There’s about $829,000 sitting in a Dorr Township special American Rescue Plan Act fund, and Township Trustee Chandler Stanton says he wants something done with it.
Stanton Thursday night presented his colleagues with a proposal to have a special meeting very soon on how to spend the money, but because he did it at the last minute, Supervisor Jeff Miling and some board members balked. Miling said he doesn’t like to made such an important decision hastily and he declared he wouldn’t be available for any of the three proposed meeting dates.
Stanton said he’s tired of “kicking the can down the road” and noted the township has received the federal money over the past two years without taking action.
“This is a once in a lifetime situation for (Dorr getting) that kind of money,” he said.
The township has voted to spend $200,000 on bringing water and sewer to the business park project to succeed the Kent County landfill, it has received a request from the fire department, $13,000 for the Dorr Township Library and $200,000 from the Parks Commission.
It was agreed that Miling would make a good faith effort next month to call a special meeting to discuss the issue.
The ARPA funds come from the Biden Adminstration’s campaign to provide some kind of revenue sharing funds to communities, based on population, to recover from losses associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
In other business at Thursday night’s meeting, the board:
• Appointed Lee Bernal to an open seat on the Parks Commission, thereby creating a full commission of five members.
• Learned from Library Director Jeff Babbitt that the township library has been able to get ahold of two “hot spots” that can be used by local residents who don’t have Internet connection in their homes.
• Was told by Clerk Debbie Sewers that she’s considering offering a “cemetery buyback” program for citizens who contract for too many plots and want to unload them.
• Approved signing of an agreement between the township, City of Wyoming, Byron Township and Kent County Department of Public Works for the sustainable business park plans.
