Sunday, March 26, 2023
Since 1854 — News from Montcalm County and Ionia County, Michigan
With township officials looking to spend down their remaining federal American Rescue Act Plan Act (ARPA), Montcalm Township Hall will be seeing a handful of improvements in the near future.
During Wednesday’s Montcalm Township Board meeting, Supervisor Brian Blomstrom brought before the board two separate bid packages to consider.
The Crystal Township Board met on Wednesday (with Clerk Patty Baker-Marek absent due to a medical issue) and voted to approve allowing the township’s sewer department to purchase an $8,000 generator from Bush Hardware using some of the township’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money, and also approved purchasing an $1,850 camera and a $979 computer to comply with new state requirements for the absentee ballot box outside the township hall.
Drugs, knives, cell phones, colored pencils …
These are a few of the items that Montcalm County Jail staff recently found while running criminal suspects through a new X-ray body inspection system.
The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners one year ago voted to buy the touchless scanner made by Secure Technology Value Solutions (STVS) for $172,150 paid for out of the county’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds.
Nearly 90 more homes within Crystal Township will have internet access after the Crystal Township Board voted to spend $100,000 of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money on a fiber broadband internet expansion.
Here’s a look at some of the other top local news stories of the year, from housing to new businesses to marijuana to court cases.
After a year of many ideas and inconsistencies, the Montcalm County Board of Commissioners has finished awarding a portion of its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money to five townships, one city, one village and a court.
After two more months of hearing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money requests from local municipalities and officials, the Montcalm County Board of Commissioners appears to be ready to award the remainder of the federal funds.
Commissioners voted 8-0 at Monday’s Committee-of-the-Whole meeting to recommend the full board approve awarding $743,000 to five townships, one city, one village and a court.
The Pierson Village Council is making plans for spending its share of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, as well as a surprise additional $50,000 in ARPA funds from Montcalm County.
The Village Council briefly discussed their plans for spending ARPA funds on Tuesday evening, a meeting that lasted just shy of half an hour.
The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners tried a novel idea on Monday: Sticking to a plan.
Commissioners heard four requests for federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money, but didn’t vote on any of the requests at this time. Instead they listened, asked questions and took notes for future deliberation.
Giving away free money is difficult, apparently.
The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners on Monday split in multiple votes regarding federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money requests, voting 5-4 to approve requests from three organizations, but voting down a Pierson Township park request, even though that project has a specific plan and involves recreation — which was the county’s original goal in sharing some of its ARPA money.
