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Land Bank flags tight Sept. 2026 grant deadline and funding shortfall for Bear Lake rehab
Summary
Project staff told the Land Bank that after incurred costs only about $150,000 would remain for construction, and that the Blight Elimination grant requires completion and reimbursement documentation by Sept. 1, 2026 — constraints that board members said make rehabilitation under the grant unlikely.
Manistee County Land Bank project staff told the Authority that a combination of incurred costs and program deadlines left only about $150,000 available for construction at the former Bear Lake DPW site, a sum staff said would not be sufficient to complete rehabilitation under the Blight Elimination grant.
Katie Gruenberg, the Land Bank project manager, reviewed the grant timeline and said the project must be completed and reimbursement documentation submitted by Sept. 1, 2026, with the grant closing Sept. 30, 2026. Board members raised concerns about contractor availability and typical project delays, calling the schedule high-risk for meeting program requirements. While Village President Shelly Lynnes said the Village had trimmed the scope and could contribute up to $50,000 from its parks fund, members said that offer would not close the funding gap.
Authority members discussed stabilization options but concluded those approaches were unlikely to meet program requirements or project goals. The Land Bank noted the Phase 1 planning and engineering study completed by Fleis & Vandenbrink would remain useful for Village planning.
