Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Livingston County’s Congresswoman joined the sponsors of four community projects this week that have received more than $3.5 (m) in federal funding through her office.

Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin secured funding for The Howell Depot Lot, a ladder truck for the Green Oak Township Fire Department, trail connections for the Metroparks, and powerlifting equipment for Livingston County ambulances – which Slotkin noted will be the first agency to secure this type of equipment in the state.

In total, Slotkin secured more than $24.5 (m) million in federal funding for 15 community projects across mid-Michigan.

Livingston County Emergency Management Services received the largest local award of $1.16 (m) million for power loading ambulance equipment. EMS submitted a proposal noting that one in four EMS workers suffers a career-ending back injury within the first four years of their employment and that lifting a loaded cot into an ambulance can pose injury risks to patients. The project is designed to preserve the wellbeing of the County’s EMS employees and increase patient safety.

The City of Howell will receive $750,000 for the reconstruction of the Depot Lot. The City submitted a proposal for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the lot to provide a safe and usable space that will include the addition of 40 spaces for visitors, access to downtown businesses and community recreation activities, as well as a winter ice rink.

The Green Oak Township Fire Department will also receive $750,000 to replace a 27-year-old aerial ladder truck. The truck is in need of replacement due to increased maintenance costs and decreasing reliability.

The Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority was awarded $900,000 toward Livingston County Regional Trail Connections. The Authority proposed an engineering design project for trail connections to improve the trail network throughout Livingston County and better connect secondary trails, recreation areas, and population centers into the primary Great Lake-to-Lake Trail. The connections are for four regional parks including the Brighton State Recreation Area and Huron Meadows Metropark.

Some other projects that received funding throughout Slotkin’s newly redrawn 7th District include Stockbridge Community Schools. The district will receive $2.5 (m) million for a School-Based Area Health Center that will serve youth and residents of Stockbridge, Stockbridge Township, the Village, and the five neighboring rural townships that include Unadilla, White Oak, Bunker Hill, Waterloo, and Henrietta. The Center would provide direct medical and mental health care services to individuals and small groups, provide local access to laboratory services, monitoring and management of patient chronic diseases, annual health examinations, and specialty clinics for the needs of various patient populations.

The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office will receive $410,000 for updated equipment for its Training Center that includes physical fitness equipment for wellness programs, firearms training equipment, a defensive tactics mat room, and de-escalation/use of force training suits.

Oxford Township was awarded $374,696 for a safety path. A 5,100-linear-foot safety path will be constructed for pedestrians along the west side of N. Oxford Road and the south side of Ray Road. The path will be a shared-use path that supports a variety of recreation and transportation opportunities for walkers, runners, cyclists, and individuals who use mobility aids. The November 30th, 2021 shooting at Oxford High School was said to have illustrated the importance of the safety path. When students evacuated the building to head to a safe area, there was no safety path to protect them from traffic and provide them with a level, barrier-free walking surface.

The Ingham County Health Department will receive $500,000 for an Advance Peace initiative, a gun violence intervention program that aims to reduce urban gun violence.

Ingham County Parks will receive $2.7 (m) for the final, 1.5-mile phase of a trail that will go along Cedar and Howell Roads from College Road to Kearns Road. The project will include a safe pedestrian crossing over the highway to provide a safe route between Holt and Mason for trail users. It would also provide an alternative transportation route next to DART Container, a large employer in Ingham County.

During the event, Slotkin commented that all of the projects represent advocacy and government working together to support communities’ needs and she “can’t wait to see these projects get moving”.

In her original announcement, Slotkin said “After receiving 90 proposals and vetting them carefully, our office has been advocating for these 15 projects for the better part of a year, working closely with local leaders across the District to make the case for federal funding that would benefit communities across mid-Michigan. With almost $25 million in federal funding secured, these projects will help cities like Lansing and Howell expand their fire department and ambulance services, provide new training equipment for our local law enforcement, rebuild critical infrastructure in Oakland County, and improve trails and parks that Michiganders across the state use every day. I’m proud to have brought this funding into our area and look forward to coordinating with the officials overseeing these projects to make sure that the funds are delivered as quickly as possible.”