An end-of-the-year deadline exists for the Saginaw City Council to finish decisions on ARPA, the American Rescue Plan Act, a record-setting $52 million block grant as part of $1.9 billion in nationwide federal aid to help communities cope with hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Members voted 6-3 on Sept. 9 to get started at their next session at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 23. “No” votes came from Michael Balls, Michael Flores and Monique Lamar Sylvia, who sought more research time until the Oct. 14 meeting. Mayor Brenda Moore, speaking for the majority, responded that ample time has passed already.
The council decided on most of the funds in 2022, spending half, $26 million, to shore up the general fund and to stop a stream of cutbacks that have been steady since the 1980s, which marked the beginning of the local auto industry’s decline. City Hall is being renovated, along with improvements to Hoyt Park, Ojibway Island and the cemeteries. Households have received fix-ups for furnaces, roofs and windows. A Sam Shaheen-inspired “Medical Diamond” project on South Washington between City Hall and downtown promises to serve as a CMU College of Medicine campus, a center for expanded mental health services, and a possible relocation site for the County Health offices currently on North Michigan.
Bumps in the decision-making road involve service agencies and community outreach projects. City ARPA coffers now contain about $2 million in remaining unspent funds, along with roughly $4 million in interest.
Sticking points include:
- Buildings versus operations, including staff. Mayor Moore and Pro-Tem Annie Boensch have emphasized that buildings require less Guidehouse consultant oversight and are a more cost-efficient way to invest ARPA funds.
- Proposals that met the initial 2022 “portal” deadline versus more recent arrivals
The council’s Sept. 9 vote stipulates that funds not decided on Sept. 23 will otherwise go to city infrastructure and to the home repairs. To watch the discussion on the city’s YouTube page, click here.
