Use of grant funds OK'd for Grand River ArtsWalk
By Keith Roberts
The Jackson Citizen Patriot (Michigan)
June 11, 2009
The City Council voted Tuesday to use Community Development Block Grant funds to help pay for the Grand River ArtsWalk.
The city has commitments for about $1.8 million of the estimated $2.1 million project cost and voted 4-1 to use $330,000 in unspent CDBG funds to cover the balance.
Councilman Carl Breeding cast the ``no'' vote, saying he would rather use the funds to repair streets, assist nonprofits, provide energy assistance and create summer jobs for youths.
``I just think it's a waste to use it for a walk,'' Breeding said.
City Manager William Ross said while the CDBG funds could be used for the types of things Breeding suggested, the $1.8 million, which is mostly from the state, could not. Ross said if the city didn't use the funds for the ArtsWalk, it would lose them.
The council was in a similar situation at its last meeting when considering whether to use federal stimulus funds to repair Jackson Street.
``Here we go again,'' Mayor Jerry Ludwig said.
Councilman John Polaczyk said it pained him but motioned to use the CDBG funds for the ArtsWalk. Later, Polaczyk motioned to send a letter to state and federal officials expressing council members' concerns about how stimulus funds can be used, and the motion passed.
Polaczyk said he understands that stimulus funds can only be used for existing programs to save time, but if the idea is to use them to stimulate the economy, local governments should be given more leeway to use them as they see fit.
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