Ms Osborn and Mullett Township Supervisor Bill Morgan were successful in their attempt to exclude the Mullett Township residents from their “Special” Meeting held on September 8, 2011.
There was no notice posted on the Township Bulletin Board and NO mention made at the well attended Regular Board Meeting on September 6, 2011 of the “Special” Meeting already secretly scheduled in less than 48 hours. It was in fact, a “Secret” Board Meeting.
On the belatedly posted notice, which may meet Michigan’s Open Meeting Act, but may contravene the notice required under the Michigan Township Act of 1846, Ms Osborn has made a number of confusing statements. Please see the posted photos of her notice and minutes of the “Secret” Meeting. Here is what Clerk Osborn posted.
“To discuss and review the Tiger III Grant with Karyn Warsow and Paul Rapasky of Wade Trim, adopt a way forward with details to be included in the grant:”
I believe Ms Osborn is aware that Karyn Warsow is NOT an employee of Wade Trim. Ms Warsow and Mr Rapasky, an engineer with Wade Trim, have cooperated with other Grant applications and further information is available at this link- http://www.otsego.org/gbc/core_staffing/core_staffing.htm
“To discuss and review the total scope of the engineering plans offered by Wade Trim on June 27, 2011 for the following …………….., cost estimating and Grant Application for an MDOT Enhancement Grant Village of Topinabee, Mullett Township, Cheboygan County, Michigan. "
Now, am I confused, or is Township Clerk Osborn confused? This is the first mention of any MDOT Grant application that I have seen. The Tiger Grants are a federal program, United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). That is NOT the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). If this is another, entirely new grant application to MDOT, nice of the Mullett Township Board to let us know about it.
“To discuss and consider the matching funds available from Mullett Township within the budget for fiscal year 2011-2012 and fiscal year 2012-2013. Matching funds available only from the General Fund.”
The 2011-2012 Budget is available elsewhere on this blog. There are NO funds set aside for matching funds for any grant applications in the formally adopted budget. Of more importance, since the Mullett Township Special Meeting Minutes provide NO dollar amounts; what is the amount of the Tiger III Grant application?
Last year’s unsuccessful Tiger III Grant requested $2.6 MILLION dollars with a $100,000 contribution or match approved by the Mullett Township Board.
At this year’s Tiger III Grant presentation to the Board, Ms Warsow advocated a 20% match. If the project has been downsized, and this is all conjecture as NO dollar amounts have been made public, 20% of $2.5 MILLION dollars would require a $200,000 contribution from the Mullett Township taxpayers. How does the east side of Mullett feel about this? How does any Mullett Township taxpayer feel about this “behind closed doors” appropriation of taxpayer funds?
“To approve or not approve the Tiger III Grant application.”
Ms Osborn states” By a motion by Bill Morgan and a second by Dennis Dombroski, it was moved to go forward with an approval of a pre process application by Karyn Warsow for the Tiger Grant III”.
“To approve or not approve the matching funds from Mullett Township in the form of General Funding for the Tiger Grant III, should Mullett Township win the Tiger Grant III.”
How much is this costing us Ms Osborn? What is the dollar amount of the Tiger III Grant and what amount has Mullett Township committed as a “matching funds”?
Last year’s Tiger II Grant funding application listed all of the Mullett Township taxpayer’s commitments to the Board’s many Grant applications. Quite a lot of money committed for “an economically depressed” area.
9.0 Grant Funding
As an economically depressed rural project site, the Township of Mullett is requesting a total of $2,840,172 in funding as outlined in the corresponding line-item budget: http://www.otsego.org/gbc/rural_mentoring/topinabee/Topinabee%20Tiger%20II%20Budget.xlsx
On September 7, 2010 the Mullett Township Board will make a formal motion to commit $100,000 to the TGC project. Therefore, the total TIGER II amount requested for the TGC Project is $2,740,172. In conjunction with the financial match to the TGC, the Township of Mullett is also providing a match for the following projects:
1) Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Grant
In the spring of 2010, the Mullett Township Board finalized plans for proposed improvements to the Township Park located along the shore of Mullett Lake in Topinabee. The plan includes improved access to the waterfront park, additional recreational amenities and a pathway system for individuals with disabilities. The plan also solves a long standing erosion problem.
Project cost: $270,000
Township Match: 30%
2) Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) CDBG Façade Improvement Grant.
In early 2010, three businesses in Topinabee applied for a façade improvement grant from the MEDC. For the grant the businesses in total have committed to employ 11 additional individuals from the community. The grant will be used to make improvements proposed by the architectural firm retained by the Topinabee Development Association (TDA).
Project cost: $107,000
Business match: $27,500
3) United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Area Grant
In July 2010 the Mullett Township Board submitted a grant request to the USDA to restore an historic schoolhouse and convert it to the Mullett Township Library. The schoolhouse which dates to the 1930‟s has been part of the history of Topinabee and is one of the few remaining schoolhouses in the state which maintains its original design.
Project cost: $280,650
Township match: 50%
We attempted to see the “overview” of this Tiger III Grant application as prepared by Ms Warsow, here is the link- www.scribd.com/doc/61745609/Topinabee-TIGER-III-Overview
You’ll see only this- Sorry! This document is not publicly available.
The owner has set this document to private.You will not be able to read it unless the owner changes it to public on their "My Documents" page, or sends you a direct link.
We’ll give Ms Osborn a little time to respond to these questions and make some figures public before we file a request for the information under FOIA.
Meanwhile, can Ms Osborn please correct the proposed minutes? As posted on-line at the “official” Mullett Township Government site, $10,000 for Wade-Trim, as posted at the Township Hall, $10,500 for Wade-Trim. We know, it is only $500, when the Board is discussing millions, but one has to be incorrect.
