Ironwood Schools applies for USDA funds

By RICHARD JENKINS

[email protected]

Ironwood — The Ironwood Area Schools has applied for several U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development grants, hoping to use the federal dollars to maximize its purchasing power for several district projects.

The district has submitted four grants, according to Superintendent Travis Powell, prioritizing the applications based on importance to the district’s goals.

Gogebic County is one of three counties in Michigan where municipal entities and other qualifying organizations are eligible to apply for the funds, according to a USDA news release, which are available through the USDA Rural Development’s Community Facilities Program. A total of $150 million is available for communities around the country where the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a disaster declaration in 2018, according to the release. Over 100 types of projects are eligible for funding, according to the release.

The three Upper Peninsula counties — Gogebic, Houghton and Menominee counties — qualify through the Aug. 2, 2018 disaster declaration regarding the June 16-18 storms that caused flooding around the region.

Although each entity has a different match requirement for the grant, Powell said USDA Rural Development will fund 55% of the project costs for any of the district’s successful applications, with the district providing the remaining 45% in matching funds.

Powell said the district’s top priority is a grant to expand Chromebook access for students in the district.

“If we are funded with that grant, we would be able to purchase 422 Chromebooks and 25 charging stations,” Powell said. “That would be a tremendous leap forward for our student-use technology.”

He said if the project is funded, it would put the district very close to its goal of issuing every student their own Chromebook.

Two of the other applications seek funds to purchase additional school buses.

The district’s millage, which was passed in the August 2018 election, authorized funds for approximately five buses and the two grants would allow the district to extend the bond money further.

The district purchased two new buses prior to the start of the school year with bond funds, and plans to purchase the remaining buses over the life of the bond.

“(If grants are awarded) we’re basically able to turn the purchasing power of the bond into buying big ticket items for 45-cents on the dollar,” Powell said.

Powell said the fourth project is significantly smaller and seeks to upgrade, “Our radio communication capabilities for our buses.” The project would enable the drivers to better communicate with the school and the other buses. Powell said the bulk of the project’s approximate $15,500 cost would be the purchase of a repeater to boost the radio signals around the district.

The applications were submitted last week, according to Powell, and the district needs to hold a special public meeting on the projects as part of the application process. A special meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Oct. 3 at the Luther L. Wright K-12 School.

“The purpose of the public hearing is to explain the projects and invite public comment,” Powell said.

He said he hopes to hear if the district was awarded any of the grants sometime in October.