After months of debate and discussion, some northern Michigan communities are starting to spend their American Rescue Plan Funds, UpNorthLive.com reported.
Traverse City is one of those communities, but a proposed expense raised questions among the firefighters, the report said.
Two fire stations dating back to the 1970s have some serious deficiencies when it comes to gender neutrality and ABA compliance, a fire official said. A memo went out regarding spending $150,000 ARPA dollars for gender-neutral bathrooms at the fire station. Some firefighters expressed that while they appreciate the funds and want to be inclusive, they’re still left with needs they feel are more pressing for their own safety, like fire detection and suppression in the dorms they sleep in every night, the report said.
The ARPA funds are going to create a separate living space and bathroom for a potential female employee should one be hired in the future, a city official said, according to the report.
No final decisions were made at Monday night’s city commission meeting; it’s expected to be discussed again as an action item at the November 21 meeting, the report said.