Brandon Twp.- The township will receive $35,716 in Community Development Block Grant funds for 2007, slightly less than the inital projection of $36,788.
The grant is given by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by Oakland County. The township board unanimously approved a revision of funds use at their May 7 meeting. The funds will be designated as follows: $7,972 for the repair of a retaining wall at the Edna Burton Senior Center; $11,500 for a minor home repair program; $5,500 for youth services; $5,000 for emergency services; $3,244 for the senior newsletter; and $2,500 for HAVEN.
The township will also use CDBG funds from previous years to tear down the current senior center retaining wall and build a new one.
The township has received declining CDBG funds for several years, says Township Clerk Jeannie McCreery.
‘It’s a tremendous amount of work, but worth it,? she said. ‘It’s $36,000 we wouldn’t have had.?
CDBG funds must be used within a certain amount of time. McCreery noted that the township has more than $12,618 from 2004 CDBG funds that are slated for a fire suppression system for the Old Mill.
‘If they (the Village of Ortonville and the Ortonville Community Historical Society) don’t use that money this year, we lose that money,? she said. ‘It has to be spent.?
McCreery noted there is about $20,000 total for historical preservation? with $5,209 in CDBG funds designated in 2005 (for which an extension must be sought) and another $2,500 in 2006.