County committees approve two Mott grants to advance Fenton Road trail and county trails plan

Commissioners approved two separate Mott Foundation awards aimed at advancing the county’s trail network. Resolution 2025‑2755 authorizes a $730,000 grant to complete construction of the Fenton Road phase‑one non‑motorized trail; staff said the total project cost is approximately $3 million and the Mott award fills the remaining capital gap so no county match is required. "These are the last piece of dollars that we need for the project," a staffer said during committee discussion.

A related action, Resolution 2025‑2756, approved $275,000 to support trail staff, website design and marketing to implement the county strategic trails plan. County staff described ambitions to ‘‘supercharge’’ trail connections by applying for larger, multi‑mile grants and aligning engineering and construction to reduce unit costs. Commissioners pressed staff on whether funds are set aside for long‑term maintenance and municipal liability; staff replied maintenance arrangements vary by township and that federal grant applications require maintenance plans for some funding streams.

Commissioners also discussed prioritizing regional, multiphase grant applications to create longer contiguous trail links rather than single‑mile patches, and requested staff follow up on detailed maintenance commitments in grant applications.

What happens next: Staff will notify participating municipalities of the awards, record the grants in county accounts, and follow up with written maintenance commitments and federal‑grant application documentation where applicable.