Lighthouse Emergency Services will get about half Clarkston’s Community Development Block Grant funds this year.
The City Council voted unanimously, Dec.11, to allocate $3,600 of $8,000 to Lighthouse North: $2,600 for food, clothing, and other emergency services to low and moderate-income people, and $1,000 to replace linoleum flooring at the Sashabaw Road facility. Clarkston also received $8,000 in CDBG funds last year.
Lighthouse gets the maximum allowed under CDBG rules, administered by the federal Housing and Urban Development department, said City Manager Dennis Ritter.
‘Not more than 45 percent can go to a service agency like Lighthouse,? Ritter said.
Clarkston’s SCAMP program gets $1,200 for two strollers designed for special needs children and young adults, and $2,500 goes to Independence Township Senior Center for tables, chairs, office furniture, storage cabinets, and other furnishings for an office extension.
The remaining $700 goes to Clarkston as an ‘administration fee,? which Ritter calculated to include city employees? time and wages, and mail, driving, and other costs.
‘It includes all the things needed to administer the program throughout the year,? he said.
Most of the funds go to programs in Independence Township because the city does not fall under the CDBG income rules, he said.
‘That’s why they always end up going to SCAMP and Lighthouse,? said Council member Charles Inabnit.
Rules allow reallocation of funds during the year, so Mayor Stephen Arkwright asked Ritter to check into using some to improve handicap parking on Main Street.
‘There has been talk of leveling Washington Street,? Arkwright said. ‘I don’t know what it would take, but I’d sure like to see that.?
‘To make it level, this wouldn’t even touch it,? said Council member Charles Inabnit, an engineer by trade.
Another idea is to level out entrance thresholds into Main Street businesses, said Council member Cory Johnston.
‘They’re not handicap accessible,? Johnston said. ‘That would be a smaller project.?
Oakland County Board of Commissioners gets final approval on the project list, Ritter said.