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Executive Committee meets February 25 SEMCOG's Executive Committee will meet at 1 p.m. on Friday, February 25, 2005, in SEMCOG's downtown Detroit office. The meeting will feature a panel discussion by the Michigan Legislature's liaisons to SEMCOG. They will discuss their views on the top priorities for the 93rd Legislature and what we might expect from the legislature in the areas of local government finance, roads, water quality, air quality, and economic development. SEMCOG's legislative liaisons are Senator Valde Garcia (R-Livingston County); Senator Martha Scott (D-Detroit, Grosse Pointes, Hamtramck, Harper Woods, Highland Park); Representative Clarence Phillips (D-Auburn Hills, Pontiac, Sylvan Lake); and Representative John Stakoe (R-Highland, Independence, Springfield, and White Lake Townships). The Executive Committee will be asked to take action on several items including:
Contact: Amy Malmer, SEMCOG Legislative Affairs Coordinator.
SEMCOG to hold Membership Outreach meetings in seven counties Once again, SEMCOG will be visiting each county in the next couple of months to talk about issues relevant to its members and to conduct Executive Committee elections. All Membership Outreach meetings (formerly, Spring Workshops) have been scheduled:
Invitation letters will be sent to SEMCOG members; online registration is also available at www.semcog.org. Contact: Durene Brown, SEMCOG Membership Manager.
SEMCOG U focuses on government/education partnerships Opportunities for local government/education partnerships will be the topic of a new SEMCOG University workshop — Municipal/Education Partnerships: Blending Government and School District Boundaries to Serve Our Residents — on Wednesday, March 16, 2005, from 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (registration begins at 8:30 a.m.) in SEMCOG's Buhl Building office in downtown Detroit. The workshop will discuss the scope of partnerships that are possible for schools and governments; how local governments and local school districts can partner on joint services; and cost savings, other benefits and challenges of government/education partnerships. SEMCOG University workshops are free-of-charge for SEMCOG members and partners; there is a $75 charge for nonmember local governments. Contact: Ken Bishop, SEMCOG Community and Economic Development Department to RSVP. You can also register online at www.semcog.org; the link to the workshop is under Planning Issues on the home page.
SEMCOG invites comment on annual budget SEMCOG announces the public comment period for the FY2005-2006 Annual Operating Budget and Work Program Summary. The summary and budget is designed to respond to the needs of the Southeast Michigan region as identified by SEMCOG membership. As the work program is implemented, many of the resulting products will be guided by SEMCOG's advisory councils, Executive Committee, and/or General Assembly. The work program summary and budget is now available from SEMCOG Information Services; a summary of the document is on SEMCOG's Web site. Comments can be mailed, phoned, or faxed to SEMCOG Information Services; contact information can be found in the box below. Address e-mail to infoservices@semcog.org. Comments can be made in person at the following meetings:
Contact: SEMCOG Information Services.
2005 recreation grants available, grant workshop scheduled for Feb. 23 Application materials are currently available from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). MNRTF grants are available to local units of government for development of public outdoor recreation facilities and acquisition of land for outdoor and/or resource protection. MNRTF grants require a minimum 25 percent local match. Between $20 million and $25 million in MNRTF assistance is available annually. LWCF is a federal program that provides funds to states for land acquisition and development of outdoor recreation facilities. A portion of Michigan's approximately $2 million apportionment for 2005 is available for local grants, with a focus on meeting community recreation needs. The LWCF programs require a minimum 50 percent local match. Applications for these grants are due April 1, 2005. To be eligible for a grant, local units of government must have a current five-year recreation plan on file at DNR prior to the application deadline. DNR officials will hold a workshop to assist communities in preparing grant applications. It will be held on Wednesday, February 23, 2005, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Michigan Library and Historical Center Auditorium, 717 West Allegan, Lansing. Topics will include applicant and project eligibility, distribution of funds, preparing applications and attachments, project selection, and grantee obligations. A review of the 2005 recreation grant application for both the MNRTF and LWCF will be provided, and DNR staff will be available to answer questions during the session. The workshop is free and preregistration is not required. Contact: DNR Grants, (517) 373-2724 or www.michigan.gov/dnr and follow the links through "Inside the DNR" and "Grants Administration."
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