The stories that you may have been hearing are true. Saginaw city schools and local government indeed will be receiving windfalls of federal funding aid in the name of covid-19 relief.
Packages of $67 million for the Board of Education and $52 million for City Hall exceed the annual all-purpose general fund budgets of both entities.
Wow!
These may stand as the largest urban infusions in history for Saginaw and other cities across the nation, ranking up there with the War on Poverty that took root during the 1960s. And more dollars could be coming our way if President Biden and Democrats succeed in Congress.
Oldsters may recall Model Cities, CAC and block grants. Younger folks may be learning. That type of 1960s atmosphere seems on the verge of returning.
Suburbs and outlying areas also are in line for shares of the federal kitty, but their sums are far lower because as a whole they are middle-to-upper income. Saginaw Township, for example, stands to gain $5.9 million for schools and $3.8 million for local government, even though its 42,000 population now nearly matches the city’s. Bridgeport, $10.7 million for schools and $970,000 local government, Carrollton, $3.1 million for schools and $557,000 government.
So the main rallying points are within the boundaries of long-suffering Saginaw city. Leaders have been speaking notes of caution, stating that the first priority is to cover covid costs. But during the final week of May, the windfall cat began to claw it’s way out of the bag.
School Board President Charles Coleman: “These funds are unrestricted dollars that the organizations can use to fund needs that exist in our community. The caveat given to the Board of Education is that the funds be used to mitigate the deficits caused by the covid pandemic. This gives us a great deal of latitude in how we can use these funds.”
City Manager Tim Morales: “We understand that $52 million in funding can transform a city. It is my goal and the goal of the City Council to utilize these funds to positively impact this community for generations to come.”
At the same time, Morales continues to repeatedly emphasize, “The City is aware that many citizens and local organizations would like to begin discussion on specific use of the funding. We are always open to listening to input from the community. However, the City cannot make plans to utilize the funds until final rules are provided from the U.S. Department of Treasury”
Still, we are hearing more of the second part: “But yes, these are unprecedented dollar amounts.”
In other words, we may begin to soar with all of our ideas, but at the same time we need to straighten up and fly right.
What should we do?
The new era of available funds was illustrated on May 27 when First Ward Community Center hosted a community forum that attracted nearly 100 social-distanced citizens in the gymnasium, despite limited publicity. Participants were asked to write their ideas with felt markers on poster papers that were taped to the walls.
A few notations were directly covid-related, such as to check the homes of shut-ins and elders to ensure they have been tested and hopefully vaccinated, but most ran the general community improvement gamut.
Some were general: More youth activities. Some were specific: Employ teens in cleaning up and mowing overgrown properties.
Some were for social purposes: More community centers and use of closed school buildings. Some were for entertainment: Re-open a movie drive-in or a swimming pool or a roller skating rink.
A few were at odds: Tear down the eyesore homes. Repair the eyesore homes.
Some seemed to come out of the blue: Bring in more Children’s Zoo animals. Some were tried and true: Improve education.
At one of the poster spots, the Rev. Craig Tatum took the initiative to write the ideas that people expressed, in order to keep things moving. He is the Pastor of New Life Baptist Church Ministries on Janes at Seventh and CEO of Mission in the City, which has made such a visible impact. He encountered Ceciel Reed, who volunteers to oversee a pair of teen-operated mini farms through the nearby Houghton-Jones Neighborhood Association’s youth summer program.
They traded ideas in their first in-depth talk. For example, they agreed on a desire to put vacant school buildings to use. Ceciel, naturally, mentioned Houghton Elementary. Pastor Tatum answered with Central Middle. These types of general exchanges may evolve into action, now that a rare package of money is on the table.
Even when combined and streamlined, the ideas that people posted would fill several pages. One of the forum organizers, Jeffrey Bulls, said a compiled report will be issued to decision makers and the push for citizen inclusion will continue.
Board takes first step
The statements from Coleman and Morales, long-awaited in some quarters, took place on short notice, one day prior to the First Ward CC event. Either this was cause-and-effect, or it was quite a coincidence.
Among the leaders, Coleman took the first step when he proposed, with unanimous board support, a school/city/county team agreement to “come together and allocate some of those funds for youth programming.” (Saginaw County also is in line for $37 million.)
Coleman continued: “This request is that the allocation be substantial in its amount, and that it become part of a three-year strategic plan to offer resources and activities to the youth of our community. We must be the change that we are looking for, for our youth. The number of young men and women being shot down in our streets must be addressed. The number of young men and women being arrested for multiple criminal activities must be addressed. The deficits in test scores in our community must be addressed. The lack of high-speed internet access in our community must be addressed.”
The proposal, the same as most others that will arrive in coming weeks, makes no mention of covid-19. Neither will potential plans within the Board of Education to bring back more teachers. Neither will possible moves by the City Council to restore more police officers and other employees. Disagreements may ensue over establishment functions versus new ideas, but they won’t be covid-related.
As Coleman concluded: “This is just the beginning. The voters gave us a vote of confidence when they approved the millage (mainly for a new unified high school) to reimagine public education in the Saginaw Public Schools. Let us do more than just improve schools and curricula, let us move to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods.”
Agree or disagree with how matters have transpired, this is today’s developing scenario in Saginaw and in communities across the nation. Monies will continue to be described as “covid relief funds,” even as they go far beyond directly addressing covid. Activists who for years have pushed in frustration for a 1960s style re-focus on cities never dreamed a viral pandemic would provide an oddly unexpected pathway.
