Board approves $100,000 for Advancing Macomb and consolidated Brownfield/FEMA actions for North Branch Greenway parcels

The Macomb County Board unanimously approved a consolidated motion covering four related items: a $100,000 contract with Advancing Macomb, a $50,000 Brownfield grant amendment for additional testing at Jimmy John's Field in Utica, acceptance of a $1,000,000 FEMA flood-mitigation grant for property acquisition along the North Branch of the Clinton River, and an interlocal agreement to pass FEMA funds through to Macomb Township for property purchases to be used for recreation.

County staff said the Advancing Macomb contract continues prior programming work and will expand the community impact fund activities to convene stakeholders and leverage county resources. Phil Gilchrist, identified in the meeting as the director of Advancing Macomb, told commissioners the organization advises nonprofits and can walk organizations through what is necessary to complete nonprofit paperwork but does not complete forms on their behalf: “We do not complete the paperwork for them or on their behalf, but we’re happy to advise on what’s necessary to complete that process successfully and walk alongside organizations as they do that,” Gilchrist said.

On the Brownfield amendment, county staff said the additional $50,000 from the Michigan Department of Environment (Brownfield program) will support further vapor-management testing at Jimmy John's Field to complete mitigation work. The FEMA grant item will make Macomb County the fiduciary; the county will pass funds to Macomb Township so the township can buy privately held parcels and preserve them for the North Branch Greenway and recreational use.

Commissioners asked whether the properties are currently county-owned; staff said they are privately owned and will be purchased by Macomb Township under the interlocal agreement. The board approved the consolidated motion 12–0.

Next steps include finalizing contracts and the interlocal agreement and coordinating property acquisition planning with Macomb Township and local trail-planning efforts.