City on a roll in grants

Thanks to a state grant, Hamtramck will be able to upgrade all of its street lights.

By Charles Sercombe
Sometimes, it pays to be a city in financial trouble.
Hamtramck is one of 11 financially-distressed communities to receive part of an $8 million grant from the state.
The money will be used for three projects:
$167,860 to complete a property reappraisal to provide updated and accurate assessment records.
$50,000 to upgrade City Hall security.
$404,600 to put in new street lighting.
Hamtramck’s grant totals $622,460, a little less than half of the city’s initial request for $1.6 million.
The award came as welcomed news nonetheless.
“We’re ecstatic,” said City Manager Katrina Powell in an email. “Of course, we always have more needs than funding available, but a couple of these awards will positively impact our revenues. …”
One huge impact on savings for the city is the upgrade in street lights, which had already begun last year. The new low-energy LED lights will result in a yearly energy savings of $200,000, said former Emergency Manager Cathy Square, who initiated applying for the grant a few months ago.
“That will save us a huge amount of money,” Square said.
As for funding the re-assessment of all properties, Square said it will result in the city “capturing some properties not in the system.”
“This will be an opportunity to start from scratch,” she added. “You want to make sure you get as much revenue you can get, and be fair to everyone.”
City properties have not been re-assessed for about 50 years.
The City Hall improvement will create a separate entrance for city hall employees and will switch to a card reading device to enter.
The only catch to the grant is that the city must pay for the improvements upfront and wait to be reimbursed.
Square said the wait won’t be long at all.
“They’ll get the money right back,” she said.
This is the second grant Hamtramck has received in recent months. In December, the city received a $1 million federal grant to fight blight.
Other cities that received state grant money include Benton Harbor, Highland Park, Ecorse, Flint, Inkster, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, Pontiac, River Rouge and Royal Oak Township.
“Municipalities receiving this special funding are some of the areas hardest hit by the Great Recession,” said Gov. Rick Snyder in a press release. “I am pleased we can offer funding assistance to help these local governments improve various public services their taxpayers and residents expect and deserve.”