph, in 1691, to house his men and begin a trading post. This was a prime location for trading, since the Indians had been traveling this path for many centuries.

Over many years four different countries conquered Fort St. Joseph, defining the city’s nickname, the City of Four Flags. Settlers found a beautiful climate and an ample supply of water from the St. Joseph River, along with a heavily traveled trade route that crossed the river.

It was when the Walling, Justice, and Lacey families arrived in 1829 as settlers, that the village of Niles received its name. The settlers named the city after a prominent political newspaper editor, Hezekiah Niles.

A Variety of Areas to View Nature
The City of Niles has seventeen parks offering a wide variety of amenities. The parks system is designed to offer facilities providing families with an area to relax, engage in sports, or have a picnic. You'll find small neighborhood parks with playground equipment, to the expansive Riverfront Park stretching along the east side of the St. Joseph River. Riverfront Park features access to boat ramps and a five-mile walking/jogging trail.

Governmental Structure
The City of Niles has an elected eight-member council – which is the legislative body of the city – and a mayor to serve the needs of the public. The Council helps determine the course the city takes. Members of the Council are elected officials who serve four-year terms. Two representatives are assigned to each of the four wards in the city, which makes up the eight members of the Council. The Mayor of Niles serves as the Council Member at Large, conducting meetings and only voting in the case of a tie. A City Administrator reports to the Council on the day-to-day activities of running the city.

City Hall houses a variety of offices pertaining to city activities. City Hall is one of the most elegant buildings in the City of Niles; displaying an impressive Victorian period, Queen Anne style. Built in 1882 by a wealthy iron-ore mine owner by the name of Henry A. Chapin, this house has long been the jewel of the City.

Protecting Our People
The City of Niles maintains a municipal Police Department, Fire Department and River Rescue team. The City of Niles has a Detective Bureau, a highly trained Dispatch Center, and offers the nationwide program D.A.R.E.

The Niles Police Department has several divisions that serve and protect our community. A bicycle patrol – one of the newest additions to the force – allows officers the opportunity to access areas where patrol cars are unable to go – such as large crowds – parks and wooded areas. The K-9 Unit used by the Niles Police Department is trained to track fugitives, search buildings for suspects and drugs, and search out accident victims or lost persons. Another specialty force is the Special Response Team (S.R.T.). These men and women are trained to use special weapons and tactics to handle emergencies that involve extreme danger. These members of the Niles Police Department are also called upon to assist in the protection of visiting dignitaries.

Niles Fire Department
Beginning as a bucket brigade, the City of Niles Fire Department has come a long way. In 1859 the citizens of Niles formed the first official fire department with 30 men devoted to extinguishing fires. The Niles Fire Department has grown to become technologically advanced with qualified personnel, maintaining their devotion to extinguishing fires and saving citizens. They now have two engine pumpers with one in reserve, a 100-foot aerial ladder, a rescue van, four water-rescue crafts, a utility vehicle, and three operations vehicles. They offer several types of services–from fighting fires to river rescue and educating the public to hazardous material operation. Their slogan is simple, “You don’t need an appointment and we do make house calls.”

Property Taxes
Property taxes in Michigan are determined by both state and local jurisdictions. Real and personal property, with the exemption of inventory, are subject to taxation.
The taxable value is determined by taking 50% of the current market value, which is regulated by proposal A and is often lower than the assessed value. The yearly increase in taxable value is controlled by the inflation rate and can only increase a maximum of five percent. The equalized value is determined each year with studies on real estate conducted by the Berrien County Equalization Department.

The tax rate for property in the City of Niles is all the same, except if a homeowner has applied for a homestead exemption. If the homeowner is granted a homestead exemption they do not pay the 18-mill school district tax, which equals approximately 34% of their property taxes.

The City of Niles has two tax seasons, summer and winter. Summer taxes are due on September 15 and winter taxes are due on February 15 of each year.