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FireKeepers board awards $439,262.76 to 25 local projects from $450,000 grant pool
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Summary
The FireKeepers Local Revenue Sharing Board approved 25 Tier IV grants totaling $439,262.76 on Aug. 20, 2024, from a $450,000 budget after reviewing 39 applications (corrected total requests $743,070.25). Awards prioritized community impact and project sustainability.
The FireKeepers Local Revenue Sharing Board approved awards for 25 Tier IV grant applications totaling $439,262.76 at its Aug. 20, 2024 meeting in Calhoun County. The board reviewed 39 applications requesting a corrected total of $743,070.25 and allocated funds with an emphasis on sustainability and high community impact.
Administrator/Controller Kelli Scott told the board the Tier IV grant budget was $450,000 and noted corrections to the application packet, including a corrected Tekonsha Township submission and a corrected City of Battle Creek application amount. Members also noted that several applicants submitted requests similar to those in 2019 and emphasized funding projects with longer service lives.
Approved projects include safety upgrades at Athens Area Schools ($25,000); Athens Township library health and safety supplies ($4,000); a GNSS receiver for Calhoun County GIS ($6,718.35); a sonar and communications upgrade for the county ALURT dive team ($24,250.41); a new outdoor walk-in freezer for the county youth center ($19,986); city infrastructure and public-safety investments including a City of Albion trail expansion ($25,000), City of Battle Creek City Hall parking-lot cameras ($25,000), translation technology for Battle Creek ($9,495), and a Verona Pumping Station lab HVAC replacement ($17,267); equipment and safety awards for Marshall and Newton townships and other local municipalities and districts; and a $25,000 scholarship endowment for Kellogg Community College.
A number of applications were not awarded, including a Calhoun County Circuit Court Clerk request to digitize archived court files ($24,970), the Calhoun County Parks Clean Calhoun’s Rivers request ($20,000), and several city and school requests for equipment or program starts. Earlier public commenters included Village of Homer Manager Art Kale and Calhoun County Undersheriff Tim Hurtt, who both voiced support for Homer’s police vehicle request; Tekonsha Township representative Daryl Cummins also spoke and provided the corrected application accepted by staff.
The board moved to approve the 2024 Tier IV Grant Applications as corrected (motion by Member Derek King; second by Member Greg Moore) and carried the motion on a roll-call vote of 6–0. The meeting adjourned at 9:56 a.m.; the next meeting is scheduled for the first quarter of 2025.