Tribe distributes $4 million in 2 percent allocations

Observer Staff

11/26/2003 12:00:00 AM

About $4 million was allocated to local governments and area municipalities during the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe's semiannual 2 percent process.

Of that amount officially distributed on Nov. 26 at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort, $1.9 million went to Isabella County. Seventeen projects were funded for the county, including $445,361 to the Bay Area Narcotics Enforcement Team and $410,918 to the Isabella County Commission on Aging.

"This funding has allowed us to maintain our special programs and activities at our Senior Center," stated Executive Director Brenda Upton in her application. "[These] programs would otherwise not be available to those older adult senior center participants to attend on a daily basis."

The city of Mt. Pleasant was awarded $404,665 to the Youth Services Unit. Mt. Pleasant Public Safety Director William Yeagley call the unit "unique" in his application request and also mentioned it is not inhibited by jurisdictional boundaries.

"The Youth Services Unit is a very unique unit," he stated. "It is our belief that this is a model with an attempt to focus on the youth of Isabella County. Our unit is sought after from all different agencies throughout Michigan, as well as the United States, as a role model."

Area schools also netted about $1.1 million, with the majority of that amount going to Mt. Pleasant Public Schools at $912,066.23.

Two projects concerning roadways were also approved. The first project earmarked $160,000 for a two-mile stretch of Weidman Road from Meridian and Lincoln roads to be reclaimed and paved. The other funding request was for $65,000 and concerned the paving of High Street between Brown Street and Isabella Road.

Union Township was allocated $410,250 for sewer installation on Remus Road. The sanitary sewer will be constructed from its current location on the west side of U.S. 27, east along Remus Road and down to Summerton Road.

Since 1994, the Tribe has allocated about $59 million to area governments and programs. In accordance with its consent agreement with the state, the Tribe distributes 2 percent of its Class III gaming revenues with local governments. Due to press deadlines, a detailed breakdown of the latest distribution will be in the next edition of the Tribal Observer.