Photo by Bob Frei There were some happy faces around Gladwin County Thursday
as the USDA Rural Development reps passed out checks.
Pictured left to right with their grant-funded DPW truck are Max
Holmes, DPW, Beverley Miller, City Clerk, City Manager Kerry
Posey, Matt Ivan from Senator Stamas’ office, State Rep. Tim
Moore, Gene DeRossett, State Director of the USDA Rural
Development, Brandon Fewins from Senator Stabenow’s office,
Mayor Nila Frei, Lori Sheltrown from Senator Bart Stupak’s office,
Commissioner Tom Hoag, Dusty Houser from Senator Levin’s
office, Douglas MacDowell, Rural Development Area Director,
Beaverton Police Chief Brad Lower and Adrin Wagner,
Community Programs Specialist from USDA Rural
Development. The city also received a grant for a police vehicle
and a $1 million loan from Rural Development for their water
main project. |
Pictured, left to right, with their grant-funded vehicles are Adrin
Wagner, USDA Rural Development community programs
specialist; Lori Sheltrown from Sen. Bart Stupak’s office; Gladwin
County Commissioner Tom Hoag; Brandon Fewins from Sen.
Debbie Stabelow’s office; Gladwin County Commissioner Terry
Whittington; Gladwin County Commissioner Bill Rhode; Gladwin
County Commissioner Josh Reid; Gene DeRossett, USDA Rural
Development state director; Douglas MacDowell, Rural
Development area director; Gladwin County Sheriff Mike Shea;
State Rep. Tim Moore; Dusty Houser from Senator Levin’s office;
and Gladwin County Financial Coordinator Laura Brandon. |
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GLADWIN COUNTY -- Anyone who’s ever completed a grant application knows that most of the time it can be a little bit like pulling teeth. But somehow when the proverbial tooth fairy arrives with a sizable chunk of money, that feeling pretty much disappears.
Gladwin County recently got a visit from some very generous men from the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Development who presented three different checks which combined to the tune of $2,269,000 in grants and loans designed to help better life in our communities.
On Thursday, April 3, the folks from Rural Development presented a check for $45,000 to Gladwin County. That money was the result of a grant which Financial Coordinator Laura Brandon applied for 15 months ago, and was used to purchase three vehicles for the Gladwin County Sheriff Department – two Ford Crown Victorias and a Ford Expedition, which will replace vehicles in substandard condition. With the grant money, the county was able to save more than 50 percent of the total costs of the vehicles, spending $37,500 toward the purchase.
Gladwin County Sheriff Mike Shea credits the success of the grant application to Undersheriff Ray Hartwell, who recommended the grant to Brandon, as well as the hard work Brandon put into the application.
“Ray and Laura worked hard to get us that money – $45,000 is a substantial amount,” Shea said. “When it comes down to choosing between equipment and personnel, and we receive a grant for equipment, we can keep our personnel and we are very thankful.”
Brandon said that Hartwell came to her in October of 2006 with the grant application. She sent the paperwork back in November of 2006 and lit was approved in April 2007.
Brandon said that the application process presented her the opportunity not only to obtain money for Gladwin County, but to examine the county’s unique situation as it might be viewed from an outsider’s perspective.
“It can be very humbling to explain to an outside agency the financial situation of our county and the condition of the fleet the sheriff has to work with,” she said.
After presenting $45,000 to Gladwin County, the gentlemen from Rural Development traveled to Beaverton to present the city with nearly $1.5 million in assistance by way of grants and loans.
The City of Beaverton received a grant of $30,000 for a new Department of Public Works truck with a snow plow on it, a $19,000 grant for a new police car and a $1,125,000 loan for its water main project. With the combination of assistance from Rural Development, the city contributed $74,000 to the various projects through local funds.
Beaverton Mayor Nila Frei said that she is grateful for the money that Rural Development was able to offer the city.
“Each grant was the result of a challenge,” Frei said as she spoke to Rural Development representatives at Beaverton City Hall. “Thank you for providing the monetary backing to turn these economic challenges into opportunities.”
Following the presentation in Beaverton, a check was also presented in Farwell to the Mid Michigan Community Action Agency. The agency received a $50,000 grant for a playground and equipment as well as $1 million loan for a new 23,000 square foot office and family/youth services building in Farwell.
USDA Rural Development Director for Michigan Gene DeRossett, who traveled up to Gladwin County for the check presentations, said that these grants are the perfect example of what Rural Development is trying to accomplish for Michigan’s rural communities.
“These projects illustrate the diverse ways USDA Rural Development is supporting rural Michigan communities,” DeRossett said. “We are improving the quality of life by enhancing public safety, protecting ground water and helping local agencies provide essential community services.”
DeRossett also credited a familiar face in Gladwin County with the success of many of these projects – Adrin Wagner of Sugar Springs, who serves as a community programs specialist for USDA Rural Development.
“I get more compliments about Adrin than I do about anyone,” DeRossett said.
Both Brandon and Frei agreed that Wagner’s hands on help with the grant applications and paperwork was extremely beneficial.
Wagner said that seeing tax dollars come back to work for Gladwin County was a plus for him.
“I do grants all around the state, but it’s really nice to make a grant in my home county,” Wagner said.
In the end, DeRossett said that the money represents more than new police cars, than a new DPW truck, than a water main project.
Simply put, DeRosset said, “This money is about quality of life.”
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