June 21, 2010
Citizens will be able to participate in conference via Internet
LANSING - Governor Jennifer M. Granholm today announced that nine Michigan communities awarded Centers for Regional Excellence (CRE) grants in 2008 for collaborative projects among local governments will discuss their successes and challenges Wednesday, June 23 at a statewide conference in Okemos.
"The Centers for Regional Excellence program encourages local governments to think and act regionally," Granholm said. "By working together, local communities can use taxpayer dollars more efficiently and better compete for economic development projects that can create jobs."
The conference will run from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the Meridian Township Hall in Okemos and be accessible statewide via the Internet at www.homtv.net. People watching the conference on their computers will be able to phone in or e-mail questions to the nine CRE awardees. Also on hand to answer questions will be representatives from the Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Townships Association, Michigan Association of Planning, Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), and the governor's office.
The 2008 round of grants was the second awarded through the CRE program created by the governor to promote regional cooperation throughout Michigan. The program is funded primarily through MSHDA.
Each of the nine communities was awarded a grant of up to $25,000 over the following two years for collaborative projects among local governments that make their communities better places to live, work and play. In the CRE request for proposals, emphasis was placed on projects involving regional economic collaboration.
The nine awardees reporting on their projects at the June 23 statewide conference are:
- Aerotropolis - Develop a master plan, attract business and create jobs for the areas surrounding Detroit Metropolitan and Willow Run airports. Counties of Washtenaw and Wayne; cities of Belleville, Romulus, Taylor and Ypsilanti; townships of Huron, Van Buren and Ypsilanti; Wayne County Port Authority.
- Antrim County Forensic Collaborative - Fund a police officer to become certified as a computer forensic investigator to expedite arrests and convictions. Antrim County; villages of Bellaire, Central Lake, Elk Rapids and Mancelona.
- The Breezeway - Create a marketing program for the area's major roadway to be named "The Breezeway" to bolster area tourism. City of East Jordan; Banks Township; villages of Atwood and Ellsworth.
- Cheboygan County Crowdsourcing - Use an innovative technique called "crowdsourcing" combined with a unique website structure to increase citizen participation and improve communication. Cheboygan County; city of Cheboygan; townships of Beaugrand, Benton and Inverness.
- Eastern U.P. Maritime Experience - Collaborate to market local maritime and cultural tourism attractions. Cities of Sault Ste. Marie and St. Ignace; Eastern U.P. Regional Planning and Development Commission.
- Genesee County Health Initiative - Create an outreach program for the northern tier of Genesee County communities to encourage collaboration, particularly in the area of health care. Genesee County.
- Meridian Tri-County Joint Public Access Cable - Merge two cable infrastructures and allow community media content to be broadcast to the entire tri-county area. Cities of East Lansing and Lansing; townships of Delhi, Lansing and Meridian.
- Van Dyke-8 Mile Gateway - Hire a part-time person to create a solid business association for this community corridor. Macomb County; cities of Center Line, Detroit and Warren.
- Woodward Avenue Action Association - Provide mapping and other information for prospective developers along the Woodward corridor. From Detroit in Wayne County through Bloomfield Hills in Oakland County.
