Stimulus balance may not be enough to fund some Alpena projects
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ALPENA -- The Alpena County Board of Commissioners has already spent about $1.5 million of the nearly $5.5 million it received from the federal government via the American Rescue Act.
But the cost of proposed projects exceeds what is left from the stimulus funds, which means many projects may have to wait.
Many projects are being considered and, on Tuesday, the Finance Ways and Means Committee discussed how best to utilize the balance.
If the commissioners choose to use more of the money to help stave off large budget deficits - as they did last year - that will lead to fewer projects being funded.
The county used $799,100 from its stimulus to lower its budget shortfall last year and are considering doing so again. The county also spent $500,000 for a new 911 tower and $85,000 for incentive pay for its employees.
The federal money must be used before the end of 2024.
The commissioners scored each proposed project from one to five, with the lower score being the highest priority.
Improvement projects - such as replacing the roof at the courthouse, replacing the current HVAC system and refurbishing the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services office building that the county owns - are also being considered.
The state has already committed to move out of the facility and into its new home on Alpena's north side.
The county is exploring the option of moving some county offices and operations into its office building, behind the county's annex building.
Other projects include improvements of the grandstand at the Alpena County Fairgrounds, improvements of county-owned parks, and a request for $2 million toward a new recycling center proposed for property near the Alpena County Regional Airport.
That money would also help pay for needed infrastructure on the county property near the airport, which the commissioners hope spurs economic development.
The commissioners are also considering helping fund a new or renovated animal control facility and a crematorium for it. Currently the animal control facility is at the fairgrounds, but the board is considering the merits of keeping it there, or moving it to another location, such as the new jail on M-32.
Should the commissioners decide to use more money to stabilize the budget for the next two years, and inject an additional $800,000 each time, it will whittle down the amount of funds it has to use for projects to about $1.8 million.
Commissioner Dave Karschnick said Tuesday it limits how much the commissioners can allocate to other needs.
"If we do that then our decisions we make will be different," he said. "That will leave us a lot less to spread around for other things we need."
The board didn't vote to fund any of the projects, but some of them were referred to committees or to have staff explore and research.
The spending is expected to be addressed again at an upcoming meeting.