Community News

2017 STREET PROJECT REPORT: The City invested more funds in street improvement projects in 2017 than any other single year in the past two decades.  A major contributing factor to this accomplishment was the voter-approved street millage (three mills for five years), which generated $244,678.84 in funds that were dedicated strictly to street improvements in 2017.  We expended $227,734.86 of those revenues in reconstructing one block of East 7th Street, reconstructing one block of Beech Street, and reconstructing nearly three blocks of John R Street. The remaining balance ($16,943.98) of the street funds generated by the dedicated street millage will be carried over to aid in funding our 2018 street projects.  As we complete these street improvement projects, we are concurrently upgrading existing water mains, fire hydrants, and valves where needed.  We expended $84,606.70 to do so in 2017; funding for these upgrades were paid by the City’s Water Fund. 

In addition to the street improvements made using the approved street millage in 2017, the City applied for and received a grant from the State of Michigan in the amount of $414,301.00, which allowed us to reconstruct and add sidewalks and curb to five blocks of Ann Arbor Trail last year.  The City’s costs for that project were $79,919; the grant paid for the remainder of the project costs.  Unfortunately, this grant program will not be offered by the state in 2018; consequently, we will be limited to street improvements that will again be paid for by the City’s street millage funds.  

We estimate that the revenues generated by the dedicated street millage will be $250,657.63 in 2018.  Our planned 2018 street projects are the reconstruction of John R Street from Maple Street to 406 John R and the reconstruction of one block of East Seventh Street from McEwan to Pine Street. We again extend our appreciation to the electorate of Clare for approving the dedicated street millage, which will allow us to continue making significant improvements to our City streets during the period of the approved street millage.  Please contact us if you have questions regarding any of the information related to our street improvement projects and plans.