Benzie County accepts $400,000 SPARK grant and seeks federal RAISE funding to pave Betsie Valley Trail
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Summary
The Benzie County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution accepting $400,000 in Michigan DNR SPARK grant funds for Phase 1 paving of the Betsie Valley Trail and authorized applications for federal RAISE funding for phases 2 and 3, authorizing the chair and county administrator to sign related documents.
The Benzie County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 14 adopted Resolution 2023-014 accepting Michigan Department of Natural Resources SPARK Grant terms (Pro# ARPA-0997) to reimburse up to $400,000 for paving the Betsie Valley Trail from Beulah to Case Road and authorized further state and federal grant applications for subsequent phases.
Why it matters: The board’s action makes state reimbursement funds available for Phase 1 paving and clears the way for grant applications seeking federal RAISE funds for Phases 2 and 3, which would extend the paving project beyond the initial segment. The county authorized the chair and county administrator to sign site-control and grant documents required by the funding programs.
The motion to adopt the SPARK grant resolution and approve related grant applications passed by roll call with all commissioners voting aye; Commissioner Markey was excused. The resolution and grant-authority motion were presented as reimbursement-based funding; the board did not vote on construction contracts for the paving during the meeting.
County materials show the Phase 1 scope as the Betsie Valley Trail from Beulah to Case Road; detailed engineering, timeline, and matching-fund commitments for later phases were not specified in the board packet.
Next steps: County staff are authorized to submit the SPARK and RAISE grant documents and finalize any required site-control agreements. Any construction contracts, budget adjustments or additional local match requirements would be brought back to the board for approval.