The county Board of Commissioners approved four applications for Grand Traverse Band tribal council allocations of 2% funds last week.
These included allocations to Housing North, Inland Seas Education Association (ISEA), the Leelanau County Historical Preservation Society (LCHPS), and Leelanau County Probate/ Family Court.
According to the grant applications included in the meeting’s e-packet, the probate/family court will use the funds to purchase a 12-passenger van to transport youth to various outings as part of their outdoor recreation program.
Housing North will expand its rental preservation program to be able to secure year-round leases in the county, the LCHPS will fund two outdoor educational exhibits at the Poor Barn, and ISEA will retrofit one of their schooners to accommodate youth overnights and expand their educational offerings.
The county also reviewed their final decision on the Poor Barn appeal at their May 14 executive session, a week prior to the regular meeting.
According to the board packet, the LCHPS sought to change the Poor Barn’s classification to hold a public event there in early 2023. The county building safety department denied the application because the site did not meet the requirement for bathrooms “as well as other code requirements for assembly use.”
The LCHPS and Barn Use Committee appealed this decision a year later in March 2024. The county board considered the matter at an April 11 public hearing, where the board unanimously passed a motion to affirm the building safety department’s decision.
