Milan council authorizes $50,000 grant application for Community House environmental study

The Milan City Council on June 2 authorized the City Administrator to apply for a $50,000 grant to fund an environmental study of the Community House, a step the council said is necessary before rehabilitation work.

City Attorney Steve Mann outlined some provisions that the Monroe Community Foundation requires to assist with rehabilitation and said the city would need to meet grant requirements that the foundation is not authorized to fulfill. Councilmember Dr. Wayne moved, supported by Councilmember Stafford, to authorize City Administrator Jim Lancaster to submit a $50,000 grant application to the GMACF or the Monroe Community Foundation for an environmental study. The minutes record six ayes, zero nays and one abstention and state the motion carried; the abstention is recorded in the minutes even though the text uses the phrase "motion carried unanimously," which is an internal inconsistency in the minutes. The council's action authorized staff to pursue the application; no appropriation for the study was recorded at this meeting.

City Administrator Lancaster also provided an update on the Riverbank Center, reporting on the remaining USDA grant balance and saying the city needs to prioritize remaining upgrades. Council discussion did not produce a formal vote on Riverbank Center spending; the update was informational.

Next steps: Administrator Lancaster is authorized to apply for the specified grant; staff will return with results of the application or with recommended next steps for funding and rehabilitation if the grant is awarded.