Congressman Mark Schauer: Representing Michigan's 7th District

• Springport: $138,300 Title I-A increase; $251,000 IDEA increase
• Northwest: $296,489 Title I-A increase; $838,000 IDEA increase
• East Jackson: $218,276 Title I-A increase; $311,000 IDEA increase
• Grass Lake: $66,014 Title I-A increase; $231,000 IDEA increase
• Western: $174,511 Title I-A increase; $479,000 IDEA increase
• Jackson Public: $2,393,096 Title I-A increase; $2,442,000 IDEA increase
• Michigan Center: $132,324 Title I-A increase; $296,000 IDEA increase
• Concord: $64,706 Title I-A increase; $219,000 IDEA increase
• Hanover-Horton: $88,236 Title I-A increase; $276,000 IDEA increase
• Vandercook Lake: $94,772 Title I-A increase; $207,000 IDEA increase
• Napoleon: $101,962 Title I-A increase; $352,000 IDEA increase
• Columbia: $128,759 Title I-A increase; $404,000 IDEA increase

Recovery Act: Transit Funding
As part of the Recovery Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, Jackson will receive $1.4 million in public transportation funding. In general, “transit capital” projects are defined as those that acquire, rehabilitate, or overhaul a public transportation systems “rolling stock,” i.e. buses or trains, or help introduce new technology into an existing transit system. It can also include the construction, renovation or upgrade of a transit system station.

Recovery Act: Funding for JTA
As part of the Recovery Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, Jackson Transit Authority will receive $1,463,808 to purchase four new 35ft. diesel replacement buses and make parking lot security upgrades. “As a public transportation provider that recognizes the critical nature of continued public transportation services, we would like to thank Congressman Schauer for his support of JTA stimulus projects,” said Cameron McCollum, Jackson Transit Authority General Manager. “The vehicles that will be purchased are needed to replace vehicles that are 1997-era buses and are beyond their useful life. The JTA had no foreseeable source of additional capital funding to replace these aging vehicles. JTA’s ability to continue uninterrupted fixed route services without these vehicles could have been compromised.” Read more here.



Recovery Act: Jackson Train Station
In April, Congressman Schauer and Lt. Gov. John Cherry appeared together at the Jackson Train Station to announce $938,000 in Receovery Act federal enhancement dollars for stabilization and repairs of the Jackson Train Station. This will be 100% federal money, no match required. To watch a video clip from the event, click here.



Recovery Act: Public Safety Funding
As part of the Recovery Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, Jackson County and local municipalities will receive four grants totaling more than $232,000 through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Justice. The allocations include: $52,696 for Jackson County; $136,104 for the City of Jackson; $30,544 for Blackman Charter Township; and $12,922 for Leoni Township.



Recovery Act: Energy Efficiency
As part of the Recovery Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, Jackson County will receive more than $687,000 from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program. The EECBG program provides federal grants to units of local government, Indian tribes, states, and territories to reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and for improvements in energy efficiency.



Recovery Act: Health Center Funding
As part of the Recovery Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, Jackson will receive more than $363,000 to expand services offered at the Center for Family Health. The Center for Family Health in Jackson is expected to expand hours and services, and hire additional health workers. Additionally, the Family Health Center of Albion, which also serves patients from Jackson County, will receive $373,000 from the Recovery Act to expand healthcare services.



Recovery Act: Brownfield Grants
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, the Jackson County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority will receive a $1 million assessment grant through the Environmental Protection Agency’s Brownfield Redevelopment program. The grant will allow the authority to conduct site assessment and planning for eventual cleanup of brownfield sites. By investing in our communities and cleaning up contaminated sites, we can create green jobs and offer a much-needed boost to our local economies.



2010 Appropriations Requests
As part of the 2010 Appropriations process, Mark requested the following projects for Jackson County. To learn more about this process, and see a complete list of projects our office requested, click here.

Connected Vehicle Test Laboratory and Proving Grounds
$3,000,000 – Defense

The Connected Vehicle Test Laboratory and Proving Grounds will provide a “one stop shop” wireless testing laboratory and evaluation environment for developing and testing connected vehicle systems and applications that can be used for both: (1) Department of Defense systems and projects involving vehicular mobile wireless communications, and (2) Civilian telecommunications in areas such as intelligent transportation systems and active safety in vehicles.

This laboratory will support all stages of Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V), Vehicle to Roadside (V2R), and Vehicle to Wherever (V2X) products development lifecycle—from specification of requirements to interoperability testing, with feasibility and concept testing, alpha and beta testing, compliance testing, and product certification. This dual use, shared laboratory model provides the most economical approach for the National Guard, TARDEC, automotive companies, suppliers, and others to develop, test and evaluate advances in the vehicle-based wireless communications and connected vehicle technology. This program is projected to create at least 25 jobs in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District.

Recipients:
Michigan International Speedway
12626 U.S. 12
Brooklyn, Michigan 49230

In Public/Private Partnership with:
Connected Vehicle Proving Center/Center for Automotive Research
1000 Victors Way, Suite 200
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

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Bus and Bus Facilities, Jackson Transportation Authority
$600,000 - Transportation, Housing and Urban Development

This funding request is for the replacement of medium duty buses in the Jackson fleet that have exceeded their vehicle life. The Jackson Transportation Authority provides fixed route and demand-response transit services to residents in the City of Jackson and Jackson County.

Recipient:
Jackson Transportation Authority
2350 East High Street
Jackson, MI 49203

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Cascades Environmental Restoration
$2,400,000 - Transportation, Housing and Urban Development

Cascades Park is a unique 465-acre multi-use open space near the center of Jackson County that abuts the Jackson city limits and attracts 300,000+ visitors annually. It features a lagoon system of ponds and canals built in 1932, and provides recreational, educational and environmental opportunities that are unique in the region, and that are enjoyed by both urban residents and rural visitors. Over the years sediment has built up and the waterways have deteriorated significantly. Now some canals are only a foot deep, and the ponds are as shallow as five feet. This project would provide for dredging of the canals to five feet and the ponds to ten feet to improve water quality and circulation, and restore the natural systems and value of this community centerpiece.

The Jackson County Parks Department estimates that the dredging of Cascades’ ponds and canals would create approximately 20 jobs, and that the resulting improvements to CascadesPark would increase park usage sufficient to support an additional 24 permanent part-time jobs in recreational equipment rental and food service.

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

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Michigan Theatre Rehabilitation: Electrical, Plumbing & Heating
$568,000 - Transportation, Housing and Urban Development

Michigan Theatre of Jackson, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the restoration, operation and maintenance of the Michigan Theatre in downtown Jackson, which has been in operation since it was built in 1930, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its architectural significance. This project would provide for the renovation of the Michigan Theatre’s outdated plumbing ($68,000) and electrical systems ($375,000), and repair defective steam lines and valves ($125,000).

This project would directly create an estimated 12 construction jobs in Jackson, where the unemployment rate is 12.1% as of January 2009. Michigan Theatre of Jackson, Inc estimates additionally that, upon completion of the entire renovation and restoration, the Theatre will add approximately 5 full-time jobs and 10 part-time jobs.

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

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South Central Michigan Red Cross Project Preparedness
$191,500 - Labor Health and Human Services

This project will allow the South Central Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross to provide cutting edge training and equip its facility as a more complete disaster relief center. The funding will be spent to construct a garage for the secure storage of emergency response vehicles, purchase office and communication equipment, and complete the Chapter’s building renovation project to provide additional space for community blood drives and disaster response training. The South Central Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross is the only supplier of blood and disaster assistance in Jackson and Hillsdale counties.

Recipient:
South Central Michigan American Red Cross
3425 Francis Street
Jackson, Michigan 49203

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Ella Sharp Road Construction and Building Improvements
$200,000 - Labor Health and Human Services

This project is for the preservation and restoration of the major historic resources at the City of Jackson’s Ella Sharp Museum. It includes the repaving of the original lane on the Merriman farm; relocating a school house on the property; and erecting a windmill replicating the one used on the farm circa 1900. This effort will recreate one of the region’s largest and most influential family farms to its condition during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Ella Sharp Museum Association estimates that this project will create 40-45 short term skilled trades jobs over a period spanning six to seven months.

Recipient:
Ella Sharp Museum Association
3225 Fourth Street
Jackson, MI 49203

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Work Supports Through 2-1-1
$733,000 - Labor Health and Human Services

This project is the expansion of 2-1-1 services across the 7th Congressional District. With unemployment rates now between 12 and 17% in our region, more residents have found themselves in need of services they may have never imagined needing. The United Way’s 2-1-1 system connects people with important services and work supports including job training, financial literacy, utility assistance, foreclosure prevention, child care, transportation, food assistance and more. Calls are free and answered anytime, day or night, by a professional information and referral specialists located in a Michigan 2-1-1 CallCenter. This request will allow 2-1-1 to meet the growing demand for 2-1-1 services in Jackson, Hillsdale, Washtenaw, Lenawee, Branch, Calhoun and Eaton counties.

The United Way estimates that this project will directly create an estimated 17 full-time positions in the operation of the 2-1-1 call centers, and aid thousands of workers in their efforts to find new and better jobs, and better job supports.

Recipient:
Michigan Association of United Ways
1627 Lake Lansing Road, Suite B
Lansing, MI 48912



2010 Transportation Requests
On behalf of Jackson County, Mark has made the following requests for funding in the 2010 surface transportation authorization bill:

Improve the I-94 corridor from M-60 through Sargent Road by undertaking rehabilitation, expansion, and reconstruction work at I-94 at Elm Road interchange and I-94 at Sargent Road, and by designing, engineering, acquiring rights-of-way, and reconstructing at the I-94 and US-127 interchange.

I-94 is a major commercial corridor in the State, serving national and international commerce. The Elm Street structure has been struck by trucks at least 10 times during the past three years. There is an emergency beam replacement project planned for the fall of 2009 to replace a beam that has been compromised by high load impacts. Additionally, the reconstruction projects would improve operations and safety at all of the interchanges in the respective project areas by upgrading the outdated facilities to current design standards. The shoulders on the freeway would be expanded in both width and durability to provide improved mobility during freeway incidents and construction activities.

Requested amount is $ 48,000,000.

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Passenger Rail Car Maintenance and Repair Yard in Jackson, Michigan. This project is part of the State of Michigan’s and local communities’ effort to introduce commuter rail on two routes between Ann Arbor and Detroit and Ann Arbor and Howell initially, and then expand the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail service westward to include Jackson and the Ann Arbor-Howell commuter rail service south to include Jackson. This maintenance facility would be used for 30, 90, 180 day and annual inspections and maintenance work for the coaches and locomotives operating for these two services.

The Midwest Regional Rail Initiative estimates that Michigan’s proposed commuter rail network would yield $23.1 billion in economic benefits to users and communities over the 40-year life of the project. Proper maintenance of the passenger cars and locomotives used to provide commuter rail service is essential to passenger safety. A properly designed and implemented comprehensive transit system will allow the entire transportation system to function better, resulting in less congestion, fuel consumption, and air pollution.

Requested amount is $600,000.

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Retrofit Historic Jackson Michigan train station as an inter-modal facility to accommodate passenger rail, public transit and taxi operations.

Adaptable redevelopment of the train station will provide additional space for commercial, retail, and office development. This will provide a catalyst for the eventual redevelopment of the City of Jackson's East Central Business District Neighborhood. Expand the operating hours and the security of the facility, which houses the various modes of public transportation available to the residents in the greater Jackson area. The design of passenger flow will be attentive to safety and the updated facility will be ADA compliant.

Requested Amount is $10,160,000.


Green Schools Funding
Congressman Schauer voted in favor of legislation that will improve our public schools, create clean energy jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and lower energy costs for taxpayers. According to the House Education and Labor Committee, local school districts are expected to receive the following funding amounts for FY2010 under the House-passed bill:

• Columbia, $97,000
• Concord, $49,000
• East Jackson, $172,000
• Grass Lake, $50,000
• Hanover-Horton, $66,000
• Jackson, $1,653,000
• Michigan Center, $122,000
• Napoleon, $77,000
• Northwest, $273,000
• Springport, $120,000
• Vandercook Lake, $83,000
• Western, $131,000