Lakeshore communities get in line for $50M in federal stimulus money, but will they get it?

Fifty million in federal stimulus money could be coming to a five-county lakeshore region, but is communities aren’t ready to seek, and qualify, they’re going to miss out. The money could rebuild roads, fun schools, transportation and more.

According to excerpts from the story:

The flood of federal stimulus money could end up being a trickle into West Michigan if local communities are not aggressive in pursuing the money. Communities like Detroit, Lansing and Grand Rapids are already lining up to spend the $18.4 billion that the state of Michigan is expected to receive from the unprecedented $787 billion economic recovery package signed Tuesday by President Barack Obama.

The West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission — a five-county federal planning agency — estimates the region could secure $50 million in road, wastewater, economic development and environmental projects.

But WMSRDC Executive Director Sandeep Dey told a group of Muskegon-area government officials Thursday that money will not flow freely into communities unless they seek it. Some of the money will reach West Michigan simply on a formula basis.

Read the complete story here.