Tag Archives: funding

More money pumped into Michigan school board races

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, Hard News, , ,

By Sarah Atwood
Capital News Service

LANSING — Michigan saw a dramatic increase in funding for school board races for the Nov. 8 elections, election watchers say.

Michigan saw quite a bit of money spent on local school board elections this year. (Pxhere.com)

“Normally school board races fly under the radar,” said Jennifer Smith, the director of government relations at the Michigan Association of School Boards. “This amount of attention is unheard of.”

One reason: Nationwide, conservative groups have called for more “parental rights” over what schools are teaching their children, Smith said. These same groups donated thousands of dollars to Michigan school board races. These groups, or political action committees, do not normally pay that much attention to school board races.

For example, this is the first year that the Great Lakes Education Project has spent money on school board races, Beth DeShone, executive director of GLEP, told  the Detroit News. The group spent about $100,000 this year across 20 races.

The group, formed by Betsy DeVos, a former U.S. Secretary of Education and prominent Republican donor, usually donates to statewide races, but is now involved in local races to “‘empower these citizens’ voices and take a chance to engage on these races to create a more transparent system,” according to DeShone.

GLEP could not be reached for additional comment.

More attention could be a good thing

“Previously, these races were community funded,” Smith said. “A candidate would fund themselves, or fundraise with other community members.”

More attention to school board races can be a good thing, said Thomas Morgan, a spokesperson for the Michigan Education Association.

 

“But this election, the attention we saw was largely spreading conspiracies and misinformation,” Morgan said. “Luckily, these candidates largely were not successful, and voters chose candidates who would be best for improving children’s education and collaborating with teachers.”

One of the biggest polarizing issues was the belief that schools indoctrinate children by teaching critical race theory and gender theory, he said.

Such beliefs can drive attention in local campaigns.

“Some parents are scared that schools are teaching their children things that they themselves do not believe in,” said John Lindstrom, a former publisher at Gongwer News Service Michigan, a news organization focusing on state politics.

Candidates are nonpartisan, causes are not

“More money than ever before is going towards supporting these candidates,” said Lindstrom, a board member of the Michigan Campaign Finance Network. “Now that people know these races matter, I don’t see an end to the increase in money.”

School boards have little authority over curriculum which is set at the state level. (Pxhere.com)

Although school board candidates are nonpartisan, the causes they may champion are not.

 

But school board members lack the power to do a lot of things candidates ran on, Smith and Morgan both said. Their main duty is to select a superintendent.

Curriculum standards are set at the state level, and enforced by curriculum directors at schools.

It’s unclear if political action committees funding school board candidates were aware that school board members have little authority over what schools teach children, Morgan said.

“These groups may have just been trying to get attention on fake issues in order to distract from real ones,” Morgan said. “However, the large majority of voters are focused on the truth and what’s best for their children, and that’s what we saw in this election.”

Tracking finances not easy

Tracking who finances a school board candidate can be difficult, according to Morgan.

 

While some county clerks post the information on their websites, that is less common in areas with fewer resources to do so.

“It comes down to how well-staffed a county clerk’s office is and what their IT department can do if these records can be searchable online,” Morgan said.

Improvements in finance tracking might be necessary if the trend of spending a lot of money on school board races continues, Morgan said.

 

But Smith says that this attention might not continue into the future, especially after how so few candidates funded by political action committees won. She argues that since these races are so local, local community members should be the ones financing them.

“I hope the attention goes away soon,” Smith said. “It’s a distraction and the hyper-politicization of schools is not what we need.”

ABOUT SARAH ATWOOD

Sarah is a junior at Michigan State University double majoring in Social Relations & Policy and Journalism. She is interested in writing about how politics affects local communities and making information accessible for everyone. In her free time, she likes boxing, yoga, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog.

Michigan seniors want more in-home care, but funding is needed

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Hard News, Senior Living, Volunteers, West Michigan, , , , ,

By Sarah Atwood
Capital News Service

Many seniors want to “age in place” with help from family and/or friends. (pxhere.com)

LANSING – Funding for in-home care and other state senior services is not increasing proportionally to the number of seniors in Michigan, according to Melissa Seifert, the associate state director of AARP Michigan.

“Michigan is one of the most rapidly aging states in the nation,” Seifert said. “But we’re also one of the worst states when it comes to adequately addressing the needs of our senior population.

 

“A large amount of taxpayer dollars go to nursing homes, but not enough go to at-home care,” she said.

Many seniors have a desire to stay at home

Most senior citizens want to “age in place,” staying at home and being cared for by family or friends, said Seifert, whose organization provides seniors with information and services. But that is impossible for most people with current funding.

The one-time federal funding under the American Rescue Plan Act offers the opportunity to better care for the state’s elderly population, she said.

Though the money is an important step, Seifert said ongoing support is needed. The goal is to bring about structural changes in at-home care funding that will make a positive difference without creating additional financial obligations for taxpayers, she said.

A growing senior population

The two most pressing issues for seniors are unnecessary institutionalization and overcrowded senior care facilities, Seifert said.

These problems are likely to get worse as more people get older and are no longer able to care for themselves the way they used to, advocates say.

 

The proportion of Michigan seniors is expected to reach 22% by 2050, said Cathleen Simlar, the communications manager for AARP Michigan. And the proportion of people 85 and older in Michigan is expected to reach 4.8% by the same year.

“We are incredibly unprepared for the amount of people who will be needing senior services in the coming years,” said Rep. Laurie Pohutsky, D-Livonia, who is a member of the House Committee for Families, Children and Seniors.

The need for more funding

“We’ll need more funding for them, especially for their health care. Although there are options to help people with paying for health care, it should be expanded,” Pohutsky said.

Seifert agrees. “Not only is there a lack of government funding in health care, but there’s a shortage of direct care workers to serve those who want to stay at home,” she said.

Michigan needs 34,000 more home caregivers than the 165,000 it has, Seifert said. But “noncompetitive pay, low job satisfaction, unpredictable schedules and the absence of benefits” make it difficult to attract and retain them.

That turnover costs Michigan $684 million per year, she said.

Coming up with creative solutions

Services provided by the Tri-County Office on Aging have been strained during and after the COVID-19 pandemic as more people are choosing to age at home rather than move into a senior care facility, said Casey Cooper, the community engagement and fundraising director for the agency serving Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties.

 

“For example, we do a Meals on Wheels program for our seniors and community members with disabilities,” Cooper said.

“Our services were definitely strained during the pandemic, and we had to get creative in order to serve everyone. Although qualifications for who could request our services were expanded, funding was not,” Cooper said.

There was not enough funding for one hot meal a day for everyone, she said. So, instead, seven frozen meals were delivered once a week. Now, the program has gone back to one hot meal a day, but people can still request frozen meals.

More creative solutions will be needed as the population of Michigan’s seniors grows, Cooper said.

 

There is a need for volunteers as well

“Right now, we have a shortage of funding and volunteers,” she said. “If funding is not increased along with the increase of seniors, people will not be able to access all of the services we would be able to provide them.”

Seifert said the coronavirus pandemic highlighted many holes in services for seniors.

“These issues were overlooked before and, hopefully now, increased funding and resources will be allotted to us and allow us to serve our senior communities how they want to be served,” she said.

Sarah is a junior at Michigan State University double majoring in Social Relations & Policy and Journalism. She is interested in writing about how politics affects local communities and making information accessible for everyone. In her free time, she likes boxing, yoga, and spending time with friends, family, and her dog.

Proposed income tax could provide sustainable capital improvement funding for Wyoming’s parks

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Our Cities, Recreation, , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

The cracks on the basketball courts at Marquette Park. (WKTV)

Walking up to Marquette Park’s basketball court and it’s not hard to see the cracks, partly because they are deep and repaired with a black resurfacer that stands out against the green-and-red-colored court floor.

Just looking at it, no one would deny the courts need to be replaced. That was a goal in 2018, with the city receiving a quote for a base coat and replacement at $72,000. All the City of Wyoming could budget from its Parks and Recreation 2019 budget was $35,500, so the courts got a crack fill and re-coat at $27,000.

“It shows how the price of things have gone up,” said the city’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt. “What you could purchase with a dollar 25 years ago is not the same as what you can purchase with a dollar today.”

An example of that is the playground at Marquette Park. From when the park was constructed more than 25 years ago, it had a playground. Eventually, because of the Michigan weather of freezing temperatures in the winter and humidity in the summer along with just regular use, the equipment had to be replaced. In 2001, the city replaced the playground at only half of its original size for about $20,000. Twenty years later and the cost to replace the  playground equipment is $32,000.

Now multiply Marquette Park’s needs by 21 parks equaling more than 700 acres that have varying facilities and maintenance needs. For the City of Wyoming to meet its Capital Replacement Plan over the next nine years, it would need an average of $600,000 per year.

If the two May 3 proposals for an income tax and reduction in property tax are approved, the city would provide $600,000 annual of the estimated $6 million annually generated for sustainable annual capital investment in the city’s park system. About $3.3 million would be used to hire about 27 additional firefighters for the fire department with $2.1 million for the police department, which plans to hire 13 police officers and one crime analyst.

“In 2020, when we received all the income from the parks and recreation millage, fees, and grants and then subtracted out all the expenses, we had about $30,000 left to roll into the fund balance for capital improvements,” Rynbrandt said. The Parks and Recreation millage, which is 1.5 mills, has not been increased in more than 20 years. It is used to fund recreation programs, maintenance services and basic facility upkeep.

In 2001, the City of Wyoming replaced Marquette Park’s playground at half the size of the original. (WKTV)

And while the parks and recreation fund balance is well over a million dollars, the balance is needed to leverage funds and grants to help with park redevelopment and capital improvement projects. This was the case for Ideal Park, which was devastated after two tornados and a flood. A $300,000 Department of Natural Resources Fund grant helped with the parks redevelopment with the city required to match $808,300 in the city parks and recreation millage. The total cost for the redevelopment of Ideal Park was about $1.673 million.

On average, the city needs to have somewhere between $600,000 to $900,000 in cash flow to get the matching grants, she said. It is through matching grants that the city hopes to help fund the cost for the redevelopment of Marquette Park, which the city is currently reviewing a new master plan for the park.

To help with park capital improvements, in 2017 Wyoming voters approved allowing the city’s library millage funding to be used on parks with Ferand, Jackson, Ideal, and Gezon parks receiving funding for redevelopment. Because the cost to fully redevelop a park can be in the millions, the city is only able to do the redevelopment projects in phases. Gezon’s first phase redevelopment is currently underway.

Because there are needs at the Wyoming library — the city owns the facility while Kent District Library owns the materials and handles staffing — per its commitment to residents, the city will use the library millage for the facility improvements.

“Parks are constantly in a state of maintenance and repair,” Rynbrandt said, adding that her team has done well in keeping the city’s parks in tip-top shape and meeting changing community needs such as in recent years, adding a dog park and community garden at Marquette Park. 

“There will be needs and items that have to be replaced,”Rynbrandt said. “Just like a roof on a house, after 20 some years, it has to be replaced. So it is with the roofs on our park shelters and facilities.”

Wyoming makes plans for its $13.1 million COVID relief funding

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Wyoming, Hard News, Our Cities, , , , , , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Residents identified they would like to see ARPA (COVID) funding used for is on the city’s water and sewer system. (City of Wyoming)

It was a pretty exciting in the fall when the City of Wyoming, like municipalities across the state and country, learned it would be receiving $13.1 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding.

Similar to the most recent round of stimulus checks the U.S. government gave to American residents, the City of Wyoming’s $13.1 million also was part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) designed to rescue the economy. The federal government gave states about $350 billion dollars, of which Michigan received $250 million.

Deputy City Manager John McCarter said the city has received about $6.5 million of the estimated $13.1 million with the remainder expected to be paid out this year.

But like anything that comes from the federal government, there are a few strings attached to the money, such as what it can be spend not, when it needs to be spent and how cities must report expenditures. According to the U.S. Treasury, those guidelines are:

  • Revenue replacement for the provision of government services to the extent of the reduction in revenue due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, relative to collection in the most recent fiscal year prior to the emergency.
  • COVID-19 expenditures or negative economic impacts of COVID, including assistance to small businesses, households, and hard-hit industries, and economic recovery
  • Premium pay for essential workers
  • Investments in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure

Source: National League of Cities

While cities can use the funding for premium pay for essential workers, according to the National League of Cities, Government Finance Officers Association , and the Michigan Township Association, the money cannot be used to relieve other payroll costs, deposited into any pension fund or used to cute taxes

The money must be used for COVID-related needs. An example given by the Michigan Township Association (MTA) is because of the COVID pandemic, a community’s parks had high usage which resulted in damage and higher than normal maintenance needs, the ARPA money could be used for those parks.

Also, according to the MTA, the ARPA money could be used to bring staffing back to pre-pandemic levels, but only if reductions were a direct result of the COVID pandemic.

How ARPA funds impacts city staffing

The question of using the grant funding has been raised instead of the city seeking an income tax, which is one of two proposals Wyoming residents will vote on May 3.

The additional police and fire staffing that are required to address the community’s needs are a recurring expense that should be support by recurring revenue, McCarter said.

“When you consider the ARPA funding, it is a one-time payment, it will not support the recurring expenses that hiring additional staff includes.” McCarter said, adding that the leaders at the federal level have referred to the bill as a “once in a generation funding opportunity.”

“Because it is a one-time payment, using it to fund police and fire, which is an ongoing expenditure, would not be fiscally responsible as the city needs long-term funding to maintain staffing levels,” McCarter said.

The question of using the grant funding has been raised instead of the city seeking an income tax, which is one of two proposals Wyoming residents will vote on on May 3. The first proposal is the income tax, which would be up to 1 percent for Wyoming residents and .5 percent for non-residents, which according to state law, is the maximum cities are allowed to levy an income tax. City officials have stated that if passed, the income tax would be up to .8 for residents and .4 for non-residents.

The second proposal is to reduce the city’s property taxes for homeowners and businesses by about 58 percent, going from around 12 mills to 5. Both proposals must pass to take effect.

It is estimated that the city would generate about $6 million annually if the proposals are approved. The money would be used to fund 27 additional firefighters (doubling the department), 13 police officers and 1 crime analyst with $600,000 annually being dedicated to update and maintain the city’s parks.

 

The City of Wyoming is hoping to use its remaining ARPA (COVID) funds for large-scale capital projects. (Supplied)

City of Wyoming projects being considered for ARPA funding

The city has used $437,280 of the ARPA funding to make modifications at city hall which has included a drive-thru for the treasurer’s office, court building upgrades, a city hall kiosk, police flock cameras, and a police desk officer reporting system, McCarter said.

In November, the city did conduct a survey of residents to determine what they would like to see the funds used for. From that survey, residents indicated that their top priorities were equipping first responders and improvements to water and sewer systems. Also receiving strong support was construction of affordable housing and a community clean-up program. Other projects listed were improvements to city facilities to address public health, assistance with home repairs, improvements to parks and grants for improvements to businesses and mobile parks and recreation programs.

The remaining $10 million, which also must follow the ARPA use guidelines, will be used on large scale capital investments and matching funds for grants and other funding sources. City Council is scheduled to resume discussions about how to spend ARPA funding in June.

Municipalities have until Dec. 31, 2024 to obligate the ARPA funds and must spend the APRA money by Dec. 31, 2026. 

City of Wyoming asks voters to consider future funding for police, fire, parks

3-bottom, City of Wyoming, Our Cities, , ,
The funding generated by income tax would allow the Wyoming Department of Pubic Safety to add 27 firefighter and 14 police positions. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

At its Monday night meeting, the Wyoming City Council approved two proposals to be placed on the May 2022 ballot that, if approved, could minimize the overall tax burden to city residents while providing public safety and park needs and helping to make the city more financially sustainable.

“After carefully reviewing our options, the City Council has agreed that an income tax is the most equitable way to fund these needs and ensure a sustainable economic future for Wyoming,” said Mayor Jack Poll.

The first ballot proposal would allow the City to levy an income tax on residents, business and non-residents who work in Wyoming. Under this proposal, the City would levy an income tax of .8% for residents and businesses and .4% for non-residents. This would be the lowest income tax rate charged by any city in Michigan that currently has an income tax.

 

According to the U.S. Census, the average median income for a household in the City of Wyoming, for 2019, was $54,328, which would pay $434.63 for the proposed income tax.

This City of Wyoming chart shows that Wyoming firefighters on average responded to 100 calls more than their counterparts in other cities. For more information, visit wyomingmi.com/FundingForTheFuture. (Supplied)

The second ballot proposal would decrease the City of Wyoming property tax millage by more than half. The current Wyoming milage rate is 11.89470 mills. If approved, property owners would see a decrease of 4.3497 mills in the summer 2022, with the rate being about 7.54 mills and an additional decrease of 2.5450 mills in summer 2023, with the rate being just under 5 mills.

According to the U.S. Census, the median price in 2019 for a home in the City of Wyoming is $127,000 with under the city’s current millage, paying $755.50. If the proposal is approved, the 2022 property millage for the home would be about $478.79, which is about a $276.11 savings. In 2023, the property millage will be $472.50, which will be $438 savings from the current millage rate.

Under the language, both proposals must be approved by voters.

“These proposals support the City of Wyoming’s commitment to community, safety and stewardship,” Poll said, adding that the Wyoming Department of Public Safety has seen an increase in the frequency and complexity of calls for service and surveys of residents have clearly illustrated a need for additional, proactive traffic enforcement and community policing. At the Sept. 20 council meeting, a resident presented the council with a petition signed by 36 residents along with letters in support of the income tax proposal because of the need for increase fire personal.

Another need, Poll noted was the city parks. Many of the parks were built between 1950 and 1970 and while the city has made great strides in developing park properties such as Ideal, Frog Hollow, Jackson, and Ideal, other parks, such as Marquette Park, are 25-years-old or more and are in need of of capital improvement. The current parks millage does not have capacity to provide any funding for capital investment.

The funding generated by income tax would allow the Wyoming Department of Pubic Safety to add 27 firefighter and 14 police positions, improving public safety by decreasing response times, enhancing crime prevention efforts and adding more proactive traffic enforcement. The funding also would provide $600,000 in sustainable annual capital invest in the city’s park system.

There are 21 other Michigan cities that levy an income tax of which four are located in West Michigan: Grand Rapids, which is 1.5% for residents and .75% for non-residents, and Walker, Muskegon, and Muskegon Heights, which all levy 1% for residents and .5% for non-residents.

For more about the income tax proposal, visit wyomingmi.com/FundingForTheFuture.  

School News Network: Ending the school year

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming,

School officials and students celebrate the end of the school year in special ways with some graduates discussing the riots and the impact on them and their community. For more stories on local schools, visit the School News Network website, schoolnewsnetwork.org.

From left, on bottom of the screen, Wyoming High School 10th grader Margoth De Leon and ninth grader Lizbi Garcia talk about how their family coped when their dad was hospitalized due to COVID-19 (School News Network)

Wyoming: Father receiving from COVID-19 thanks ‘ Team Gladiola’ on Zoom

A father’s thank you for the support from his children’s school, Gladiola Elementary School, shows just how important the weekly parent meetings between staff and families became during the COVID-19 lockdown. To learn more about Gladiola’s Continuity of Learning Plan, click here.

Schools had to adjust overnight to the new reality of the pandemic, and now face a funding crisis with literally billions of dollars at stake (School News Network)

All Districts: Our Kids, Our Future: COVID-19 and the looming crisis in public school funding

It is estimated that nationwide schools will need to spend $41 billion for COVID-19 pandemic related costs in technology and other social distancing guidelines. This is on top of an estimated $1.25 billion in lost funding. Want a better understanding of how this will all play out? Kent ISD Research Data Analyst Sunli Joy breaks down how school budgets are funded and the impact of the loss of funding and additional expenses. Click here for the story.

Protestors flooded downtown Grand Rapids the night of May 30, with a peaceful demonstration followed later by rioting (School News Network)

Kelloggsville/Godwin Heights: Students speak out on protests, call for ‘a better America tomorrow’

The recent protests could be a teachable moment, a call to action or both. School News Network spoke to five newly graduated seniors that included one from Kelloggsville and one from Godwin Heights, as well as a Godwin Heights educator, about the impact the protests have had on them, and what they think is needed to address the root causes.  Click here to read more.

Godwin staff and teachers wave to students during the last day of school parade (School News Network)

Godwin Heights: ‘This was good for our souls!’

After 11 weeks of staying home, “flattening the curve” and distance learning, Godwin Heights students got to see the staff and teachers in person, from a safe distance, on the last day of school, May 29. West Godwin Elementary Principal Mary Lang dreamed up the idea for the last day of school parade and Assistant Principal Casey Kroll led the effort to make it happen, devising a route that hit every neighborhood in the district and making sure the parade passed bus stops so students would have a familiar spot to watch. To get the full story, click here.

Will the Proposed Federal Budget Leave the Most Vulnerable Out in the Cold?

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Health, Non-Profits, , ,

Photo supplied

 

By ASCET Community Action Agency

 

The Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) provides a major source of funding to Community Action Agencies (CAAs) across the United States. In Kent County, 30% of ACSET CAA’s budget for fiscal year 2016-2017 consists of CSBG funds. Unfortunately, the proposed 2018 federal budget would completely eliminate CSBG funding–directly cutting 30% of the funds that assist low-income families.

 

The proposed budget would also eliminate the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) that helps low-income households heat and cool their homes. LIHEAP also funds weatherization improvements to make clients’ homes more efficient, saving energy and reducing utility bills. LIHEAP funds account for 10% of ACSET CAA’s 2016-2017 budget. If this program is cut, our neighbors could literally be left out in the cold.

 

ACSET CAA depends on CSBG & LIHEAP to fund programs that serve:

  • Hard-working families who struggle due to job-loss, family emergencies and unexpected costs from medical problems or car and home repairs
  • Children who need a warm place to sleep and food on the table
  • People who have worked all their lives but are struggling to make ends meet when they retire from the workforce
  • People with disabilities who need door-to-door transportation to get to appointments and maintain their independence

These are our family members, our friends, our neighbors. These are the people who will lose the most from the proposed budget.

 

You can help ensure ACSET CAA can continue to reduce the conditions of poverty and help move families toward self-sufficiency. Contact your congressman/woman and senators. Ask them to oppose any budget that cuts the current level of funding for CSBG and LIHEAP. Use this online tool to find your congressional representatives based on where you live.

 

Learn more about ACSET CAA’s impact on our community in their 2016 Annual Report.

 

Your Community in Action! is provided by ASCET Community Action Agency. To learn more about how they help meet emergency needs and assist with areas of self-sufficiency, visit www.communityactionkent.org.

City of Grand Rapids and community partners aim to make 50 homes lead-safe this summer

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Health, Our Cities, , , ,

 

By Molly Klimas

 

People wearing bright red t-shirts are canvasing some of the neighborhoods and festivals in Grand Rapids starting this June – but they’re not stumping for a political candidate: They’re hoping that homes in the city will Get the Lead Out!

Armed with free lead-testing kits and brochures, these team members from the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan are letting people know about federal funds available to make lead abatement possible.

“Lead lurks in the paint of homes built before 1978 – and most houses in the City of Grand Rapids were built before that year. Paint flakes and peels, and when improperly scraped or sanded off, dangerous lead dust can be kicked up,” said Paul Haan, executive director of the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan and gubernatorial appointee to the State of Michigan’s Child Lead Exposure Elimination Commission.

That flaking, peeling lead paint and dust — ingested or breathed in — can be dangerous to anyone. But lead is especially toxic to babies, children and pregnant women. Lead poisoning can cause permanent brain damage and other health issues. (See GTLO 2017 Fact Sheet for more information on the dangers of lead.)

It doesn’t take much lead to create a toxic situation. One gram of lead dust is enough to make 25,000 square feet of flooring hazardous for young children, according to Haan.

“We’re talking an amount as small as the equivalent of a packet of Sweet’N Low — just that small amount is enough to contaminate a dozen homes in Grand Rapids,” said  Haan. “The good news is that lead poisoning can be prevented, and there’s funding to help people get the lead out safely with professionals trained in lead abatement.”

The funding is through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The City of Grand Rapids administers the grant locally and partners with the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan, the Kent County Health Department, LINC, and the Rental Property Owners Association to facilitate the Get the Lead out! program. June has been designated “Healthy Homes Month” by HUD but team members will be encouraging applications as long as funding lasts.

The most common types of work done to remove lead hazards from homes are repairing or replacing windows, and re-painting or replacing siding.

Funding is available for eligible homeowners and landlords. Anyone living in the City of Grand Rapids in a home built before 1978 is encouraged to contact the Healthy Homes Coalition to learn about eligibility. For more information, please call the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan at 616.241.3300 or visit www.GetTheLeadOutGR.org. Or, contact the City of Grand Rapids Community Development Department at 616.456.3030 or Doug Stek, Housing Rehabilitation Supervisor, 616.456.3672.

 

 

Kentwood, Wyoming residents head to the polls tomorrow for millage proposals

3-bottom, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , , , , , , , , ,

Tomorrow both residents of Kentwood and Wyoming will be heading to the polls to vote on millage proposals.

 

Residents from the two cities – along with all of Kent County – will be voting on a proposed Kent Intermediate School District Regional Enhancement Millage. The property tax increase of .9 mills would be distributed to all 20 school districts in Kent County for the next 10 years. The amount is about .90 cent of taxable evaluation. For a $200,000 home, the taxable evaluation would be $100,000 with the increase being about $90 per year.

 

 

If passed, each district would receive an additional $211 per student each year, which can be used to supplement the funding that comes from the state of Michigan. School officials have stated the funding would be used to help maintain programs, improve services and meet other needs. Each school district will be able to determine how to spend the money. For more information on the district’s plans for the money, clicking on the school’s name which will direct you to the School News Network stories. For more on the millage, click here.

 

Godfrey Lee Public Schools will receive about $450,000.

 

Godwin Heights Public Schools will receive about $500,000.

 

Kelloggsville Public Schools will receive about $470,000.

 

Wyoming Public Schools will receive about $900,000.

 

Also, the residents of Wyoming are being asked to vote for flexible funding by opening up its library maintenance millage to help with park improvements. The city is seeking about .16 of the .39 of the mill levy to help with park improvements at four parks, Ferrand, Ideal, Gezon, and Jackson. The nearly $800,000 per year raised would be use to pay a 15-year bond of $4.4 million. The cost for the average Wyoming homeowner would be about $12 a year, according to city officials. For more about the millage, visit WYParks.com.

Government Matters: Week in review, April 24-28

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Politics, , , , , ,

Kent County names Interim Administrator to start July 1

By Lisa LaPlante, Kent County

The Kent County Board of Commissioners has announced that Assistant County Administrator Wayman Britt will take over as Interim County Administrator/Controller on July 1, 2017. Britt has been with Kent County since 2004, serving as management oversight for the Kent County Health Department, the Community Development and Housing Department, and the Veterans Services Department.

In addition, he is the liaison for the State Department of Health and Human Services, and is responsible for several community initiatives such as the Kent County Family and Children’s Coordinating Council.

Prior to beginning his career with the County in 2004, Britt held several management positions at Steelcase, Inc. and Michigan National Bank – Central. Britt holds a Bachelors of Arts degree in Communications from the University of Michigan.

Britt has served on numerous boards and councils, including the Gerald R. Ford Council Boy Scouts of America, Grand Rapids Community Foundation Board of Trustees, Treasurer of the Grand Rapids Downtown Market Board of Directors, the West Michigan Sports Commission, Grand Rapids Job Corps Community Relations Council, and Kent County American Red Cross Executive Board.

Current Kent County Administrator/Controller Daryl Delabbio retires on June 30, 2017, wrapping up a career spanning four decades in municipal management.

Peters, Gardner introduce bill to keep government research data publicly available

By Allison Green

U.S. Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Cory Gardner (R-CO) today introduced bipartisan legislation to help federal agencies maintain open access to machine-readable databases and datasets created by taxpayer-funded research. The Preserving Data in Government Act would require federal agencies to preserve public access to existing open datasets, and prevent the removal of existing datasets without sufficient public notice. Small businesses rely on a range of publicly available machine-readable datasets to launch or grow their companies, and researchers and scientists use data to conduct studies for a variety of fields and industries.

“Research data that has been collected using taxpayer dollars should be publicly accessible and easily searchable,” said Senator Peters. “Small businesses and individuals rely on federally produced information for everything from long-term planning to innovative product development to help grow their companies and create jobs.”

Stabenow introduces bipartisan Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act to protect Michigan Seniors’ access to ambulance services

By Miranda Margowsky

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has introduced the Medicare Ambulance Access, Fraud Prevention, and Reform Act, which would make permanent key Medicare reimbursements to ambulance service providers and would ensure seniors and other people in Michigan continue to have access to life-saving services.

Ambulance service providers are an essential part of our local and national health care and emergency response systems, and are often the only provider of emergency medical services for their communities. There more than 200 ambulance service providers in Michigan, including small businesses, fire departments, hospitals, cities, and counties, that rely on Medicare reimbursements to provide emergency care and support jobs in local communities.

Senator Stabenow’s bill makes permanent the 2% urban and 3% rural reimbursement as well as a 25.6% reimbursement for areas that are classified as “super-rural,” meaning they represent the lowest measure of population density. If the Medicare reimbursements are not extended before they expire at the end of 2017, Michigan ambulance providers could lose up to $4 million per year.

Stabenow joins group of 19 senators calling on Republican leaders to focus on funding for opioid crisis and medical research

By Miranda Margowsky

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) has joined a group of 19 senators calling on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan to include a substantial increase in funds for the fight against the nation’s opioid epidemic and additional investments in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), as part of the Continuing Resolution currently being negotiated in Congress to avert a government shutdown. Last year in Michigan, research funding for the NIH supported 10,817 jobs and $1.7 billion in economic activity.

The senators asked for additional resources to address the nation’s opioid crisis, particularly those communities which have been hit hardest by the epidemic, noting that only ten percent of people with substance abuse disorder receive specialty treatment due in large part to lack of funding for services. According to the Centers for Disease Control, Michigan had the 7th most drug overdose deaths of any state in 2015, a 13 percent increase from the year before.

 

Senator Stabenow’s statement following Great Lakes Task Force meeting on Asian carp

By Miranda Margowsky

U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Co-Chair of the bipartisan Senate Great Lakes Task Force, has released the following statement after a bicameral meeting on near- and long-term measures to prevent Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, including the status on the Tentatively Selected Plan for the Brandon Road Study:

“It’s deeply irresponsible for the Trump Administration to continue to block the Army Corp from releasing a critical plan to permanently address the threat of Asian carp to our Great Lakes. There is no reason to gamble with the future of our Great Lakes because a narrow group of special interests do not recognize that Asian carp is a problem. In our bipartisan, bicameral meeting today, we sent a clear message that it’s past time to take action to create a permanent solution to the threat of Asian carp.”

Senator Stabenow led the Great Lakes Task Force meeting, which was attended by officials from the White House, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Service. In February, the Trump Administration prevented the Army Corps from releasing the draft plan for stopping further movement of Asian carp in the Illinois River.

 

Peters urges colleagues to support funding for farm loans

By Allison Green

U.S. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) spoke on the Senate Floor on the need to support Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan programs. The Farm Service Agency works with lenders to guarantee and deliver loans to the small farms that need them the most. In June 2016, FSA operating loans faced a significant funding shortfall due to high demand, and hundreds of farmers whose loans had already been approved could not receive the funds they needed until Congress passed emergency appropriations in December 2016. Peters is leading a bipartisan letter urging Congressional appropriators to provide robust funding for Farm Service Agency loan programs in the 2018 budget.

 

 

“Small farms that are just starting out — or are facing tough economic conditions — sometimes struggle to secure affordable credit. That is why I am working across the aisle with Senator Tillis to urge Congressional Appropriators to fully fund Farm Service Agency loan programs as Congress considers government funding bills for 2018.

“Access to capital is critical across a range of businesses, but it is incredibly important for our farmers,” said Peters. “They can lose out on entire growing seasons if they can’t buy the equipment and supplies they need while they wait on Congress to fund the Farm Service Agency.”

 

Michigan delegation members join bipartisan push to keep EPA Region 5 Office open

By Miranda Margowsky

U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters and Representatives John Conyers Jr, Sander Levin, Dan Kildee, Debbie Dingell, and Brenda Lawrence sent a letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt stressing the importance of the Great Lakes.

Following reports that the Trump Administration plans to abolish Region 5 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) — which serves Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, and Ohio — as part of the fiscal year 2018 budget, U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters and Representatives John Conyers Jr., Sander Levin, Dan Kildee, Debbie Dingell, and Brenda Lawrence joined a bipartisan push calling for the Region 5 office to remain intact and fully supported. In a bicameral letter to EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, members of Congress from the Great Lakes region stressed the importance of the Great Lakes, which provide 90 percent of the nation’s fresh water supply and are a source of drinking water for more than 30 million Americans.

“We write to express our grave concerns regarding reports that the Administration plans to abolish Region 5 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the fiscal year 2018 budget. EPA Region 5 is critical to protecting the air, drinking water, and health of residents in the six Great Lakes states the region serves and closing its headquarters in Chicago would make EPA less efficient and effective in its efforts to protect human health and the environment. Accordingly, we request that you commit to preserving EPA Region 5,” the members wrote.

 

St. Baldrick’s head-shaving event on March 6 benefits childhood cancer research

Community Health, Health, Local Entertainment, Non-Profits, Upcoming Events, Volunteers, , , , ,

st baldricks-reidBy Victoria Mullen

 

No, Virginia. There is no St. Baldrick. Nope, no such saint. But there is a St. Baldrick’s Foundation. And every year, people around the U.S. and in some countries shave their heads to raise awareness and money to fund childhood cancer research.

 

St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a volunteer-driven charity that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government. Its name is a combination of “St. Patrick’s Day” and the word, “bald.” People who shave their heads are known as “Shavees.”

 

Things sure have changed since the event’s inception on March 17, 2000, at Jim Brady’s Bar and Restaurant in New York City. What began as a challenge between three friends has morphed into the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraiser to benefit childhood cancer research.baldricks 2

 

Childhood cancer affects thousands of kids and families around the world each year. It’s the #1 disease killer of children in the U.S. The statistics are sobering: Worldwide, a child is diagnosed every three minutes. (Worldwide, 175,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year.) And in the U.S., more children die of childhood cancer than any other disease—more than AIDS, asthma, cystic fibrosis, congenital anomalies and diabetes combined.

 

Approximately 1 in 285 kids in the U.S. will be diagnosed with cancer before they turn 20. What’s particularly tragic is that at the average age of 6, kids will lose 71 years of life to cancer. They won’t grow up, marry or have children of their own.

baldricks

 

“I can’t wait for the event!” said Patrick Schrager, who is organizing the March 6 event. This will be his eighth year as a Shavee and his third year running an event. His fundraising goal is $15,000. If you’re interested in making a donation on Schrager’s head, go to St. Baldrick’s website or call 888.899.BALD.

 

Now you won’t be blindsided when you happen across a bunch of bald folks Sunday, March 6, at 84th Street Pub & Grille (8282 Pfeiffer Farms Dr SW, Byron Center). Au contraire. You’ll know that they stand in solidarity with kids being treated for cancer.

GWCRA Encourages ‘Letters of Approach’ from Wyoming Nonprofits

Education, Non-Profits, Our Cities, , ,

Screen Shot 2015-09-30 at 4.13.25 PMGreat news for Wyoming, Michigan-based nonprofits! The Greater Wyoming Community Resource Alliance (GWCRA) now awards grants several times a year, up from just once annually. And, it is much easier to apply. Gone is the lengthy, very detailed application.

The new application process now requires an initial ‘letter of approach,’ which may be submitted at any time. The letter may not exceed two pages, must include a description of the project, affirm the purpose/need addressed, identify a target population, and indicate the anticipated amount of the request.

GRWCRA’s Board of Directors will review letters on a timely basis and invite those organizations it wishes to consider funding to complete a full application. Letters of approach are only accepted via email to the attention of Rebecca Rynbrandt, Board Secretary at rynbranb@wyomingmi.gov.

The Board reserves the right to seek applications specific to any area of interest and/or target funding to specific initiatives at any given time. Types of support include equipment, seed money/program development and operating support. Grant amounts typically range from $500 to $3,000. Review the GWCRA’s grant history here.

If your organization is invited to submit a full application, it will be due two weeks from the date of invitation.

The GWCRA strives to support nonprofit organizations and grassroots charitable causes that improve the fabric of the community. Since 2011, the organization has awarded over $40,000 to area schools, nonprofits, neighborhood associations and grassroots organizations in support of educational programs, community projects, disaster response, scholarships and more. All of the donations received or fundraised by the GWCRA are awarded back into the community.

GWCRA is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to serving the greater Wyoming community. The Alliance is established to provide a charitable outlet for citizens and businesses eager to make a sustainable and immediate impact to the very fabric of the community.

Artwork by Andy Warhol