Houghton Council Wrap: USDA Picks Up the Bill on the College Avenue Project and Matches Funds on a New Loader

The US Department of Agriculture will pick up the bill.

Last night Houghton city council approved three actions that will request allocated funds from the USDA, two for the college avenue project. As well as request the department for funds as a part of a rural development grant accepted by the city. The two payments for the college avenue project involve water and sewer work completed by Upper Peninsula Engineers and Architects and Michigan Department of Transportation. The city will request that the USDA fund the department’s contribution to the rural development project.

Houghton has also been awarded a rural development grant by the USDA, that will include match funds for a wheel loader for the public works department. The federal agency will grant the city 124,300 dollars toward a 255,000 dollar loader. Bringing Houghton’s contribution to 130,700 dollars. City Manager Eric Waara said that the department was on schedule to replace a loader in the fleet, as the equipment are well used during  the long snowy winters.

Additionally Waara notified the council that temporary parking has been opened in the east lot of the Lakeshore Drive Project, creating 56 available spaces. In line with the temporary parking lot addition, the city will begin to place signage around downtown. The signs posted around the city will direct vehicles where parking lots for overnight, permit lots, free all-day parking and two hour parking time limits are located.

Last Mary Kaminski, lead organizer for the Verna Mize Triathlon stopped by to thank the city for its help in a successful third ear of the event. This year 48 people participated in the weekend, and the Verna Mize Triathlon included their first para-athlete. Kaminski identified Amy Zawada with the city staff as instrumental in the event’s presence on social media.

Councilor Craig Waddell and City Manger Eric Waara will visit Muskegon, Michigan later this fall for the Michigan Municipal League conference. In the case of a city manager vote, and Waara is absent, Waddell will act as the city’s proxy vote.

Councilors Bob Backon and Craig Waddell were both absent from the meeting.