May 10, 2022

Contact: [email protected]

PHOTOS: Lt. Governor Gilchrist II at Groundbreaking of Wilson Park in Detroit 

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II attended the groundbreaking of the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park in Downtown Detroit. Under the direction of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, the park will undergo construction to become a part of the beautiful Detroit riverfront.  

“As a longtime patron of the Detroit Riverfront, I am proud to kick off the construction of Wilson Park,” said Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II. “Michigan is full of unmatched natural beauty, and the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park will be no different. Governor Whitmer and I have made historic investments in Michigan’s state and local parks, and we are committed to ensuring that every Michigander can experience and enjoy our natural resources.”

Located on 22 acres roughly between Rosa Parks Boulevard and 8th Street along the Detroit River, Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park currently serves as the western edge of Detroit’s RiverWalk. When the new park opens in 2023, it will feature the Delta Dental Play Garden, an expansive lawn for programs and special events, basketball courts in the sport house and a large water garden

Economic Benefits of Parks

Parks and recreation facilities are a big part of Michigan’s economy, generating value for surrounding communities, creating jobs and helping sustain small businesses. Michigan’s outdoor recreation industry supports billions in state Gross Domestic Product and sustains 126,000 jobs and over $4.7 billion in wages and salaries in the state.

On average, every $1 invested in land conservation leads to $4 in economic benefit, meaning the Building Michigan Together Plan’s $250 million investment in state parks will yield $1 billion in economic benefits for families, small businesses, and local communities.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 11, 2022

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Gov. Whitmer Awards $3 Million to Michigan Cities to Upgrade Infrastructure, Making Communities More Attractive for Economic Investment 

LANSING, Mich. – Today, during Economic Development Week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a total of $3 million is being awarded to fund infrastructure and public safety enhancements in 11 municipalities that will help move the municipality toward financial stability.

“Today’s grants will help protect public safety and enhance infrastructure in nearly a dozen communities across Michigan,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “As a former prosecutor, public safety is a core issue for me and I want families feel safe at home in the streets. And as a governor focused on the kitchen-table issues, I want high-quality roads, bridges, and water infrastructure so people can get to where they need to go safely and have access to clean, safe drinking water. The projects being funded today will help us keep getting things done for our hardworking people and resilient communities. Together, we will protect public safety and improve infrastructure, building on our growing economic momentum as we keep moving Michigan forward.”

For fiscal year 2022, the Michigan Legislature appropriated $2.5 million for the program, with a $500,000 carryover from the previous fiscal year.  The Financially Distressed Cities, Villages and Townships (FDCVT) Grant Program has a $2 million cap per municipality and grants are awarded based on applications submitted by the municipality.

“The Michigan Department of Treasury looks forward to working with our local partners to find projects that could help move a community toward financial stability,” said State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks. “Our team will ensure these grants are provided to our local communities as expeditiously as possible.”

The following communities will receive funding this year, with projects and amounts noted (alphabetical order):

Benton Harbor City

Public safety enhancement through replacement of one fire engine

$425,000

“The City of Benton Harbor is indeed grateful to Governor Whitmer and the State of Michigan for the $425,000 FDCVT grant to purchase a new fire truck. This grant will go a long way toward enhancing the safety and security of the Citizens of Benton Harbor and improving the City’s financial position in relation to its equipment needs.”

— Ellis Mitchell, City Manager

Ecorse City

Public safety enhancement through installation of surveillance cameras and security doors

$132,604

Ecorse City

Public service enhancement through renovation of police center

$145,703

“The city of Ecorse would like to thank the Treasury office and the Governor’s office for providing the City of Ecorse with the very needed grant funds so we can enhance our jail and the security of our City Hall.” — Lamar Tidwell, Mayor of the City of Ecorse

Gaastra City

Water system enhancement through replacement of water meters

$103,200

“I am very grateful for this grant. It will allow the City of Gaastra residents to have updated water meters. Many are outdated and getting costly to repair, and as we all know, budgets are tight. I am thankful for this grant to allow the City to run more efficiently” — Tom Place, Gaastra Mayor 

Hamtramck City

Public safety enhancement through installation of surveillance cameras and security doors

$195,800

“The City of Hamtramck appreciates the continuing support of the state of Michigan to ensure safety and security of our staff and public in our city facilities.” — Amer Ghalib, Mayor

Harper Woods City

Public safety enhancement through replacement of emergency generator

$205,970

“The City of Harper Woods is grateful for the FDCVT grant to purchase a “whole house” generator to power our City Hall during storm power outages due to fallen trees. Our residents love our tree city and managing our urban forest just got a little easier due to this grant.” — John Szymanski, Acting City Manager

Highland Park City

Public safety enhancement through replacement of emergency generator

$118,260

“On behalf of the City of Highland Park community, we are grateful to the State of Michigan for awarding FDCVT funds for the purchase of a generator for the Recreation Center. The Recreation Center serves the community in many ways such as a Covid-19 testing and vaccination hub; it provides programs for seniors, youth and adults; and serves as a regional sheltering site for the American Red Cross. This generator allows for uninterrupted services and provides assurance to the community that they will have a place to go in the event of an emergency.” — Hubert Yopp, Mayor

Inkster City

Water system enhancement through replacement of fire hydrants

$145,000

Inkster City

Water system enhancement through replacement of water valves

$150,000

“The City of Inkster is very appreciative of the funding provided by the State of Michigan via the FDCVT grant program. These funds will allow us to complete projects that are critical to the operation of our city. We look forward to utilizing the awarded funds in a manner that will please our grantor and support our community residents.” — Darryl Greene, City Treasurer

Melvindale City

Public service enhancement through replacement of equipment

$452,609

Melvindale City

Public safety enhancement through replacement of patrol vehicles and equipment

$189,580

“The FDCVT award is great news! The State of Michigan (FDCVT grants) will assist the City of Melvindale with much needed funding for the Police Department and the Department of Public Works.  These departments are two of the most vital to communities. The funding is far reaching and will serve all residents, businesses, employees and any visitors to Melvindale. The grants will allow the City to use its limited financial resources to provide other necessary services. On behalf of the City of Melvindale, thank you very much for the funding, assistance and cooperation.” — Richard Ortiz, City Administrator, Finance Director

Ontonagon Village

Water system enhancement through replacement of water meters

$216,287

“The Village of Ontonagon is excited to receive FDCVT funding to upgrade our water metering system. We anticipate that our entire community will benefit from these upgrades which will streamline water billing while considerably reducing labor costs. In turn, our resources can be utilized to better serve our residents in numerous other areas.” — William DuPont, Village Manager

Peck Village

Water system enhancement through replacement of fire hydrants

$264,796

“The Village of Peck is grateful and very surprised for the grant award. It was written by me and is only the second grant I have written. It will allow our DPW workers to concentrate on other projects around the village. Fiscally it will cut down on labor and parts cost on repair and maintenance of our aging fire hydrants.” — Tim Heiden, Village Supervisor

Royal Oak Township

Water system enhancement through replacement of a water main

$285,000

“This funding means a great deal to our small community, the water system improvements that can be completed with this money will provide our residents and critical customers with higher quality water, improved pressures, fire protection and more reliable water supply. With this money we will be able to provide a more robust supply of water to critical customers along our 8 Mile corridor. Without your help this work to help move our Township forward would not be possible.” — Donna Squalls, Township Supervisor

Financially Distressed Cities, Villages and Townships (FDCVT) Grant Program

Municipalities can participate in the FDCVT Grant Program if they are experiencing one or more conditions indicative of “probable financial stress” as outlined within state law. The grants fund specific projects, services, or strategies that move a city, village, or township toward financial stability.

Across Michigan, communities large and small continue to be challenged by the increased cost of

maintaining and enhancing their critical infrastructure, as well as new threats posed by the increasingly

severe climate‐related weather events. To address these challenges and increase public safety for all

Michigan residents, the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2023 recommendation includes $276 million of one‐time general fund for investments to address critical infrastructure needs in our state’s communities. This general fund is in addition to $578 million of new federal transportation and state restricted funding also included in the Fiscal Year 2023 budget.

Gov. Whitmer Announces $1.4 Million Awarded to Support Entrepreneurial Growth in Central Michigan 

LANSING, Mich. – Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer joined the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo to announce that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.4 million grant to Central Michigan University for renovations to the Central Michigan University Research Corporation incubator and accelerator.

 This investment will support local entrepreneurs through office renovation and upgrades to provide a safer working environment following the coronavirus pandemic. The EDA investment will be matched with $352,320 in local funds and is expected to create 100 jobs, retain 30 jobs and generate $5 million in private investment.

“Today’s investment will help the Central Michigan University Research Corporation improve its facilities and empower entrepreneurs,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “This investment will help us continue growing our economy, creating good-paying jobs, and building on our manufacturing and R&D strengths. This month, we opened the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University and the Wacker Innovation Center in Ann Arbor. We must keep investing in every region of Michigan to tap into the entrepreneurial energy in every county of our great state. Our efforts to grow the economy are working—unemployment is 4.4%, we’ve added 174,000 jobs year over year, and we are working together to lower the costs of essentials like childcare and housing and putting money in people’s pockets with $400 auto refund checks and proposed tax cuts for seniors and working families. Let’s keep Michigan moving by investing in our economic development and the kitchen-table issues.”

 “President Biden is committed to helping communities tackle the unique challenges that the coronavirus pandemic presented,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “This EDA investment in the Central Michigan University Research Corporation will enhance its facilities to support home-grown high-tech entrepreneurs, who will be a long-term source of jobs and private investment for the region.”   “The Economic Development Administration is pleased to support Central Michigan University and its efforts to build a more resilient regional economy,” said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “The Central Michigan University Research Corporation is an anchor facility for entrepreneurs in the region where they can safely meet in-person and return to pre-pandemic productivity.”

“This investment will strengthen the University’s efforts to provide our entrepreneurs and small businesses with the space and resources they need to get their businesses up and running,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow. “Congratulations to Central Michigan. It’s exciting to see the University transform new technology and innovation into new jobs and new businesses for Michigan.”

“Central Michigan University continues to play a vital role in creating jobs and spurring growth throughout Michigan by supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses – the lifeline of our economy,” said Senator Gary Peters. “This federal support will ensure the Central Michigan University Research Corporation can effectively continue working to uplift innovation in the region.”

“CMU’s Research Corporation helps bring local businesses together to collaborate on investments that benefit mid Michigan residents and our local communities,” said Congressman John Moolenaar (MI-04). “Renovating CMURC’s incubator will help foster future partnerships that contribute to the region’s economy and I congratulate the leadership at CMU for their work in securing this funding.”

 About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov) The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.