By Sterling McGinn
The Village of Newberry received word that they have won a grant of $1,330,000 for their wastewater treatment plant storage tank project. The item was discussed at the June 16 regular monthly meeting.
“I am happy to announce that we have been awarded a total of $1.3 million in grant money from the Environmental Protection Agency,” said Village Manager Allison Watkins. “It is given directly to the State of Michigan every year to fund green projects in Michigan.”
Watkins mentioned this funding at a previous meeting; it had been previously slated to go to Great Lakes Water in Detroit. That group chose to abandon the project this money had been assigned to, freeing the funds for Newberry’s use.
Newberry’s wastewater treatment plant improvement project involves adding a third sludge storage tank to the plant. This new tank should help the plant’s current digesters work properly—stopping the need for bio-solids to be resent through the plant when digesters get full.
This project, when completed, will reduce operational costs.
The village was offered a loan of $3,050,000 with a two percent interest rate from the State of Michigan Clean Water State Revolving Fund. This was approved at the November 2025 meeting. Accepting this loan, however, required a one-time sewer rate increase of $5. Those funds had to be set aside to pay to annual loan principal and interest fees.
The village requested bids on the project, and those bids were opened on Monday, June 22.
A rate review and rate study, and an accepted bid, must be submitted to Environment Great Lakes and Energy no later than July 7. A special session to select the winning bid will be held on Thursday, June 25.
“This [grant funding] will hopefully take a big chunk out of the final cost of the project,” Watkins said.
In other news, Watkins reported on a recent Fire Advisory Board meeting regarding Newberry Fire Department’s request for a new fire truck purchase in 2026.
Watkins told the board that the new truck hadn’t been requested when budgeting for the year was underway. However, Fire Chief John Wendt and department Secretary Tony Immel were given the opportunity to visit a fire truck plant in Georgia recently where the department may have the opportunity to purchase a truck at a cost significantly lower than other companies.
Getting a new truck from the Georgia company would take six to 12 months at a total cost of about $850,000.
Representatives came from the company met with the advisory board, which consists of representatives from the village, McMillan Township and Pentland Township.
The Newberry Fire Department is owned and operated by the Village of Newberry; however, McMillan and Pentland help fund the department as their areas are serviced by Newberry.
The matter will be sent to each township board for further review, and the village referred the suggestion to the village fire committee for further review.
Also discussed that night was the Village’s “Name the Moose Contest,” which was a request to local youth aged 4-12 to help the village by renaming the village’s mascot formerly known as “Moe.” The costumed mascot has been making visits around town lately.
The village received a good number of submissions, Watkins said. All submissions are hanging in the village office.
The name, though chosen that night by the council, will not be released until the winner is notified. It will be announced at the July regular meeting.
