BACKGROUND:
On March 27, 2019, the Board of Trustees adopted Resolution #19-21, a resolution in support of an application for grant funding for a green infrastructure project on Textile Road.
The proposed project is in line with the commitment that Pittsfield has to continue to move toward a sustainable future and addressing issues such as water quality, detention/retention, and stormwater management. This commitment is reinforced through the Preservation Plan that outlines a Green Infrastructure vision and map while also delineating specific objectives such as leveraging our linear park system (greenways) for installation of green infrastructure such as rain gardens and bioswales that support habitat, reduce flood risk, and can improve air quality.
The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) has awarded Pittsfield Charter Township $46,500 in pass-through funds for this project from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) to be used between July 1, 2019 and December 31, 2020.
On November 13, 2019 the Board of Trustees authorized the Supervisor and Clerk to sign a Grant Agreement with SEMCOG and authorized the use of Tree Mitigation and funds for a Green Corridor on Textile Road. This allowed us to solicit construction proposals from qualified contractors in March to perform a much larger project that included the rain garden alongside other green corridor improvements along Textile Road.
Only two proposals were received, and both proposals exceeded the township’s budget. Additionally, the COVID-19 Pandemic is projected to negatively impact our revenue streams and it is essential for us to be more cost effective. As such, we recommend reducing the scope of the project and self-performing the work, as we did for the Township Hall rain garden project.
The revised proposal includes plans, specifications, construction sequencing, maintenance schedule, and an estimate of probable construction for a total of $45,593 with a 10% contingency for a cost not to exceed $50,152, of which $46,500 will be grant funded.