One longtime Saginaw community group that protested lack of ARPA inclusion at the Jan. 23 City Council meeting had its pleas answered at the Feb. 6 session, when members unanimously approved $400,000 for the Houghton-Jones Neighborhood Association.
A group with similar three-decade experience, Women of Colors, aired a similar grievance on Feb. 6 but came up with nothing, at least so far.
Both decisions took place at the end of the meeting without discussion, the same as many of the votes during the past six months to disburse $52 million from ARPA, the federal American Rescue Plan act, which is intended to assist with poverty and hardship that became more severe with COVID-19.
Some Council members say decisions basically are finished, while others contend that an excess of $1 million may remain available. Michael Flores received no support for his motion to grant the Women of Colors proposal for $384,000. Tension continues to mount.
“ARPA was a blessing, but it also was a curse, all in the same package,” said Mayor Brenda Moore, because of hard feelings over which groups are receiving funds and which are not.
In the category for community centers and youth programming, these are the sums that have been allotted:
- The Neighb (Neighborhood House), $2.4 million
- Project YEARN (Youth Employment), $2.16 million
- Saginaw Community Action Committee (CAC), $1.25 million
- First Ward Community Center, $950,000
- Boys & Girls Club, $903,000
- Youth Development Corp. (YDC), $731,000
- Mexican American Council, $500,000
- Houghton-Jones, $400,000 (as of Feb. 6)
- Saginaw YMCA, $0
- Women of Colors, $0
- Mission in the City, $0
