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Posted: 05/30/12

Bruce board re-allocates
$33,767 in CDBG funds

by DENNIS A. SETTER
Observer Managing Editor

      A neighboring municipality and a local organization will be the recipients of re-allocated Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds in Bruce Township.
       The Board of Trustees voted unanimously to allocate $18,000 toward the Bruce-Romeo Parks and Recreation's paving project at the Romeo Senior Center. The rest of the re-allocated amount, $15,767, was awarded to Armada Township to go toward helping pay off its EMS building that was built in 2006.
       "We did recently find out we were able to donate to other townships and we have talked to John Paterek (Armada Township supervisor)," said Clerk Susan Brockmann. "This is something we have never done before and I just thought we would take a serious look at it. They are neighbors and we do share services."
       Bruce Township was on a deadline to re-allocate the money by the end of June or it would revert back to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The money to be reallocted came from 2010 year CDBG funds.
       Another option was to give more money to Turning Point but the board decided it had already given that organization $11,250. Treasurer Debbie Obrecht suggested using some of the money on the township hall's front door to make it more handicapped accessible.
       "This particular allocation, we need to allocate them tonight or we are going to lose them," said Brockmann. "I would think that is a consideration for future CDBG funds. Maybe next year."
       Re-allocation of the funds could only go toward projects that were fully approved or ongoing because of the deadline. Armada's project was considered ongoing.
       Paterek asked the board for the CDBG funds to be a donation and not a loan since he couldn't guarantee being able to pay the funds back, especially if CDBG funds were limited or cut out altogether in the future.
       "If there is any funds available that can be legitimately used and potentially could be lost, if you just consider Armada Township fire station we would be grateful," said Paterek. "All this does is pay our debt down faster."