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The Hancock City Council is moving ahead with efforts to secure a pair of improvement grants and voicing their opposition to a couple of bills in the State House.
Following a public hearing on the subject at their regular meeting Wednesday, the council voted to submit an application for a passport grant from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The funds would be used to construct an addition onto the existing restroom building at the Hancock Campground, along with an electrical upgrade for the restrooms and throughout the campground area.
The cost of the project is estimated to be about $193,000, with the DNR grant covering $144,700 of the total cost and the remaining $48,300 coming from the city’s recreation budget.
The council also gave City Manager Barry Givens permission to submit a Notice of Intent to apply for grant money to install an emergency generator at the fire hall.
Most of the estimated $30,000 needed could be covered by a Homeland Security Grant from the Michigan State Police because the location would serve as an emergency warming center in the event of a widespread power outage.
The city council voted to submit letters of opposition to two bills under consideration in the state legislature.
One of the bills prohibits local governments from restricting short-term rentals and the other is meant to prevent so-called “sanctuary cities” by prohibiting local governments from instructing local officials not to cooperate with immigration law violation investigations.
The council voted unanimously to oppose both of these bills due to the fact that they infringe on a local municipality’s right to self-govern.
