Rep. Jack Bergman announced USDA Rural Development Grants for Houghton, Gogebic, Antrim, Grand Traverse, Manistee, and Benzie Counties.
Recipients include the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, the Honor Area Restoration Project, Marenisco Township, the Lutheran Camp Association, Community Resource Development Inc., and the Houghton County Road Commission. The grants for Houghton County will be used to replace equipment extensively used during the Father’s Day flood of 2018. Rep. Bergman has been on the front lines consistently advocating for USDA Rural Development grant funding in Congress.
Rep. Bergman stated, “These USDA Rural Development grants are great news for First District communities, especially those in the western U.P. who continue feeling the effects of the 2018 Father’s Day flood. I am eager to see these federal resources make our local communities safer and more prosperous.”
The full list of grant recipients can be found below:
Marenisco Township (MI 01)
This Rural Development investment will be used to purchase a four-wheel drive rescue vehicle. The rescue vehicle would be used by first responders for accidents and also response to fires in difficult to access locations. The vehicle will greatly enhance the fire department’s ability to respond to remote locations, saving lives and property.
Houghton County Road Commission – 1st project
This Rural Development investment will be used by the Houghton County Road Commission for the purchase of a column vehicle lift. The lift will replace an older lift that was used extensively during the 2018 flood and has been breaking down more frequently because of the additional workload and poor road conditions. The column vehicle lift will enable the commission to repair heavy equipment more efficiently and safely.
Houghton County Road Commission – 2nd project
This Rural Development investment will be used by the Houghton County Road Commission for the purchase of a quad-axle truck. The truck will be an addition to the commission’s fleet of maintenance vehicles. The truck will be used to haul away debris and construction materials to several roadways that were damaged in the 2018 flood.
Houghton County Road Commission – 3rd project
This Rural Development investment will be used by the Houghton County Road Commission for the purchase of a truck that would be equipped with a water tank steamer attachment. The truck will replace an existing truck with high mileage and has outlived its useful life. The steamer truck would be used to clear debris from plugged culverts and also thaw frozen culverts in the spring.
Community Resource Development Inc.
This Rural Development investment will be used to hire a consultant that will develop a skilled trades training program through internships, apprenticeships and the expansion of existing local training facilities. The project will also improve the recruitment of the existing workforce to remain in the rural Mancelona area to retain and create area jobs. The first phase will identify the job vacancies and training requirements for the Mancelona area employers and the issues encountered filling skilled positions.
Lutheran Camp Association
This Rural Development investment will be used to fund a business plan and feasibility study for a future food and beverage small business to be located in Arcadia, Michigan. Six local businesses have stated that the increased consumer traffic will benefit many businesses in the surrounding area. The project will serve Benzie county.
Honor Area Restoration Project
This Rural Development investment will be used to design and construct a new public park along the Platte River located in Homestead Township, Michigan. The location will feature an accessible parking lot and walkways, restrooms, and a universally accessible canoe and kayak launch. A total of six local businesses have stated that the increased consumer traffic will benefit many businesses in the surrounding area.
Grand Traverse Band Ottawa-Chippewa Indians
This Rural Development investment will be used to develop a feasibility study to determine the costs and viability of a Science, Technology and Information Center located in Kingsley, Michigan.
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