Isabella County ranks 2 percent funding requests

Requests to the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe to fund initiatives in Isabella County’s adult treatment court, emergency operations, Commission on Aging efforts and water contamination testing were all ranked as critical needs by county commissioners as entities met a March 31 deadline for applications.

Two other requests — one to fund sexually transmitted disease screening programs and another to create a Material Recovery Facility informational flyer— were ranked as high priority needs.

Those proposals were among hundreds submitted to the SCIT, who will now decided which requests will received 2 percent funding from the Tribe’s semi-annual slot machine earnings.

“This is a huge undertaking twice a year by the tribe. That opportunity for the county is huge, it doesn’t exist everywhere,” said Isabella County Administrator/Controller Margaret McAvoy.

This year, the SCIT introduced an electronic application process for 2 percent requests, streamlining the process McAvoy said.

For entities under the county oversight, the commission reviews applications and ranks their priority level.

“We rank them and we send a letter to the Tribe sharing which applications the county feels are most worthy,” McAvoy said.

Critically ranked requests include:

•Adult Treatment Court Participants, $45,900

Isabella County Trial Court is asking for funding to support a program that serves adults who may have addiction issues leading to court action. Grant dollars would support evening and weekend drug and alcohol testing, transportation, and incentives for successful steps within the program. The grant request noted that the opioid epidemic continues to increase court expenses, and that studies show for every dollar spent in a treatment court $27 are

saved elsewhere.

•Emergency Operation Center technology, $15,962

Isabella County Emergency Management and 911 is seeking updated equipment including new laptops, monitors, HDMI switches and more to meet the demands of an emergency management center. The request notes that both historic flooding in June of last year as well as an active shooter situation starting on Central Michigan University’s campus highlighted what is lacking currently.

•Isabella County Commission on Aging, $517,558

The request notes that the SCIT has a long history of funding continued efforts of the commission on aging through 2 percent dollars, including recurring support needed to operate. This grant request lists in-home services, the Food with Friends nutrition program, Foster Grandparent and senior companion programs, activity center programing and more. The request notes a growing elderly population that requires or will require services in coming years.

•Central Michigan District Health Department water testing, $8,250

Since 2014 the SCIT has supported through 2 percent funding testing of Isabella County’s public beaches for bacteria including e. Coli. The effort is coordinated with the Tribal Water Quality Program to avoid redundancy and enlarge the testing ability. The date collected is posted publicly and used to identify what may be public health concerns.