Congressman Mark Schauer: Representing Michigan's 7th District

Military Construction

Replace Operations and Training Facility at Battle Creek Air National Guard Base - $9,000,000
The 110th Fighter Wing supports a Component Numbered Air Force (cNAF) Warfighting Headquarters mission and will support a future C-27 mission. The 110 FW requires a properly sized and adequately configured facility for wing headquarters, operations and training functions. This project is the construction of a facility to meet this requirement in accordance with the criteria/scope specified in ANG Handbook 32-1084 “Facility Requirements” and in compliance with the base master plan. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will provide needed training capacity for our soldiers as they continue to fight the War on Terrorism, and it is important to the overall strength of the Michigan Air National Guard. 

 
Recipient:
Michigan Air National Guard
W. K. Kellogg Airport Installation
3545 Mustang Avenue
Battle Creek, Michigan 49015

Construct Troop Service Support Center at Fort Custer - $5,380,000
This project is the construction of a Troop Service Support Center to serve the Post training, education, and SRP requirements and soldier morale, welfare, recreation, and retention services. This facility is required in order to provide the authorized space established in NG-PAM 415-12 for the Post to adequately train, educate, and pre-mobilize soldiers utilizing the training site, and is a critical component in training soldiers as they continue to fight the War on Terrorism. The construction of this facility is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will contribute significantly to the readiness and training of Army National Guard personnel in several states as well as the Michigan Army National Guard.

Recipient:
Michigan Army National Guard
Fort Custer
2501 26th Street
Augusta, MI 49012


Homeland Security

Great Lakes Regional CBRNE Training Center at Battle Creek, Michigan - $3,000,000
This project would establish a Great Lakes Regional Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and high-yield Explosive (CBRNE) Training Center with facilities capable of supporting civilian and military training in an urban CBRNE environment. The CBRNE Training Center mission is to provide immediate response training to include: incident site search capability of damaged buildings, rescuing trapped casualties, providing decontamination, and performing medical triage and initial treatment to stabilize patients for transport to medical facilities. This request will fund the development of venues required for training and exercises, demonstrating the long-term feasibility of permanently establishing these facilities as a national homeland security training center. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because a Collapsed Structure Training Site and enhancement of existing training venues will afford Battle Creek the capability of training civilian and military first responders, as well as National Guard soldiers preparing for overseas combat missions. In addition, the center could provide civilian law enforcement the integrated training needed for special response teams, bomb disposal, hostage rescue and similar missions. It is expected this project will create six to eight permanent jobs to operate the training facility. The project will also support jobs for the construction of the facility and long term maintenance. It is expected that this facility will host ongoing training for personnel from all 50 States.

Recipient:
Michigan National Guard (MING)
3423 N. Martin Luther King Drive
Lansing, MI 48906


Defense

Distance Learning Education for U.S. Navy Personnel - $1,125,453
This project would provide Distance Learning Education for U.S. Navy Personnel through Siena Heights University. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will provide educational opportunities to U.S. Navy personnel serving throughout the United States and around the world. The completion of degree programs, especially in the applied sciences, will also enhance the likelihood that returning Navy personnel will be able to secure civilian employment upon returning home following their service to our country. Siena Heights University anticipates that this project will create or retain between 20 and 50 jobs including faculty and digital technology service positions.

Recipient:
Siena Heights University
1247 E. Siena Heights Drive
Adrian, MI 49221


Agriculture

International Food Protection Training Institute - $8,000,000
This request will support the non-profit International Food Protection Training Institute and its efforts to train state and local food safety professionals by providing first-in-class, career-spanning, certified curriculum in accordance with recognized food safety program standards. There is a critical need to modernize the way the national food protection system prepares its field forces to meet the growing challenges of an increasingly global food supply, as technology has outpaced traditional regulatory approaches, and the increasing reliance on imports and just-in-time supply chains has challenged existing regulatory expertise. This request is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will improve the nation's public health and safety by providing standards-based training for 2,000-3,000 food safety professionals serving agencies located in all 50 states. This request is expected to directly create 20-25 jobs in the Battle Creek area.

Recipient:
International Food Protection Training Institute
49 W. Michigan Avenue, Suite 300
Battle Creek, MI 49017

Raisin Township Community Building - $130,000
This project would renovate the Raisin Township Community Building to make the building handicap-accessible as well as more compliant with the Michigan Energy Code. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because with these upgrades the building will be accessible to all residents regardless of disability, and can serve as a venue for fostering economic development for this rural community.

Recipient:
Charter Township of Raisin
5525 Occidental Highway
Tecumseh, MI 49286


Energy and Water

BioEnergy Generation Demonstration Project - $1,500,000
The Lansing Board of Water and Light would use this funding to design and engineer the nation’s first commercial-scale biomass torrefaction plant at the Erikson Generating Station in Delta Township, Michigan. The torrefaction process allows a variety of biomass materials to be processed into a feedstock that can replace coal, or be co-fired with coal. The project is an important demonstration of this innovative new technology which, if successful, could be duplicated at existing and new coal plants throughout the country. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will create green jobs and decrease coal burning and emissions with an innovative, highly-efficient, low-pollution, renewable biomass plant using waste wood, trash, sludge, & agricultural wastes. The Board of Water and Light expects this initiative to create 32 full time employees in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, plus approximately 25 construction jobs. 

 
Recipient:
Board of Water and Light
1232 Haco Drive
Lansing, MI 48912

City of Eaton Rapids Flood Damage Reduction - $100,000

The City of Eaton Rapids is located at the intersection of the Grand River and Spring Brook, and recent floods have required sand bags around the river. This request is for the Army Corps of Engineers to complete a flood mitigation study of the area including elevation studies of the land in and around the water shed area, review of the dams in Eaton Rapids, and review of the power producing dam at Smithville. The purpose of the flood mitigation study would be to reduce the future likelihood of flooding, particularly in the city’s historic district. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will help the City of Eaton Rapids avoid or greatly reduce damage from flooding in the future.

Recipient:
City of Eaton Rapids
200 S. Main St.
Eaton Rapids, MI 48827

Siena Heights Sustainable Energy Program - $900,000
Siena Heights University’s Sustainable Energy Program would provide students first-hand experience with the installation of solar panels on campus buildings. In addition, this request will provide immediate jobs for local contract professionals who would work directly on the sustainable energy infrastructure projects on campus. This request is a valuable use of taxpayer dollars because it will simultaneously train a new “green” workforce, create immediate local jobs, and reduce energy costs at the university. Siena Heights University anticipates that this project will retain or create approximately 80 jobs in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, consisting of faculty jobs and construction jobs for roof and building upgrades.

Recipient:
Siena Heights University
1247 E. Siena Heights Drive
Adrian, MI 49221


Commerce-Justice-Science

The Manor’s Children and Family Community Reintegration Program - $500,000
This request will expand the Children and Family Reintegration program at The Manor. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will help transition children with developmental and emotional disabilities back to productive family or community-based living environments, and in particular help economically disadvantaged families participate in their children's treatment. The Manor specializes in services for children who need a high level of care that other facilities across the state cannot provide. This program will create 2 new positions and help retain 2 positions at the Manor, which currently employs approximately 220 people in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District.

Recipient:
The Manor
115 East Street
Jonesville, MI 49250

Expansion of Starr Commonwealth Battle Creek Parent-Referred Day Treatment Program - $1,000,000
This project would expand Starr Commonwealth’s successful Day Treatment program for at-risk youth in Battle Creek. Currently, Starr’s Day Treatment program provides supervision and treatment for boys & girls who have been adjudicated. With this funding Starr will be able to expand its Day Treatment program to also accommodate youth referred by parents and teachers and triple its overall program capacity for youth, providing training and support for more than 100 families a year. Starr received $300,000 in funding in the 2010 Appropriations Act toward this project. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because this program will strengthen the community’s ability to address issues of increased violence, gang activity, and teen aggression. Starr currently has 350 employees in Michigan, the majority of whom are located in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. This project would retain 29 current jobs in Battle Creek, and if fully funded would create approximately 12 new jobs.

Recipient:
Starr Commonwealth Battle Creek Campus
155 Garfield Avenue
Battle Creek, MI 49037

Technology Upgrades for At-Risk Youth Programs at Starr Commonwealth - $965,000
This request would allow Starr Commonwealth to upgrade technology and related infrastructure to support at-risk youth programs at its Albion, Michigan campus. Starr provides at-risk youth with the tools for success by intervening early in a child’s path toward delinquency. The use of technology is a critical tool in helping at-risk youth develop the skills and attitudes necessary to function successfully in an increasingly technological society. This request is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because computers, software, and assistive learning technologies will help Starr provide at-risk youth with the skills they need to return home and develop into positive members of the community. Starr currently has 350 employees in Michigan, the majority of whom are located in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. This project would retain 5 current jobs in Battle Creek, and create 4 new jobs.

Recipient:
Starr Commonwealth Battle Creek Campus
13725 Starr Commonwealth Road
Albion, MI 49224

Electronic Records System for Calhoun County Law Enforcement - $250,000
This request is for technology upgrades for Calhoun County’s sheriff’s office and related law enforcement functions, to provide a comprehensive suite of fully integrated modules for law enforcement records, court case management, attorney case management, jail management and probation management. The county’s new system will eliminate redundant data entry, streamline workflow, improve data integrity and security, and allow for automatic data verification. This request is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will allow our local law enforcement and criminal justice system to work together more securely and effectively.

Recipient:
Calhoun County, Michigan
100 East Church Street
Marshall, MI 49068


Transportation, Housing and Urban Development

Carnegie Place Redevelopment District (Jackson) - $1,500,000
This funding request is for the demolition of an obsolete 12-story, 180,000 square foot building located at 212 W. Michigan Avenue in downtown Jackson, Michigan. This structure displays conditions associated with blight and urban decay and is creating an obstacle to future development, job creation, and housing opportunities within this two block district. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the City of Jackson, the Jackson Downtown Development Authority, and numerous other local officials have identified removal of this structure as imperative to the City’s planned redevelopment for downtown Jackson. The City estimates that this project will create or retain approximately 30 jobs, including contractors and subcontractors.

Recipient:
City of Jackson, Michigan
161 W. Michigan Avenue
Jackson, MI 49201

Eaton County Interconnectivity and Access - $5,000,000
This project is the installation of fiber optic infrastructure in Eaton County to create inter-connectivity among the county government, other local units of government, and public agencies within the county, plus the installation of towers at the newly-connected public agencies to allow for wireless broadband access to those areas that are currently unserved. The Eaton County Interconnectivity and Access project will create the infrastructure necessary to connect the county with other counties in the region for public safety interoperability and other shared services. Additionally the five industrial parks in Eaton County will be able to offer prospective tenants the high speed services they need and desire. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will create jobs, enhance public safety and support long-term economic growth for Eaton County.

Recipient:
Eaton County, Michigan
1045 Independence Blvd
Charlotte, MI 48813

Downtown Riverwalk Improvements (Battle Creek) - $500,000
This funding request is for improvements to the riverwalk along the Battle Creek River where it runs through the core downtown business district of the City of Battle Creek. This section of river currently has walkways, benches, and handrails that were installed in the 1980s and need replacement. This project would replace unsafe railings and walking surfaces with safe, new components to help create an appealing, walkable downtown environment. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it has been identified by the City of Battle Creek as necessary to create a more vibrant downtown and attract new economic growth. The City estimates that this project will create approximately 65 construction jobs.

Recipient:
City of Battle Creek
10 North Division Street
Battle Creek, MI 49014

Eaton Rapids Area Transportation Plan - $300,000
Eaton Rapids Township, Hamlin Township, and the City of Eaton Rapids in Eaton County, Michigan have collaborated as the Eaton Rapids Area Council of Governments since 1996. The Eaton Rapids Area Council of Governments proposes to develop an area-wide transportation plan to support the area’s 2007 Master Plan and improve the efficiency of the region’s transportation system; reduce the impacts of transportation on the local environment; reduce the need for costly future investments in public infrastructure; and identify strategies to encourage private sector development. Phase one of this project will develop an area-wide transportation plan and conduct an initial assessment of the impacts of a new crossing of the Grand River. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will ensure efficient and reliable access to jobs, services, and centers of trade across this region.

Recipient:
Eaton Rapids Area Council of Governments
c/o City of Eaton Rapids
200 S. Main Street
Eaton Rapids, MI 48827

City of Tecumseh Street Rehabilitation - $440,000

This funding request is for the reconstruction of South Maumee Street in Tecumseh, Michigan, which will need to be rebuilt to accommodate increased truck traffic affiliated with a new manufacturing facility in the area. The road reconstruction project will include a complete mill and resurface of the existing roadway, along with select replacement of deteriorating curb and gutter along this stretch. The road reconstruction will take place entirely within the existing footprint of the current roadway. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it is needed to improve the efficiency of the transportation system in the area, provide efficient access to jobs, services, and centers of trade, and encourage private sector development.

Recipient:
City of Tecumseh
309 East Chicago Blvd
Tecumseh, MI 49286

New Runway 7/25, Jackson County Airport - Reynolds Field - $2,500,000

This project is the construction of a new runway (7/25) to replace the existing main runway (6/24) at Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field (JXN). The new runway will have 1,000 feet of safety area at each end. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will bring the runway system at JXN into compliance with FAA safety standards. This project is part of the ten-year FAA/MDOT-Aeronautics capital improvement plan for Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field. The Airport estimates that 10 jobs will be created for each $1 million dollars of construction activity.

Recipient:
Jackson County Airport – Reynolds Field
3606 Wildwood Avenue
Jackson, MI 49202

Mobile Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter Trainer - $1,500,000
This funding request is for a Mobile Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighter Mobile Trainer for Kellogg Community College’s award-winning on-site airport firefighter training program. Kellogg Community College (KCC) has trained over 12,000 firefighters in sixteen states since 1994. This request would provide $1,200,000 to purchase a tractor, trailer, and fire and rescue simulation equipment, and $300,000 to add a training and storage facility at the existing Regional Manufacturing Technology Center in the Fort Custer Industrial Park in Battle Creek. KCC’s existing trainer was purchased with $500,000 in FAA funding in 1994, and is nearing the end of its service life. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will help emergency responders protect air passengers and citizens on the ground, and help maintain this successful program at KCC. Such training is mandatory each year for airport firefighters.

Recipient:
Kellogg Community College c/o Michigan Department of Transportation
450 North Avenue
Battle Creek, MI 49017

Bus and Bus Facilities, Branch Area Transit Authority - $100,400

This funding request is for the purchase of 1 light duty cutaway bus, a security system upgrade, computer equipment and a radio repeater and equipment. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will allow the Branch Area Transit Authority to continue providing safe and efficient public transportation. BATA is the only form of public transportation in Branch County and provides curb-to-curb, demand-response service seven days a week for senior citizens, citizens with disabilities, and the general public. BATA provides 90,000-100,000 rides per year.

Recipient:
Branch County Transportation Authority
306 S. Clay Street
PO Box 979
Coldwater, MI 49036

Bus and Bus Facilities, Hillsdale Dial-A-Ride - $88,000
This funding request is for the purchase of 1 new bus, plus radios. Hillsdale Dial-A-Ride provides transit services in the City of Hillsdale. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because Dial-A-Ride provides necessary public transportation for senior citizens, citizens with disabilities, and our local schools in Hillsdale.

Recipient:
Hillsdale Dial-A-Ride
97 North Broad Street
Hillsdale, MI 49242

Community Unlimited Community Building - $350,000
This project would renovate and equip a very old former school maintenance building into a community building for Community Unlimited, a 501c3 entity that houses licensed child care, youth, family and adult programs and other community events and services in Branch County, Michigan. It will transform a solid brick building with high utility expenses, single-pane windows, flat roof, original wiring, plumbing, and boiler heating systems to an energy-efficient, low maintenance, “green” building. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because, besides being a local model of green construction, this project will increase local employment, and expand community services and resources. This project would create an estimated 25 jobs during construction.

Recipient:
Community Unlimited
221 Ellen Street
Union City, MI 49094

Boys & Girls Club Facility Renovations - $750,000
This funding request will allow the Boys & Girls Club of Lenawee, a 501c3 entity, to acquire, design and renovate an unused portion of a school building into a new, larger facility for the Boys & Girls Club, which provides services for an average of 120 children daily in Adrian, Michigan. The Boys & Girls Club serves children ages 7-18 after school and outside of the school year. Over 80% of these children live in low-income households and almost 60% live in single-parent or non-parent households. The proposed new facility is a portion of the Adrian Public Schools 5/6 Building that currently houses a swimming pool that the Adrian Public Schools can no longer afford to maintain. The Boys & Girls Club would acquire and control this portion of the building as a leasehold, and renovate it to serve as a new 6,000 square foot facility for the Boys & Girls Club. This new location will both provide more space and be less expensive to maintain than the Boys & Girls Club’s current location. The Boys & Girls club estimates that it will be able to retain 10 employees as a result of the relocation, and that this project will create approximately 30 short-term construction jobs. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will make use of a space that would otherwise go unused, create local jobs, and allow the Boys & Girls Club to provide services for more children, more efficiently.

Recipient:
Boys & Girls Club of Lenawee
327 Erie Street
Adrian, MI 49221

Holy Cross Clinton Campus Sage Center Renovations - $250,000
This request would support renovations to the Sage Center, a self-contained residential treatment complex located on the Holy Cross Children’s Services main campus in Clinton, Michigan. This campus currently provides residential services in a highly structured setting to 140 adjudicated youth ages 12-17. This funding request would be used to replace doors and windows, install safety glass, install new carpeting, install a security/surveillance system and complete other physical improvements. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because, with these improvements, the Sage Center will be equipped to provide treatment services for additional youth designated as high priority by the Michigan Department of Human Services. Holy Cross Children’s Services employs over 120 individuals at the Clinton Campus, making it a significant employer in Lenawee County. This project will help retain those jobs and add up to 20 additional professional treatment positions to provide services for youth in two residential programs.

Recipient:
Holy Cross Children's Services
8759 Clinton Macon Road
Clinton, MI 49236

Mill Creek Regional Trail Development - $1,553,010
This project is the construction of over 4 miles of trail along the Huron River and Mill Creek in the Village of Dexter, Scio Township and Dexter Township in Washtenaw County. The trail will run from the north side of the Dexter Community Schools property (Scio Township) to the Hudson Mills Metropark Golf Course (Dexter Township). This project would be a link in the Washtenaw County Border to Border Trail system and would be part of over 15 miles of planned trails within the regional trail system which includes trails owned by Washtenaw County Parks & Recreation and Huron Clinton Metropolitan Authority. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the Village of Dexter, Dexter’s Downtown Development Authority, and numerous local officials strongly support this project citing that it will benefit the local economy by making Dexter a major destination for recreational trail users, and will create jobs in park development, permitting, stream restoration and trail construction jobs.

Recipient:
Village of Dexter
8140 Main Street
Dexter, MI 48130

Cascades Urban Canal and Pond Restoration - $430,000
Cascades Park is a unique 465-acre multi-use public open space near the center of Jackson County that abuts the Jackson city limits and attracts 300,000+ persons annually, both urban residents and rural visitors. It features a lagoon system of ponds and canals built in 1932. Over the years sediment has built up and the waterways have deteriorated significantly. This funding would provide for phase one dredging of these canals and ponds to improve water quality and circulation, restore the natural systems, and improve the overall value of this public centerpiece. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will provide unique recreational, educational and environmental benefits for Mid-Michigan residents, and low- and moderate-income persons in particular.

Recipient:
Jackson County Parks Department
1992 Warren Avenue
Jackson, MI 49203

Tibbits Opera House Renovations - $150,000
This project would support the renovation and restoration of the front of the Tibbits Opera House building, one of Michigan’s oldest operating theatres, to its original 1882 design. Tibbits Opera House is a nonprofit 501c3 entity. A key historic landmark along the US-12 Heritage Trail, Tibbits attracts tourists from the region and beyond. Tibbits will use local labor and construction suppliers for this renovation. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the Coldwater community has identified this project as vital to its commerce and downtown economic development.

Recipient:
Tibbits Opera House
14 South Hanchett Street
Coldwater, MI 49036

Electrical Upgrades for Jackson’s Michigan Theatre - $294,293
The Michigan Theatre of Jackson is a nonprofit 501c3 entity dedicated to the restoration, operation and maintenance of downtown Jackson’s Michigan Theatre, which has been in operation since 1930 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its architectural significance. This project would replace the Michigan Theatre’s aging and in some cases obsolete electrical equipment to address electrical code, safety, operational, and energy efficiency issues. The Michigan Theatre estimates this project will require 2,842 labor hours, creating 5-6 jobs for electrical workers in the community for the life of the project. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it is strongly supported by residents in the community as a way to provide jobs and help attract additional economic growth to the downtown area. 

 
Recipient:
Michigan Theatre of Jackson, Inc.
124 Mechanic Street
Jackson MI 49201


Labor Health and Human Services

AL!VE HealthPark - $3,000,000
This funding request is for $3,000,000 in construction costs toward an $18 million project to transform an abandoned building in Charlotte into a uniquely designed 80,000 square foot health facility. Designed in an integrated fashion, the AL!VE HealthPark will bring the community together in one place for health and wellness activity, education, and events. Services including women’s health, rehabilitation, integrative medicine, nutrition, youth enrichment and a comprehensive wellness center will be accessible to all. The AL!VE HealthPark project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it represents an innovative approach to improving health and wellness for all ages, and can serve as a national model for stimulating socioeconomic development through collaborative and systematic efforts in community health. Hayes Green Beach estimates that construction of the AL!VE HealthPark will create up to 150 local construction jobs, and that upon completion approximately 30 permanent jobs will be created at the facility.

Recipient:
Hayes Green Beach Memorial Hospital
321 E. Harris Street
Charlotte, MI 48813

Basic Needs and Work Supports via 2-1-1 - $285,919
This funding request will ensure that 2-1-1 services can continue in FY 2011 for the residents of Hillsdale, Branch, Jackson and Lenawee counties. With particularly high unemployment rates in these communities, residents are struggling with hunger and unemployment, and increasing numbers are facing homelessness, utility shut-offs, and/or unpaid medical bills. Certified 2-1-1 Call Specialists can help thoroughly assess each caller’s needs and recommend appropriate resources. As the economy has worsened, the need for 2-1-1 services has increased at the same time that the United Way’s resources to fund the service have decreased. This request is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will ensure the continued operation of 2-1-1 in these communities at the time it is most needed, and most difficult to fund locally. The United Way estimates that this funding will retain the jobs of approximately nine 2-1-1 employees in the 7th congressional district.

Recipient:
United Way of Jackson
536 N. Jackson St
Jackson, MI 49201

Charlotte Stephenson Manor Dementia Unit - $160,000
This request will allow Charlotte Stephenson Manor to renovate nine existing residential rooms to create a secure unit to serve individuals afflicted with dementia, and to construct a new 15 x 15 foot multipurpose room to provide a comfortable setting for family visits and programming activities specific to dementia residents. Lenawee County currently does not have an assisted living source for dementia care within a closed and secure environment. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer finds because a secure assisted living dementia unit will fill the gap between community-based services that allow seniors to live at home and skilled nursing home care. Charlotte Stephenson Manor will hire four full-time and three part-time staff for the dementia unit. Additionally, Charlotte Stephenson Manor estimates that the project will require approximately 1702 carpenter hours, or .81 FTEs. 

Recipient:
Charlotte Stephenson Manor
ProMedica Health System
581 Kimole Lane
Adrian, MI 49221

Healthy Living, Active Lifestyles (HEAL) - $150,000
The Healthy Living, Active Lifestyles (HEAL) project will provide a curriculum based on the YMCA Healthy U successful model. Using high quality curriculum and staff support, more than 2,500 children annually will learn the skills and participate in activities they need to develop lasting healthy lifestyle behaviors, including fitness and nutrition. The program will be housed at the YMCA and will have satellite centers in Battle Creek Public Schools and in Albion. Six community events will be sponsored each year to provide health information to the community. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because building a healthier community will ultimately reduce the occurrence of chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Additionally, the Battle Creek Family YMCA estimates that this request will create approximately ten new jobs and help retain two jobs in the 7th Congressional District.

Recipient:
Battle Creek Family YMCA
182 Capital Avenue, N.E.
Battle Creek, MI 49017

Western Jackson County Disaster Evacuation Site - $500,000
Per a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jackson County Health Department, Spring Arbor University has been identified as a site to be used as an Acute Care Center and Neighborhood Emergency Help Center in the event of bioterrorism, a pandemic, or other natural disaster. This funding request will allow Spring Arbor University to design and install a backup power system to ensure an uninterrupted power source for a modular emergency medical system and equipment used by emergency personnel. This request is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will better prepare our region for any potential bioterrorism or other public health emergency.

Recipient:
Spring Arbor University
106 E. Main Street
Spring Arbor, MI 49283

LifeWays Integrated Behavioral and Physical Health Clinic - $189,601
This project would allow LifeWays, the non-profit public Community Mental Health Authority serving Jackson and Hillsdale counties, to create a Center for Family Health satellite clinic in the LifeWays building. This funding would allow existing space at LifeWays to be renovated and equipped to create an additional 3 examination rooms. Research shows that people living with serious mental illness die 25 years earlier than the rest of the population, in large part due to unmanaged physical health conditions. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will integrate physical and mental health care thus making physical health services more accessible to LifeWays clients. This project will create local construction jobs the first year, and LifeWays expects seven new clinical staffing positions to be created in year two.

Recipient:
LifeWays
1200 N. West Avenue
Jackson, MI 49202

Starr Commonwealth Outside-In Program for Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders - $1,200,000
This project would expand Starr Commonwealth’s Outside-In program for youth with Autism-Spectrum Disorders (ASD) to provide education, counseling, social and life skills for youth with ASD. The only residential center of its kind in Michigan, Starr offers youth with ASD therapeutic treatment and education in a residential setting. Youth learn socialization and life skills under the supervision of highly trained staff. This is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because more than 14,000 children in Michigan have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders, and this program can help provide more of them the skills they need to live independently, reducing the need for social services and ultimately saving taxpayer funds. Starr currently has 350 employees in Michigan, the majority of whom are located in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District. This project would retain 36 current jobs in Albion, and if fully funded would create a minimum of 11 new jobs.

Recipient:
Starr Commonwealth
13725 Starr Commonwealth Road
Albion, MI 49224

Integrated Electronic Medical Records System - $550,000
This project would allow LifeWays, the non-profit public Community Mental Health Authority serving Jackson and Hillsdale counties, to acquire an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system that would be compatible with the Michigan Health Information Network, certified by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology, and meet the standards set by the Office of the National Coordinator. An integrated EMR system will allow LifeWays clinicians and its providers to more accurately treat consumers by being more fully aware of physical health conditions such as diabetes or hypertension, and allow LifeWays to share medical record information with hospitals, health care providers, and clinicians accurately and as needed in real time. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because the new integrated EMR system would improve quality of care for the patients that LifeWays serves. LifeWays served 7,500 consumers in 2009 in Jackson and Hillsdale counties. LifeWays estimates that this project would create 10 new jobs.

Recipient:
LifeWays
1200 N. West Avenue
Jackson, MI 49202

Green Technology Incubator and Living Laboratory at Adrian College - $1,200,000
This project would create an innovative program to provide training, services and supports for displaced workers who desire to become entrepreneurs. In partnership with the local business community and venture capital firms, the Adrian College Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies would develop a targeted curriculum for this population to simultaneously offer training, mentoring, and seed financing, along with access to college facilities, office space, infrastructure, and other essential support services in a Green Technology Living Laboratory incubator setting. The program would focus on green technology and alternative energy start-ups, and offer students a unique blended curriculum of business and science with real-world supports. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will create jobs in our community both in the short-term at the college, and in the long-term by nurturing entrepreneurs and helping create more successful small businesses locally.

Recipient:
Adrian College
110 South Madison Street
Adrian, MI 49221

Centralized Health Center in Jackson, MI - $1,000,000
The Center for Family Health is a non-profit federally qualified community health center that serves all of Jackson County, offering comprehensive primary health care, dental care, and pharmacy services for children and adults. This request will fund $1,000,000 in construction costs toward a $12.1 million project to build a new facility in the City of Jackson where the Center for Family Health will be able to consolidate its main medical, dental and administrative offices, as well as expand its capacity to provide care for the increased number of medically underserved people in our community. This request is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will increase the Center’s capacity for providing health care to the underserved, and help retain and create jobs in our community. The Center for Family Health currently has 185 employees in Jackson County. With this additional space to grow and enhance services, the Center for Family Health expects to add at least 13 more employees within the next 5 years. 

Recipient:
Center for Family Health
2298 Springport Road, Suite B
Jackson, MI 49201

Transforming Basic Skills Education to Grow a Skilled Workforce - $750,000
This request would allow Jackson Community College to provide basic skills that are necessary to grow a skilled workforce in Michigan, but that are currently lacking among a significant portion of our unemployed adult population. It is estimated that one out of every three working adults in Michigan – 1.7 million – lacks basic skills to succeed in college or technical training. This funding request will allow Jackson Community College to invest in the infrastructure necessary to provide a transformed approach to basic skills education and develop a replicable model of a Foundation Skills Department that will deliver comprehensive basic skills education and support services to at-risk students, displaced and incumbent workers. This project is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will increase job readiness and provide critical workplace skills for adults in Jackson County, Lenawee County, and Hillsdale County. As typical in deep recessionary times, JCC’s enrollment has increased a staggering 43% in the past five years due in large part to an influx of displaced workers seeking new skills. Jackson Community College estimates that this project would create three new full-time faculty positions, 30-40 part-time faculty positions, 20 part-time tutors and 20 part-time supplemental instructors for a projected total estimate of 40.5 new FTEs.

Recipient: 

Jackson Community College
2111 Emmons Road
Jackson, MI 49201

Siena Heights Nursing Workforce Training Initiative - $600,000
Siena Heights University proposes to continue development and implementation of a new baccalaureate nursing program that currently serves over 40 health care institutions in Michigan, and that has doubled enrollment over the past year. This request will be used to equip this program with the latest in electronic learning and health informatics - the intersection of information science, computer science, and health care - because knowledge in health information technology is key to meeting the demands of nursing education and practice. This request is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will create highly trained candidates for nursing jobs and help Michigan avoid an otherwise projected shortage of nurses in the future. 

Recipient:
Siena Heights University
1247 E. Siena Heights Drive
Adrian, MI 49221

LCC West Campus Advanced Technology and Electric Vehicle Jobs Training - $900,000
The requested funding would provide for the expansion and enrollment of more students in Lansing Community College’s Regional Center for Advanced Technology/Electric Vehicle and Smart Grid Training program. This program provides workforce training and retraining in advanced technology related to alternative energy, advanced electric grid infrastructure development and maintenance, and utility distribution training. This training program is targeted to former employees of the downsized auto industry in the mid-Michigan region, as well as students seeking long term employment opportunities in high growth industries. LCC estimates that this program will provide for approximately 2,000 jobs to be retained or acquired in the mid-Michigan region. This request is a valuable use of taxpayer funds because it will provide training Michigan workers need to prepare for jobs in emerging sectors. This training is provided at LCC’s West Campus in Delta Township, in Eaton County.

Recipient:
Lansing Community College
8100A-Administration
PO Box 40010
Lansing, MI 48901