“I am very pleased that the Senate passed – without changing one comma -- this legislation to fund these important projects that will benefit our local communities and support successful programs and necessary infrastructure needs,” said Kildee.

Listed below are the projects in Saginaw, Bay and Tuscola counties that received funding at the request of Congressman Kildee:

Saginaw Police Department Gunshot Locating System: $200,000 investment in the Shotspotter gunfire detection system, bringing the total federal investment into the program to nearly a half million dollars. Shotspotter triangulates the location of gunfire within seconds using strategically placed sensors that instantly analyze and record gunshot data. The system will continue to improve law enforcement’s ability to quickly respond to gunfire. Rep. Kildee also recieved the $282,000 earmark granted for the program’s startup in the fiscal year 2008 appropriations legislation.

Caro ‘Generations’ Youth After-School and Summer Programs: $100,000 to fund the Human Development Commission’s “Generations” program, which provides services before and after school and through the summers to disadvantaged children or to those who are at-risk in failure in school. Generations brings together kids, seniors and teens for activities including drug and crime prevention and awareness, educational instruction, community service, 21^st century technology and school success. 

Saginaw River Dredging and Project Condition Surveys: $3,525,000 to maintain the Saginaw River Channel, which is a federally authorized commercial navigation project. Maintenance dredging is required for navigation to continue at maximum efficiency on the river.

Bay Regional Medical Center – Breast Care Center facilities and equipment: $190,000 to consolidate breast care facilities into a Breast Care Center. Currently, the Bay Regional Medical Center’s breast care capabilities are spread across the community and require patients to travel to various locations for comprehensive cancer services. 

Buena Vista Township – Town Center Infrastructure and Streetscape: $237,500 for road infrastructure, sidewalks and streetscapes for the Town Center. Buena Vista Township will develop a 36 acre parcel of land into a new mixed-use development called the Town Center. The Town Center would include retail, commercial, housing and public recreation space. The redevelopment site is the heart of Buena Vista Township and is one mile from the I-75/M-46 interchange.

Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Service (STARS) – Bus and Transit Improvements: $190,000 in federal aid to replace an aging vehicle fleet and improve existing facilities. Funding will be used also to renovate and expand the Rosa Parks Operations Center. Upgraded facilities will include improvements to the garage, and automated fare boxes will be installed in STARS buses. 

Caro Transit Authority – Bus Replacement: $285,000 would be used to replace four buses, which have reached the end of their service life. The Caro Transit Authority serves all of Tuscola County, Michigan.