KALKASKA -- It's a laundry list of municipal wants: pedestrian safety improvements, water main upgrades, energy-efficient street lighting, wireless Internet, sewer lift station upgrades and a new septage receiving facility.
The village of Kalkaska would like money for any or all from Michigan's cut of the federal stimulus package.
Kalkaska submitted $9.4 million worth of "shovel-ready" projects to the state to be considered among thousands of requests for funds from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, a package meant to boost the nation's economy by spending on infrastructure and other projects.
Kalkaska seeks far more than requested by other area villages. Officials aren't overly optimistic, though.
"We probably won't get funded for them," said Penny Hill, Kalkaska's village manager.
Kalkaska's big ticket projects include $1.86 million to replace old cast iron water mains to improve water quality, $1.68 million to build a new septage receiving facility with limited pre-treatment abilities, and $1.28 million to extend a downtown streetscape project north along U.S. 131 to M-72, and then west along that highway.
Officials hope streetscape work would help draw people into Kalkaska.
"Kalkaska is a drive-through town. It's not generally a destination town," said Dean Farrier, chairman of the local Downtown Development Authority. "We're striving to make it a destination town and streetscape work would help catch through drivers' attention."
The work would include new decorative sidewalks and energy-efficient street lights, he said.
"To me, anything that can happen in this area will help. If we don't get it, I hope Traverse City gets it or Elk Rapids or somewhere in our region. I hope we get it, though," Hill said.
Elk Rapids officials also submitted requests for nearly $1.9 million and their big project is connecting a third public water well into an existing water system, including a new well house, generator and accompanying work on River Street.
Saturday: DNR, state parks want their share.
It takes a stimulus?
Villages across northwest Lower Michigan submitted requests to the state for consideration as part of the federal stimulus package. Among them:
-- Bellaire: $596,000 for improvements to Warner Bridge, upgrades to Derenzy Road and repairs to sewer lagoon banks.
-- Beulah: $1.6 million for water main and tank system upgrades.
-- Elberta: $1.5 million to make sewer and water infrastructure improvements, including replacement of an existing lift station.
-- Ellsworth: $3.5 million for a wastewater treatment system.
-- Honor: $450,000 to install new pumps at three sewer lift stations to improve energy efficiency.
-- Kingsley: $1.42 million to overhaul Pearl, Blair and Spring streets, including some stormwater, sewer and water main improvements.
-- Lake Ann: $575,000 to repave four miles of deteriorating village streets, including curbs and gutters.
-- Mancelona: $488,000 to upgrade water mains, relocate a water well and refurbish existing wells.
-- Thompsonville: $520,000 to build an additional parallel airplane taxiway at the airport.
Source: State of Michigan
