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How Should Wyandotte Use $200,000 in Federal Grants?

Street repairs, housing rehabilitation and youth services are part of the plan. What do you think?

 

The city of Wyandotte is expecting to receive about $200,000 in federal funds and is asking for the public's input in how the money should be used.

A majority of the money — about $140,000 — is coming from the federal Community Development Block Grant program.

"The primary objectives of the Community Development Program are to assist low to moderate income families directly or provide benefits in areas where 51% of the residents are low to moderate income, such as replacing the urban infrastructure of streets, improve recreational facilities and programs and assist in meeting special needs of the physically disabled," the city said in a written statement.

As it stands now, the city plans to use the money as follows:

Anyone interested in making a comment about the allocation or suggest other ways of using the money is invited to a public hearing, which is scheduled to occur at the conclusion of Monday night's City Council meeting. The meeting begins at 7 p.m., but the public hearing portion won't begin until the meeting is over.

The meeting will occur on the third floor of the new City Hall, inside the Chase Bank building at Eureka and Biddle.

What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.

Related Topics: Community Development Block Grant and Community Development Block Grants

Eileen Houser

7:45 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

What are the administrative dollars for????

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Jason Alley

9:12 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Hey, Eileen. The program allows a certain percentage of the grant to be used for administrative costs associated with running the program (employee time writing the grant proposal, employee time administering the grant, etc.) It's intended that way so the grant doesn't cost the city's general fund anything. All associated costs are covered by the grant.

Terri Havlicsek

9:54 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

14,000.00 seems a bit much. You need to pay someone to figure out how to spend the grant money?

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Pete

11:30 am on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

You need to pay someone to figure out how to GET grant money.

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Jason Alley

12:11 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

It's a yearlong grant. All of the street repairs and housing rehab likely won't be done at the same time. So it will cover all of the admin costs of handling the money and projects throughout the year.

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Steve

1:23 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013

No, to administer it. Meaning when the construction projects get started it will pay for the inspectors and project managers to oversee the work instead of it coming out of the gf.

Terri Havlicsek

1:20 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

I would think they already have someone who is knowledgable in grant writing, since it reads as if we are receiving the money. The council has the final decision?

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Jason Alley

1:35 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

That's right. The council approves the plan, which is then forwarded to Wayne County, which dispenses the money locally.

Shellie Cade

1:57 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

I think maybe something for the teenagers in wyandotte to do!! it seems like if you don't play sports there is nothing for them to do besides hang out!! Maybe teen dances every week, a arcade, SOMETHING.. I remember once upon a time when there were multiple things for teens to do I was so sad to see the wyandotte show go!!! I thought it should have been "bought" by the city and hired city employees to work there along with it maybe being a high school class!! I just hate for my kids to do anything we need to go to other city's:)

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Anna Foley

7:20 pm on Wednesday, January 23, 2013

I would love to see an outdoor water park for our teenagers and old folk too!

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Steve

1:21 pm on Thursday, January 24, 2013

What the city REALLY needs is another electric vehicle for the mayor to ride around in so he doesn't have to walk. He's about worn the one out that Daly donated to the police department.

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