Congressman Mark Schauer is committed to getting results for the people of Washtenaw County. Below is an overview of his efforts to bring jobs and investment to our area.
Recovery Act: Road Funding
As part of the Recovery Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, $24.4M in funding will be coming to Washtenaw County for reconstruction of I-94 between the Jackson County line and Parker Road.
Recovery Act: School Funding
As part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, Washtenaw County school districts are expected to receive the following funding amounts:
- Saline: $1,038,000 IDEA increase
- Dexter: $665,000 IDEA increase
- Manchester: $275,000 IDEA increase
- Chelsea: $602,000 IDEA increase
- Whitmore Lake: $883,000 IDEA increase; $82,354 Title I-A increase
Recovery Act: Public Safety Funding
As part of the Recovery Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, Washtenaw County will receive a $160,744 public safety grant through the Edward Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Justice. This funding will be used to help communities keep their neighborhoods safer with more police officers, prosecutors, and probation officers; more radios and equipment; more help for crime victims and more crime prevention programs for youth.
Recovery Act: Energy Efficiency
As part of the Recovery Act, which Congressman Schauer voted to support, Washtenaw County will receive more than $766,000 from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program . The EECBG program provides federal grants to units of local government, Indian tribes, states, and territories to reduce energy use and fossil fuel emissions, and for improvements in energy efficiency.
2010 Appropriations Requests
As part of the 2010 Appropriations process, Mark requested the following projects for Washtenaw County. To learn more about this process, and see a complete list of projects our office requested, click here.
Total Perimeter Surveillance
$2,000,000 – Defense
This request is a good use of taxpayer dollars because the project will help protect our military personnel from the threat of chemical or biological weapons. The project completes development of a Total Perimeter Surveillance (TPS) system for Department of Defense buildings, which uses a new infrared technology to identify and respond to threats from chemical or biological attacks. There are over 200 key Department of Defense facilities in the U.S. alone which currently lack perimeter monitoring capabilities for the presence of chemical and biological weapons. Passive infrared spectroscopy has been the standard technique for identifying chemical threats at a distance. However, FTIR-based systems are bulky, complex and maintenance intensive, and don’t perform well at sensing threats released close to the horizon. Instead, the TPS system would provide a networked array of unattended passive/near-passive infrared sensors to provide 360 degree detection and identification of threats with sufficient advanced warning to Department of Defense facilities to respond effectively.
Dexter Research Center has been in business in Dexter, Michigan, for 30 years, growing from 2 employees to over 70 today. Upon completion of this project and when Dexter Research Center would begin to produce, manufacture and sell these arrays, Dexter Research Center anticipates that it will add a new production line to its present facility and add 15 new jobs, including high level engineers, manufacturing, and sales, with the potential for more jobs as production expands into other commercial and industrial applications.
Recipient:
Dexter Research Center, Inc.
7300 Huron River Drive
Dexter, MI 48130
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Shipboard Wireless Maintenance Assistant (SWMA) On Demand Information System
$5,000,000 – Defense
The Shipboard Wireless Maintenance Assistant (SWMA), a critical technology for the Navy’s Integrated Ship Control System, will help protect our Sailors and improve shipboard and ship-to-shore communications. The SWMA is a rugged handheld wireless device for providing critical on-demand logistics and maintenance information to shipboard and supporting Navy personnel. It allows information integration from multiple legacy software platforms to provide quick, responsive support tools to the hands-on logistics or maintenance provider while providing that individual the ability to “reach back” to senior technical support staff located on ship or in remote environments.
This technology is essential to enable the Navy to meet its objectives of improving readiness, ensuring operational effectiveness, improving Sailor productivity and reducing naval manning requirements. The SWMA also serves as a critical need platform for Expanded Maritime Interception Operations (EMIO) for anti-piracy actions, by providing data collection hardware and software in one portable platform. The SWMA works both in a wired and wireless configuration, providing capabilities that do not exist in the fleet today. SWMA is currently being validated through the Navy’s Trident Warrior evaluation deployment program.
Founded in 1989, Cybernet is a certified woman-owned small business comprised of engineers, scientists and skilled business professionals. This request is a good use of taxpayer dollars because the funding will allow the SWMA to move into Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) and to team with a manufacturer in Jackson County to begin manufacture of deployable units, creating 10 to 15 additional engineering jobs in Ann Arbor and an estimated 254 manufacturing jobs in Jackson, Michigan.
Recipient:
Cybernet Systems Corporation
727 Airport Blvd.
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108
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Tactical Athlete Cooling System (TACS) for Troops in Hot Environments and Fire Personnel
$1,000,000 – Defense
The Tactical Athlete Cooling System (TACS) is a portable “core-cooling” glove that will allow troops to avoid major health threats such as heat-related injury or loss of consciousness due to extreme heat. TACS is a non-invasive technique for effective manipulation of body core temperature. It extracts heat from blood circulating through subcutaneous vascular structures called “AVA’ structures in human hands and feet. It operates with and without vacuum and will allow the war fighter to maintain dexterity to perform manual tasks. A commercial variant of this technology is already being used domestically by firefighters and first responders. This project will provide for development, testing, and then procurement of tactical mobile (TACS) technology that meets Department of Defense specifications.
AVAcore Technologies is headquartered in ScioTownship (Ann Arbor), Michigan, and is a world leader in core cooling technology. This request is a good use of taxpayer dollars because the project would result in 8-10 full time positions in Dexter, plus an undetermined number of additional part-time assembly and manufacturing positions in the future.
Recipient:
AVAcore Technologies
333 Parkland Plaza Drive, Suite 700
Ann Arbor (Scio Twp), MI 48103
2010 Transportation Requests
On behalf of Washtenaw County, Mark has made the following requests for funding in the 2010 surface transportation authorization bill:
The Ann Arbor – Detroit Commuter Rail project will provide rapid transit rail service along a 55-mile corridor in SE Michigan. This project will extend the passenger service 35-miles westward serving the greater Chelsea and Jackson communities. This will include: construct, plan, design, engineer, conduct an environmental review, acquire right of way, conduct alternative analysis, implement, rehabilitate, and mitigate.
Additional trains departing daily from the Jackson station will assist in stimulating commercial and residential development at and adjacent to the station and the surrounding neighborhoods. This service will provide commuters an alternate, reliable source of transportation to employment centers in southeast Michigan. The provision of this service may alleviate the need for future widening of the I-94 corridor and reduce existing congestion and vehicle emissions.
Requested amount is $20,000,000.
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Design, engineer, and reconstruct bridge/overpass, roundabouts and non-motorized mobility for the existing interchange of US-23 and North Territorial to address traffic congestion, safety and economic development at that interchange and its vicinity.
The design is eco-friendly with the smallest footprint possible minimizing the water runoff and impact to wetlands while moving the greatest volume of traffic. The roundabout design saves on fossil fuels and emissions providing constant movement opposed to traffic sitting idle at signal lights. The project would also address the safety issues that abound in that interchange as well as provide for less fossil fuel emissions by reducing idling time for vehicular traffic.
Requested amount is $20,800,000.
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People’s Express is a Public, Coordinated Transportation non-profit agency applying for an Administration and Vehicle Maintenance Building. The transportation facility will house People’s Express Staff and vehicles; including in house maintenance. The administration facility will create a self sufficient more effective mobility center.
People’s Express provides essential or lifeline services to residents of Washtenaw, Livingston, and Oakland Counties. It provides access to jobs and medical services, as well as life support trips. This facility will provide a central location for the countywide Mobility Management Manager for Washtenaw County and bordering counties of Livingston and Oakland. Transfer stop will be implemented for Livingston buses to transfer rides destined for University of Michigan Hospital and area. Will bring jobs for construction, electricians, roofers, cement layers etc. to build facility or retrofit. When complete will provide jobs for more drivers, maintenance staff and office staff.
Requested amount is $1,600,000.
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Covering the segment of US-12 from N. Harris St. to N. Lewis St. and on N. & S. Ann Arbor St. from E. Henry St. to E. McKay St. Including the design, planning, and reconstruction of downtown streetscape and pedestrian crosswalks.
This improvement will increase foot traffic in the downtown and help to revitalize the downtown businesses and the local economy. This improvement will provide a safer and more pedestrian friendly environment including the addition of safer crosswalks.
Requested amount is $1,520,000.
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Conduct alternatives analysis, plan, design, complete environmental review, construct and rehabilitate for extension of WALLY commuter rail service on an existing rail line between City of Ann Arbor, MI and City of Saline, MI.
This service when implemented will provide jobs to the operators as well as improve access to jobs Ann Arbor, Pittsfield Township, and Saline. The improved transportation options will allow for the redevelopment of the Ford plant and the Industrial park in Saline. This service when implemented will provide a safe alternative to driving a single auto through the congested State Street corridor that has a high number of rear end traffic crashes due to congestion. The City of Saline currently has no fixed route transit or commuter service which limits access to the major medical facilities and specialty medical providers in the City of Ann Arbor. This service will provide improved access for those who reside in the City of Saline, Saline Township and Pittsfield Township.
Requested amount is $5,000,000.
Green Schools Funding
Congressman Schauer voted in favor of legislation that will improve our public schools, create clean energy jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil and lower energy costs for taxpayers. According to the House Education and Labor Committee, local school districts are expected to receive the following funding amounts for FY2010 under the House-passed bill:
- Chelsea, $36,000
- Dexter, $39,000
- Manchester, $24,000
- Saline, $53,000
- Whitmore Lake, $62,000
