Good afternoon,
This week was all about the budget. During Tuesday’s board working session, our auditors from Plante Moran presented the findings of our 2021 audit. No surprise to me, our audit came back clean. A successful audit like this requires year-round work from many different people, especially when ordering and charging out materials, tracking staff time and equipment as well as keeping accurate inventory of things. A big thank you to everyone involved, especially the finance team – Dan, Tracy and Jamie!
In addition, Dan gave a Q1 update on the budget at the working session. While we continue to be in good shape budget-wise, we’re starting to see impacts of inflation on our construction projects, material and fuel costs. Fortunately, MDOT has also increased its estimates for 2022 revenue from the Michigan Transportation Fund. Our recommended budget adjustments will be considered by the board at their May 3 meeting. You can check out a recording of the working session on our website or YouTube channel.
Lastly, I’m thrilled to share that WCRC was recently awarded $6.7 million in Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) project grants. This federal money will fund four traffic signal interconnect/optimization projects starting in 2024 and ending in 2026. In addition, it will fund the construction of a roundabout at the intersection of Island Lake Rd and Dexter-Chelsea Rd (east of the viaduct) near the City of Dexter in 2026. This is a record amount of CMAQ money for our organization. A huge thank you to Brent, Elena and the entire Traffic & Safety Team for their efforts in securing these funds!
I hope you are able to enjoy the warmer temps allegedly heading our way this weekend.
Take care and stay safe,
Sheryl