Coral Van Ells

The Board of Commissioners discussed various administrative and community-related items, including the appointment of a member to the Veterans Affairs Committee. Key resolutions included the allocation of American Rescue Plan funds, the acceptance of a Watershed Council Support Grant, ratification of a Community Corrections comprehensive plan, authorization of a Community Navigator Pilot Program, and budget amendments for the COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Additionally, the Board approved reclassifications, a Corridor Fiber Optic Backbone project, employee lump sum payments, and supported federal COVID-19 relief and nutrition priorities. Concerns regarding M-14 safety and opposition to wildlife killing contests were addressed. The County Administrator provided updates on return-to-work plans and emergency orders related to severe weather damage.

The Board of Commissioners discussed various administrative and financial resolutions, including the issuance of qualified 501(c)(3) bonds for charter school facilities, the approval of the 2020 Scrap Tire Grant Award, setting the millage rate for the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority, and establishing the 2021-22 Child Care Fund budget. Additional actions involved ratifying COVID-19 response grants, amending the Responsible Contractor Policy, supporting the Area Agency on Aging Fiscal Year 2022 Implementation Plan, authorizing financial hardship waivers for CMH providers, and approving payment of claims. The meeting also included an update from the County Administrator on the service delivery model and a discussion regarding the increase of Covid-19 cases in the community.

The Board of Commissioners conducted numerous appointments to various advisory committees, including the Agricultural Lands Preservation Advisory Committee, the Area Agency on Aging 1-B Executive Board, the Board of Public Works, the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, and the Historic District Commission. They approved several grant applications for recording system expenditures, funding for marijuana-related expungement assistance, and budget adjustments for various programs including the 2022-2025 quadrennial budget. Additional business included adopting an employee COVID vaccination policy, approving the 2022 meeting calendar, authorizing settlement participation in national opioid litigation, and holding an executive session regarding pending litigation.

The meeting included citizen participation regarding local flooding and public health funding, followed by a response from the County Administrator and Water Resources Commissioner. The board approved several key items, including a Watershed Council Support Grant, the 2021-2022 Community Corrections Budget, a Small Business Administration Community Navigator Grant, and a COVID Emergency Rental Assistance Grant budget amendment. Additional approvals were granted for the 2021 Position Description Questionnaire process, funding for a Corridor Fiber Optic Backbone Project, and a one-time non-structural lump sum payment for regular county employees. Discussions also covered a proposal for flood response funding, a public health millage, and strategies to address underserved and disproportionately impacted populations.

The board held a working session which included a presentation and status update from the Broadband Task Force regarding their findings. Additionally, the Chief Financial Officer and the Finance and Budget Operations Director provided an update concerning the 2021 budget.