The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners announced the distribution of $1 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to 31 organizations serving St. Joseph County.
The funding will be used for infrastructure improvements, fire and emergency services, housing, school safety, before- and after-school care, mental health counseling and small-business support. The list of awardees is below. "The County is excited to provide this external funding to our local government and nonprofit partners to advance the county's quality of life,” said Teresa Doehring, St. Joseph County Administrator. “We are using over 90% of ARPA funding to address the County's critical operational and facility needs, while still investing $1 million in important community priorities." The board of commissioners hired Public Sector Consultants, a Lansing-based public policy research firm, to help the board evaluate how to equitably distribute ARPA funding.
"St. Joseph County took a very strategic and thorough approach to allocating its ARPA funding, including a community-wide survey to identify residents' priorities,” said Tim Dempsey, vice president at PSC. “While there's never enough funding to address all the community needs, the board of commissioners’ thoughtful approach will yield benefits for many residents across the county." The County received a total of $11.8 million in ARPA funding, and previously approved allocating $4 million to address budget shortfalls over the next four years, $4 million for critical renovations to the County Courts Building and $2 million for capital improvement projects. Just over $841,000 remains to be allocated. Each recipient will enter into an agreement with the County to ensure funds are expended according to county and federal regulations.
List of Awardees
• $39,200 to Burr Oak Township for a fire department additional truck bay.
• $39,200 to the City of Sturgis for paramedic training.
• $15,000 to the City of Three Rivers for neighborhood revitalization.
• $15,000 to the City of Three Rivers for the Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority/Main Street
Small Business Grant Program.
• $23,500 to the Colon Community Fire and Rescue for education and recruitment.
• $15,000 to the Colon Township Library for library improvements.
• $15,000 to Community Healing Centers for Hope House recovery housing.
• $15,000 to Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Southwest Michigan, Inc. for CASA program
support.
• $15,000 to the Daughters of the American Revolution for the Old Centreville Cemetery restoration
project.
• $39,200 to Florence Township for the Constantine Fire Department for new equipment.
• $15,000 to Flowerfield Township for a new township hall.
• $150,000 for Habitat for Humanity of St. Joseph County for the St. Joseph County housing initiative.
• $39,200 to the Leonidas Fire Department for EMS equipment.
• $39,200 to the Mendon Fire Department for SCBA pack replacement.
• $39,200 to Mendon Township for the Mendon Township Fire Hall.
• $15,000 to Mendon Township/Mendon Community Schools for Mendon daycare start up – before and
after school program.
• $20,400 to Mottville Township for Riverside Drive and Village of Mottville infrastructure.
• $15,000 to Nottawa Community School District for Cooperative Park expansion.
• $35,000 to Nottawa Township for an ambulance subsidy.
• $15,000 to Nottawa Township for the Nottawa Stone School Museum restoration.
• $15,000 to Nottawa Township for Nottawa Township community projects (restricted to library only).
• $15,000 to Nottawa Township for cemetery upgrades.
• $15,000 to Park Township (Lockport and Fabius) for the U.S. 131–M-60 corridor infrastructure
collaboration project.
• $15,000 to the Schaeffer Counseling Center for mental health services related to COVID-19 (excludes
capital expenditures).
• $15,000 to the St. Joseph County Grange Fair for connecting our community internet service.
• $120,000 to the St. Joseph County Human Services Commission for a fulltime housing coordinator.
• $62,500 to the St. Joseph County United Way for the Navigate (360) Prepared school safety program.
• $39,200 to Sturgis Township for emergency services.
• $39,200 to the Tri-Township Fire Department for training for EMRs to advance to EMTs.
• $35,000 to the Village of Centreville for the Village of Centreville Road
Original source can be found here.
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