[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6338487,"mediaKeyId","2270032-34c076b543acc8c8276f88b2d0d73e85","parentId",2270032,"title","Ottawa County Finance & Administration Committee approves bond, software, fee and budget measures; wage-study vote draws extended debate","audioSeconds",1127,"startMs",3987000,"endMs",5114000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2270032-34c076b543acc8c8276f88b2d0d73e85&start=3987&end=5114","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2270032-34c076b543acc8c8276f88b2d0d73e85/thumbnail_3987000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6338487/Ottawa-County/Michigan/Ottawa-County-Finance-Administration-Committee-approves-bond-software-fee-and-budget-measures-wage-study-vote-draws-extended-debate","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6338487-9f8c5af25b4e1e4f9631a28dd594f776/orig.mp4?Expires=1773108210&Signature=N-CszGgAeVBCMsmJFK9q6ZPk8Koh4e2Y~kzso4gg1VM3da3LJ9JWN-EmVxR-U-X1D1ADYaT32qeJeAZdofeqqw7MzemZwHnvmXss1pEMiDkqsAv~fJz9IFJA4Il1CBNShpiRaQ7kViA-KdYPaVQBpWgIk6Nr8MJDqt3qWhutc98fRNUvlhdv-ws3zZyO6N6Pv3MpeXNJDVxCU~mrT46rS0uoch13mdmOcraEJq1Hc534MlOpw4Jh75I7unOWwOmod5T7Eaia~HIOZTdBsUQS8DfmrYtPeqKdjq-XGkTORizKl6ivc4sNWqwaiPw~znhManQbdtbeS5sZwtyusd8y6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-02-12T07:21:18Z","article","The Ottawa County Finance & Administration Committee approved a slate of administrative, procurement and budget actions and forwarded them to the full Board of Commissioners. Key approvals included authorization to proceed with a water-system bond resolution, procurement for a new prosecutor case-management system, adoption of new Register of Deeds remote-access subscription fees and approval of a county wage-study contract that drew the meeting’s most extensive debate.

The committee approved the following motions and forwarded them to the full Board of Commissioners (items summarized; packet attachments had full motion text):

Votes at a glance:
- Motion to approve the agenda: approved (voice vote).
- Approve consent resolution to accept minutes from 01/14/2025: approved (voice vote).
- Approve statement of review: approved.
- Approve accounts payable roll-call (general claims) for period 12/23/2024–01/31/2025 and general claims totaling $24,624,710.45: approved (roll call).
- Approve and forward 2026 budget calendar to Board of Commissioners: approved.
- Receive for information the detailed financial statements for the General Fund and Mental Health Fund and summary for Special Revenue Funds through Q1 FY25: received for information (roll call).
- Approve new Laredo remote-access fee structure for Register of Deeds online subscription: approved (roll call).
- Approve agreement with Carpo/Carpool Solutions and the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan for a new prosecutor case-management system: approved (roll call).
- Wage-study contract with Baker Tilly: a motion to table the contract was proposed and failed on a roll call; the original contract motion to approve Baker Tilly for wage and compensation services (contract total $107,400) then passed on roll call after debate and a request by several commissioners for additional documentation of the RFP respondents.
- Approve resolution authorizing issuance of not-to-exceed $37,600,000 principal of Ottawa County Water Supply System Bonds, Series 2025 (Wyoming transmission main and surge suppression financing): approved (roll call). The project total described in staff remarks was $84,500,000; the bond authorization is the financing step discussed at the meeting.
- Approve adoption agreement to close the MERS judge division DB plan and move judges into the county’s defined-contribution plan: approved (roll call).
- Approve increase to full-time (1.0 FTE) of the corporate counsel administrative assistant position at a stated annual cost of $1,996: approved (roll call).
- Approve FY2025 budget adjustments per the attached schedule (includes grant and capital adjustments discussed in packet): approved (roll call). The budget adjustment packet included state/public-health grant amendments and facility capital items; several attempts to table or remove individual lines were considered and failed during committee votes.

What drew the most debate: The Baker Tilly wage-study contract prompted the longest discussion. One commissioner raised concerns about Baker Tilly’s public positions and affiliations; other commissioners and staff said the firm was selected through a competitive process (the HR director said there were 16 initial bids, four or five finalists) and that Baker Tilly’s local office serves Michigan. A motion to table the contract (seek a Michigan-only vendor and exclude firms with specified affiliations) was made and failed; the contract was then approved. Commissioners asked HR to provide a list of the RFP respondents and other procurement documentation after the vote.

Other committee notes: Finance staff flagged a larger-than-budgeted health-insurance rate increase (presentation to be reflected in March budget adjustments), continued monitoring of federal grant revenue and a multi‑million-dollar community mental-health budget pressure that staff said they are monitoring closely. The committee also approved the prosecutor’s move to a state-supported, lower-cost licensing arrangement for the case-management system; staff said initial county costs would be limited to enhancements for the first three years and then a maintenance charge thereafter.

Ending: All approved items will go to the full board for final action. Committee members asked for follow-up briefings on (1) detailed procurement documentation for the wage study, (2) status of landfill agreement/tipping-fee renegotiations and (3) short-term funding options for the county’s sustainability/household hazardous waste sites.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","February 11, 2025, Ottawa County Finance and Administration Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The committee approved a series of administrative and budget measures and forwarded them to the Board of Commissioners, including authorization to pursue a water-system bond, procurement of a prosecutor case-management system and a countywide wage-study contract that sparked extended debate.","taxTitle","Ottawa County, Michigan","taxId",3875,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6338492,"Good Samaritan urges continued funding for Ottawa County eviction-prevention program after reporting near-term gains",637,482000,1119000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2270032-34c076b543acc8c8276f88b2d0d73e85&start=482&end=1119","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2270032-34c076b543acc8c8276f88b2d0d73e85/thumbnail_482000.jpg","/articles/6338492/Ottawa-County/Michigan/Good-Samaritan-urges-continued-funding-for-Ottawa-County-eviction-prevention-program-after-reporting-near-term-gains","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6338492-051c206e262bdb7e540619046ce6198b/orig.mp4?Expires=1773108210&Signature=P9rxt6GN0AZooS5mW6pYBVj0twK5ui6THJZ4Nd6kRdg~hwgK17d1XwqUOVIVWpXsOmoSODS-Hf7YSw1auQpWnkL0puXatsqEykd6X58ye8mPXJqJxKasYJIy7bZ8NkwVu-UYAmiSHgSWPwUor2W9zKk24JQbL6TCudlcPStMUMB0qfS84yS-g-0effQLchxdV2mXg~y-ERYPvo04rMYa3yTMoMIOZm8QW5wT9lXgFXr3YtfKqtnKE1XeS8Zx6P8q8CQ3GIOtBECqIbd2G-FUyRelTHSIYssrXICLSqQn~uz9A3HQjLD9tte8xlDRFxPpqw~TSuhG7IqqcQ8Sdljmxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Good Samaritan representatives briefed the Ottawa County Finance & Administration Committee on the Ottawa County Eviction Prevention Program (OSEP), described program results and challenges, and asked the county to consider continuing funding.

Brian DeBosse, representing Good Samaritan, said the organization’s mission is to “end poverty and homelessness in a partnership with our community,” and described OSEP as a collaboration between Good Samaritan, the district court, and the Office of Strategic Impact. He said the program focuses on residents at or below 50% of area median income and provides targeted payments and housing navigation to stop evictions.

DeBosse told the committee Good Samaritan answers “a little over 4,000” hotline calls a year and served “about a thousand of those calls.” He said OSEP participants saw a near-term jump in stability: “We increased housing stability in OSEP by 98%,” meaning most clients in the program remained housed over the period measured. DeBosse said the program also reduced court time by allowing staff to work with judges and referred tenants before cases completed the court process.

Why it matters: OSEP seeks to reduce evictions, trauma to families and pressure on emergency services, and to limit court caseloads. DeBosse and other speakers said rising rents, limited low-cost rental stock and rising childcare and transportation costs are driving more households into instability. He said the program screens applicants for eligibility and pays only for qualifying households, noting that many callers are screened out for not meeting the program’s income or residency criteria.

Program operations and limits: Good Samaritan staff described OSEP as typically engaging clients for a minimum period (DeBosse said their involvement is generally “a minimum of 3 months”), with case-by-case variation after that. The group said an original client-payback element of the program produced mixed results: some participants repaid part of the assistance but many could not because of very tight household budgets (examples included retirees on small checks and households living paycheck to paycheck).

Funding request and next steps: DeBosse said the program’s funding is scheduled to run out “the September year” (as stated to the committee) and asked the board to “consider funding at some level for this to continue.” He proposed redesigning the program toward earlier intervention, adding incentives for program participation and keeping flexible funds for diverse emergency needs (car repair, utility payments, short-term unemployment). He also said Good Samaritan uses other community resources first before OSEP funds and is exploring employment supports and smaller home-ownership pathways for clients.

Committee response: Vice Chair Commissioner Zalstra thanked Good Samaritan and noted the organization was one of the county’s ARPA partners; the vice chair said the committee had invited ARPA grantees to report how they used funds. Commissioners asked operational questions — including how many residents were served (Good Samaritan reported “1,376 residents” as the number of residents reached, with household counts not specified) and whether financial-management or budgeting classes are part of the program. DeBosse said Good Samaritan provides housing-stability plans and partners with community organizations for financial coaching, but keeping participants engaged after a crisis remains a challenge.

Outstanding details: Good Samaritan listed funding sources for its services as MSHDA, HUD, county and private contributions and community foundations, and said OSEP is privately funded in part. DeBosse asked county staff to work with Good Samaritan and the county’s Office of Strategic Impact to design a more sustainable model and offered to bring a refined proposal back to the board.

Ending: The committee did not take formal action on Good Samaritan’s request at the meeting. Members thanked the presenters and said staff would continue to review OSEP funding options and program design changes.

","Good Samaritan presented results from the Ottawa County Eviction Prevention Program (OSEP), reporting a high housing-stability rate for clients and asking the county to consider continued ARPA or other funding as the program’s current funds near exhaustion.","actionData","errors"]

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Ottawa County Finance & Administration Committee approves bond, software, fee and budget measures; wage-study vote draws extended debate

Good Samaritan urges continued funding for Ottawa County eviction-prevention program after reporting near-term gains