Roscommon County

The primary focus of the meeting included updates on Lake Level Control Structures for Houghton Lake and Lake St. Helen, with a resolution passed to rescind the previous decision regarding the Lake St. Helen structure to allow for new dam design following stakeholder input. The Board also discussed the Acceptable Use Policy and Strategic Plan updates. New business covered the Clerk/Register of Deeds 2025 Year in Review. Resolutions were adopted authorizing the County Treasurer to amend Lake Level Special Assessment District Rolls and authorizing the placement of the Local Road Improvement Millage proposal on the August 4, 2026, Primary Election ballot.

The scheduled meeting agenda for February 11, 2026, includes several items for consideration. The consent agenda covers approval of previous minutes from January 28, 2026, claims/accounts, correspondence, monthly department reports, and administrative updates. Unfinished business involves updates on Lake Level Control Structures. New business items were also slated for discussion. The document also includes motions approved on February 11, 2026, such as appointing a member to the Roscommon County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Board and supporting February 2026 as American Heart Month. Additionally, details from the January 28, 2026, Regular Meeting are included, covering discussions on Board Rules (adding a rule for funded committee presentations), updates on Lake Level Control Structures for Houghton, Higgins, and St. Helen Lakes, and action regarding the Community Wildfire Protection Plan grant funding and contract approval.

Key discussions included updates on Lake Level Control Structures for Houghton Lake, noting USGS transition and ice dams, and Higgins Lake, where gate extensions are complete and an Advisory Board meeting is scheduled. The Board also addressed amendments to Board Rules, specifically regarding funded committee presentations. In new business, an update on the Community Wildfire Protection Plan indicated success in securing $50,000 in state funding, with a contract approval scheduled for the following meeting due to the high local wildfire risk. Motions carried to adopt the 2026 Board Rules (changing regular meeting start time to 9:00 AM), set dates for Budget and Finance Committee meetings, set dates for Lake Level Control Structure meetings, adopt the Building Emergency and Catastrophic Weather Closure Policy, and adopt the 2026 Committee Organization and Appointments.

The Work Session agenda included discussions on Parliamentary Procedures led by the Clerk. Key topics involved a legal team discussion regarding the Review of the Lake Special Assessment District (SAD) and an affirmation of the Board's support for the current legal lake levels. Additionally, there was a presentation regarding Higgins Lake by Tim O'Rourke. The overall context of the meeting, based on related agenda items and correspondence, heavily involved discussions, opposition, and potential resolutions concerning the establishment of a Special Assessment District for Higgins Lake levels.

The Roscommon County Hazard Mitigation Plan serves as a foundational document for reducing long-term risks to human life and property from various natural and technological hazards. It outlines activities and recommendations to continuously reduce vulnerability across key areas, including severe weather, geological threats, fires, floods/drought, hazardous materials, infrastructure problems, public health emergencies, transportation incidents, seasonal population shifts, and civil unrest/war. The plan aims to integrate hazard mitigation into day-to-day governmental functions, ensuring the protection of public health, safety, property, and economic interests.