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Local nonprofit leaders defend ARPA-funded 'Just Transition' work to Saginaw council
Summary
Leaders of Saginaw Just Transition and partner organizations told council their ARPA-supported food, energy and youth programs delivered services without city funding and criticized prior public characterizations as misinformation.
Three community leaders told the Saginaw City Council the Saginaw Just Transition initiative produced documented, community-driven services in food security, energy literacy and youth STEM programming and asked council to recognize the work rather than reclaim funds.
Dr. Pamela Pugh, speaking for Saginaw Just Transition in DAWA, said the initiative was fiscally sponsored by the Move Movement Strategy Center and "delivered real services to real people without receiving a single dollar from the city of Saginaw." She described program deliverables—food-as-medicine nutrition sessions, solar-readiness site assessments, and weatherization education—outlined in a contract proposal approved by council in September 2024 and said the project submitted Gantt charts, logic models and updated scopes on request. "This project may not have fit into traditional molds, but that's exactly why it mattered," Pugh said, and she called public mischaracterizations of the work "misinformation and unacceptable."
Hurley Coleman III, executive director of Saginaw CAC, thanked the council for ARPA funding used to improve food-storage and transportation capacity in coordination with federal Food Bank grants and said the organization’s community needs assessment (conducted triennially) is near completion and will inform future work.
Royce Stevens, executive director of Dreams Incorporated, described youth garden and STEM programming contracted through the Just Transition partners: raised beds, irrigation, soil sampling, and garden-to-table lessons documented with measurable deliverables.
Councilmembers acknowledged the presentations and asked staff for clarity on funding streams and contracts. Councilmember Regan said transparency and clearer communication about files and procurement are needed so organizations aren’t confused about city processes. Manager Tim Madison noted staff would follow up to provide more information to council.
The council did not vote on reclaiming ARPA funds during this meeting. Speakers requested the record reflect that services were delivered and urged the council to consider the programs’ community impact when reviewing funding decisions.
