St. Joseph County

The agenda for the meeting included several items requiring action. The consent agenda covered the approval of minutes from the Executive Committee (February 10, 2026) and the Regular Board Meeting (January 20, 2026), along with budget amendments for the Child Care Fund to address increased home care costs. Several reappointments and appointments were proposed for the Community Corrections Advisory Board, Local Emergency Planning Committee, Parks and Recreation Board, Planning Commission, Board of Public Works, and Transportation Authority. New Business items included a recommendation to accept the bid for the Jail Screening Project from Ottenweller Contracting, approval of a resolution to join the Michigan Liquid Asset Fund Plus, and approval of a Letter of Support for the Kalamazoo County Household Hazardous Waste Center project.

The meeting focused on advancements in custom AI solutions. Key discussions included a live demonstration of creating custom GPTs, including file uploading and setting adjustments. The task force also explored customizing chatbots from scratch, specifically for the Council on Aging (COA), and integrating them with the county website. A review of the Claude 3.5 model highlighted its capabilities, such as split-screen functionality and reduced hallucinations compared to other models. Open discussion covered Joey AI's potential public release and the necessity of ensuring website information is current for AI training. Action items include testing custom GPTs/chatbots, training Joey AI on departmental websites, and updating all online information.

The agenda for the meeting on January 6, 2026, includes opening ceremonies, roll call, the election of the Chair and Vice-Chair, and adoption of the agenda. Key discussion points involve setting the Board Meeting Dates and Executive Meeting Dates for 2026. The document also contains the minutes from the Regular Meeting held on December 16, 2025, where actions included adopting the agenda, approving the consent agenda (which covered minutes from prior meetings and financial reports), hearing public comments, receiving presentations on annual reports, addressing committee reports (appointing a member to the Road Commission), and new business which involved approving the DTMB Integration Agreement and Resolution 18-2025, the Community Health Agency Appropriation Resolution 19-2025, the Pivotal Appropriation Resolution 20-2025, and the Opioid Settlement Funds Budget Amendment Request.

The meeting covered advancements in artificial intelligence, including a comparison between new AI models like Claude and ChatGPT, and a demonstration of the customization capabilities of the 'Notebook LM' tool for podcast creation. The task force reviewed Flux AI, an image generator, noting its utility for professional headshots while also expressing concern regarding its potential for malicious image manipulation. Key discussions focused on the necessity for developing policies regarding the appropriate and ethical use of AI by county employees, including whether mandatory usage should be enforced. A demonstration showcased AI's capability to match or exceed human judgment quality in mock judicial interviews quickly. Furthermore, discussions addressed new developments in autonomous AI agents capable of performing tasks like spreadsheet manipulation and email sending, which could streamline county report generation, provided oversight concerns are addressed. The task force is working to consolidate findings on time-saving opportunities and workflow improvements for presentation to the steering committee.

The meeting commenced with opening remarks and a roundtable update on members' AI-related activities, including testing compliance with the Open Meetings Act and developing AI workflows for juvenile caseworkers. Key discussions included the judiciary's reluctance to adopt AI due to fear and misunderstanding, and efforts to deploy an AI chatbot named Joey for county website inquiries. The Task Force debated the transition from exploration to implementation, agreeing on the necessity of drafting a report for the Board of Commissioners summarizing findings and future plans. Challenges identified involved staff resistance rooted in job security concerns and the requirement for continuous education. Action items included departmental representatives drafting summaries on current or potential AI use and the Task Force collaborating on the main report, focusing on ethical use and user accountability.