Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Recreation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Calhoun County approves application for state trust‑fund grant to build first phase of trailway
Summary
The board approved filing a $400,000 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant application to build a trailhead and the first paved segment of a proposed roughly 3‑mile trail on conserved land south of the Ford Blue Oval property; staff noted the county does not yet own the parcel and may delay if the transfer is not completed by late July.
Calhoun County authorized filing a Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) application on March 19 to finance the first phase of a proposed trailway on conserved land.
Administrator/Controller Kelly Scott told the board the grant request is for $400,000 and that the county proposes a $253,000 match drawn from millage and other local sources; county staff also noted a $100,000 donation from Ford toward the project. Scott said the total estimated project cost for the first phase is roughly $653,000 and that maintenance costs could be covered by the county parks fund.
Doug (presenter) cautioned the board that the county does not yet own the property. He said if the transfer is not completed by late July or early August the county would likely hold the application and reapply the following year, so the board’s approval preserves the option to apply now while staff continue to pursue the transfer.
Commissioners approved filing the grant application. Staff said, if selected, construction funding would not be available until fiscal 2027–28 and that the county would sequence the trail construction and future phases as additional funding becomes available.
