An aerial perspective of the Topinabee village center looking north once the “Topinabee Green Corridor” enhancement project has been completed.
Updated Sep. 8, 2010 @ 8:07 am
Topinabee, Mich. —
The community of Topinabee is waiting to hear if it will receive a federal grant to fund streetscape and environmental improvements.
In late August, Mullett Township officials submitted a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER II) grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation in hopes of securing $2.8 million in funds for the “Topinabee Green Corridor” enhancement project, previously known as the “Streetscape Enhancement Plan for Topinabee.”Google this: www.otsego.org/.../topinabee/Topinabee%20Tiger%20II%20Budget.xlsx
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Strictly Confidential Mullett Township
V2.1 October 31, 2011 Topinabee Green Corridor
Page 4
Summary of Revised Application Items
Budget
The budget of $2,840,172 from the 2010 Mullett Township TIGER II application has been reduced to $1,592,926 in the 2011 TIGER III application, reflecting the project segment, completes the transportation infrastructure improvements within the Topinabee community. In addition, Mullett Township has increased the match commitment from $100,000 in 2010 to $318,585 (20%) in 2011.
Engineering Cost Estimates
Cost-estimates have been revised to reflect the proposed project segment and the current market value.
Benefit/Cost Analysis
Mullett Township will hire HDR to complete a benefit/cost analysis of the project based on Sustained Return on Investment (SROI) to demonstrate the benefits of the project segment pursuant to the primary criteria outlined in the NOFA.
Environmental Review
It has been determined that the independent utility of the project segment of the project qualifies as a Categorical Exclusion pursuant to Under 23 CFR 771.117 and CEQ Section 1508.4 C and D criteria.
October 23, 2011 Township Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
The Mullett Township Board of Trustees met at the Mullett Township Hall at 8:00pm in the Mullett Township Hall in Topinabee, Michigan. All Board Members were present: Willard Morgan, Rachel Osborn, Karen Morgan, Dennis Dombroski and John Brown.
Supervisor Morgan opened the meeting with the Pledge of Allegiance.
On a motion by Dennis Dombroski to cap the Tiger Grant III at $l.2M which was seconded by Bill Morgan on a roll call vote as follows:
Ayes: Dennis Dombroski
Karen Morgan
Rachel Osborn
Bill Morgan
Nayes: John Brown
The supervisor declared the motion passed.
Meeting adjourned at 8:55pm
Respectfully submitted,
Rachel Osborn
Mullett Township Clerk
Oct. 4,2011 Mullett Township Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes
The Mullett Township Board of Trustees met at the Mullett Township Hall at 8:00pm in
Topinabee, Michigan. All Board Members were present: Willard Morgan, Rachel Osborn,
Karen Morgan, Dennis Dombroski and John Brown.
The meeting was led with the Pledge of Allegiance by Dennis Dombroski.
The Mullett Township Minutes September 6, 2011, September 8, 2011 (special meeting)
September 28, 2011 (special meeting) were presented and approved as presented by a
motion from Dennis Dombroski and seconded by John Brown, motion passed.
On a motion by Dennis Dombroski to have Mullett Township approve $1,000,000.00 for
the application of the Tiger Grant III with a match of 20% or $200.000.00 seconded by
Bill Morgan. Motion passed.
RESOLUTION - MULLETT TOWNSHIP 2011 - #8
WHEREAS, the Mullett Township Board of Trustees see a need to improve the walkable
trails, walkable sidewalks and general upgrading of facilities in the parks and
WHEREAS, the Topinabee Development Association has promoted the Streetscape Plan
for the village of Topinabee and
WHEREAS, the Complete Streets Plan will encompass the walkable plans put together by
both the Mullett Township Board of Trustees and the Topinabee Development Association and
WHEREAS, residents plan to apply for grant funds from Federal and State funds to
accomplish more user friendly walkable situations in Mullett Township facilities such as
bike trails also being used for walkable trails as well as the village of Topinabee sidewalks,
crosswalks to help make the community more attractive and
THEREFORE, now be resolved that Mullett Township Board of Trustees and Topinabee
Development Association support the Complete Streets Program effort.
Resolution offered by Board Member Dennis Dombroski
Second offered by Board Member John Brown
Upon a roll call vote: AYES: John Brown
Dennis Dombroski
Karen Morgan
Rachel Osborn
Bill Morgan
Nayes: 0
The supervisor declared the resolution adopted.
Rachel Osborn
Mullett Township Clerk
What are the real "facts"??
The Mullett Board, after the failed Tiger II Grant, approved a revised $1.2 million Tiger III Grant application with a local match never publicly stated to exceed $200,000.
Karyn Warsow, the grant writer, in cooperation with the engineering firm Wade Trim and the TDA submitted an application that clearly shows a total proposed cost of $1,592,926 with a $318,585 Mullett Township match.
Would that discrepancy in amounts be defined as FRAUD on a Federal Grant application?
Tiger III Grant application-DENIED on request
August 2013
By RICHARD CROFTON
richard@cheboygantribune.com
MULLETT TOWNSHIP — The Mullett Township Board of Trustees gave its first stamp of approval to move forward on the proposed streetscape project Monday night.
By a 4-0 vote, the township has directed WadeTrim of Gaylord to proceed with developing a combined conceptual plan with added design elements, preliminary engineering and landscape architecture, storm sewer design and detailed and itemized cost estimating for the project.
The action approved by the board will cost $33,600.
The streetscape will improve the center of the village in Topinabee and will include a pedestrian friendly sidewalk system, organized parking, relocation of existing overhead wires and removal of power poles along M-27. The project would be between Beeson Street to just south of Topinabee Mailing Route Road.
“We want to finalize so we can get going on the streetscape plan,” said Township Clerk Rachel Osborne. “The board has to say yea or nay on the final adjustments.”
Those adjustments included the addition of two bump outs and the addition of a concrete slab near the pavilion.
With storm sewers being a part of the design, Osborne informed the board of a new SAW grant that has just been developed.
The Stormwater, Asset Management, and Wastewater (SAW) grant has just been developed by the state.
“The SAW grant is a brand new grant that just came out in the last couple weeks,” she said. “I would like to get this solidified and get it going and get this started.”
Supervisor Mary Ann Gale said it is time to start moving forward as well.
“My thought is to go forward on this proposal,” she said. Trustee Dennis Dombroski added, “I think we might as well develop it to some point and see where we end up in the grant competition.”
The township will try to get the project funded through not only the SAW grant, but the Transportation Alternatives Program grant program.
Email received from Clerk Rachel Osborn on August 13, 2013 in response to message advising her of SAW Grant informational seminars.
"The SAW grant does not apply to our situation in Mullett Township."
So much for that part of the news story. Check out the real facts on the Transportation Alternatives Program, please look under eligible activities and decide how much of a stretch it is to apply any of the qualifying criteria to Topinabee. Here is a link: TAP Grants
At a 2013 Trail Town Grant meeting open to the public, Tom O'Hare of the TDA stated that the Mullett Board, the TDA, and Wade Trim had been "playing for the come" on a proposed "streetscape/green corridor" for years. For those, like myself, who do not shoot dice, the term literally means keep throwng the dice until theoretically you get lucky.
Now, the "facts" are all there. The Topinabee Development Association, bankrolled by the taxpayers of Mullett Township, continues to shoot "streetscape" craps, throwing the dice against the wall, hoping for a "come".
Karyn Warsow, the grant writer, in cooperation with the engineering firm Wade Trim and the TDA submitted an application that clearly shows a total proposed cost of $1,592,926 with a $318,585 Mullett Township match.
Would that discrepancy in amounts be defined as FRAUD on a Federal Grant application?
Tiger III Grant application-DENIED on request
August 2013
By RICHARD CROFTON
richard@cheboygantribune.com
MULLETT TOWNSHIP — The Mullett Township Board of Trustees gave its first stamp of approval to move forward on the proposed streetscape project Monday night.
By a 4-0 vote, the township has directed WadeTrim of Gaylord to proceed with developing a combined conceptual plan with added design elements, preliminary engineering and landscape architecture, storm sewer design and detailed and itemized cost estimating for the project.
The action approved by the board will cost $33,600.
The streetscape will improve the center of the village in Topinabee and will include a pedestrian friendly sidewalk system, organized parking, relocation of existing overhead wires and removal of power poles along M-27. The project would be between Beeson Street to just south of Topinabee Mailing Route Road.
“We want to finalize so we can get going on the streetscape plan,” said Township Clerk Rachel Osborne. “The board has to say yea or nay on the final adjustments.”
Those adjustments included the addition of two bump outs and the addition of a concrete slab near the pavilion.
With storm sewers being a part of the design, Osborne informed the board of a new SAW grant that has just been developed.
The Stormwater, Asset Management, and Wastewater (SAW) grant has just been developed by the state.
“The SAW grant is a brand new grant that just came out in the last couple weeks,” she said. “I would like to get this solidified and get it going and get this started.”
Supervisor Mary Ann Gale said it is time to start moving forward as well.
“My thought is to go forward on this proposal,” she said. Trustee Dennis Dombroski added, “I think we might as well develop it to some point and see where we end up in the grant competition.”
The township will try to get the project funded through not only the SAW grant, but the Transportation Alternatives Program grant program.
Email received from Clerk Rachel Osborn on August 13, 2013 in response to message advising her of SAW Grant informational seminars.
"The SAW grant does not apply to our situation in Mullett Township."
So much for that part of the news story. Check out the real facts on the Transportation Alternatives Program, please look under eligible activities and decide how much of a stretch it is to apply any of the qualifying criteria to Topinabee. Here is a link: TAP Grants
At a 2013 Trail Town Grant meeting open to the public, Tom O'Hare of the TDA stated that the Mullett Board, the TDA, and Wade Trim had been "playing for the come" on a proposed "streetscape/green corridor" for years. For those, like myself, who do not shoot dice, the term literally means keep throwng the dice until theoretically you get lucky.
Now, the "facts" are all there. The Topinabee Development Association, bankrolled by the taxpayers of Mullett Township, continues to shoot "streetscape" craps, throwing the dice against the wall, hoping for a "come".
