[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-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",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_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":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6303666,"mediaKeyId","2471022-8c1f408413cd3b0e77503ab967657f48","parentId",2471022,"title","Public commenter raises Open Meetings Act, FOIA and local facility concerns","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",1346105,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2471022-8c1f408413cd3b0e77503ab967657f48&start=1346&end=1346","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2471022-8c1f408413cd3b0e77503ab967657f48/thumbnail_1346105.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6303666/Barry-County/Michigan/Public-commenter-raises-Open-Meetings-Act-FOIA-and-local-facility-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6303666-9d26e74e4cd83b0560aada0764a1306f/orig.mp4?Expires=1775250789&Signature=RgALzosmKSVOP2q92Z0LRpdVemZUu~WdHUi2iVgatrYR3u-CsgQD-vIdpQcUewp9-F5-sQAKf2MKcPXw7uAhxuWa9zWRFH4alvuESLDMeuIOl-1u1aTAOJv-jcxb7wCiD1WkTeWvwHPUf9IIAJBUl33-Qr2myhBzAW6-KenoSwmhVn~7N6doHSYZckJpPv8EWmtyDDbs4IXtDfi40DFw~i9jPWMS~FYfWjzYJbVuCtszHFFoQpO2Ls7F-I5klLUOGrzM888zpRGagVl9O2Czw98M80ocXphbG5mgQj2x17SFBAlczScoGrENz~UKY~bkvfLrs9hKtjT0oq7dS6vJLQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Barry County Michigan","date","2025-02-25T00:00:00Z","article","A public commenter addressed the board during the meeting’s public-comment period and urged commissioners to familiarize themselves with the Open Meetings Act and related public-records procedures.

The speaker said the Open Meetings Act is “not a difficult document” and that the board — not the county administrator — is the governing body regulated by that law. The commenter said they filed a FOIA request about when the commissioners decided to depart from the county’s bid policy and that the response indicated relevant dates of Jan. 30, Feb. 4 and Feb. 11. The speaker said those dates, in their view, showed decisions had been made outside of an open meeting.

The commenter also urged scrutiny of an apparent merger or agreement between Thornapple Manor and the Commission on Aging (COA), saying agreements about who runs and pays for parts of a merged facility should be in writing. The speaker said township discussions had covered those points and questioned whether the public had received that information.

Separately, a speaker raised concerns about plans for juvenile detention or lockup areas, noting state rules require segregation of juveniles and that such facilities could require additional staffing and cost. The speaker cautioned that juvenile confinement arrangements could be expensive and require careful planning.

The board did not take formal action during public comment. Commissioners acknowledged the remarks and said staff and relevant officials — including county administration and department heads — would need to address questions about agreements and legal compliance.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Commissioners - 2025/02/25 part B","oneSentenceSummary","A member of the public criticized commissioners’ compliance with the Open Meetings Act, reported FOIA results alleging decisions on bid policy, and urged caution on juvenile detention planning and governance of merged County-COA facilities.","taxTitle","Barry County, Michigan","taxId",52020,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6303671,"Barry County commissioners approve claims, budget amendment and set public hearing on PACE program",502,648330,1150505,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2471022-8c1f408413cd3b0e77503ab967657f48&start=648&end=1150","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2471022-8c1f408413cd3b0e77503ab967657f48/thumbnail_648330.jpg","/articles/6303671/Barry-County/Michigan/Barry-County-commissioners-approve-claims-budget-amendment-and-set-public-hearing-on-PACE-program","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6303671-2ef4d7d6886110954589a9c29ad99307/orig.mp4?Expires=1775250789&Signature=julYrL5n5ZwtAfuwRYGrUNcWIcQBPp14Q8cNZxCy-KADFY1hQ5rJr9E7OIKMKTgdjsd86sP1Ii6vSN9UyzemWp91AAkFVPFahZyMcvNMztqwufGf4f9EqGaoMzBd3E6uVkgr3qDySsFve3UL6AZ0WdxrmoznGGI55~-ORedGl1qYg~rtzdVbxy6dotIiaZyO0959QSyk0NZxuN3WQcKOeR~pBZYis70wVxZ4qbra6dEP8fenJXVDo-d3lxrZgGojtDCeSUzab104HQvnX73tc-75amTtz5fzOw8TQEzSH9ujSmOvc1A5SwSTUeHCrsCPQ-HxkwKM56nCTfiMGKhn3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Barry County Board of Commissioners approved three financial and procedural items during the meeting.

Claims: Commissioners approved claims in the amount of $128,770.70. The motion was offered by Commissioner Campbell and supported by Commissioner Hatfield. The clerk conducted a roll call in which the following commissioners voted aye: Smelker, Toonison, Bassett, Carlton, Campbell, Getty, Hatfield and Jackson. The motion carried.

Budget amendment 25-A: The board approved budget amendment 25-A after a motion by Commissioner Campbell, seconded by Commissioner Getty. County finance staff explained that an error in an Excel spreadsheet had increased the requested expenditure from the figure shown at the Committee of the Whole meeting; that increase requires drawing on contingency in the General Fund. Commissioners voted aye in roll call (Bassett, Carlton, Campbell, Getty, Hatfield, Smelker, Toonison and Jackson) and the motion carried.

PACE resolution and public hearing: Commissioners adopted a resolution of intent to establish a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing program in Barry County and called a public hearing for March 25. The motion was offered by Commissioner Campbell and supported by Commissioner Bassett. Commissioners noted they still had questions and would discuss details at the public hearing; the resolution reflects intent and will return for another vote after public comment. The roll call recorded ayes from Toonison, Bassett, Carlton, Campbell, Getty, Hatfield, Smelker and Jackson.

All three actions were recorded by roll call and approved; the PACE item was moved to a public hearing for further discussion and a formal adoption vote afterward.","At the meeting commissioners approved $128,770.70 in claims, adopted budget amendment 25-A, and passed a resolution of intent to establish a Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program and call a public hearing on March 25.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6303674,"Barry County task force outlines recovery needs, opens applications for opioid-settlement funds",735,2560,738000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2471022-8c1f408413cd3b0e77503ab967657f48&start=2&end=738","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2471022-8c1f408413cd3b0e77503ab967657f48/thumbnail_2560.jpg","/articles/6303674/Barry-County/Michigan/Barry-County-task-force-outlines-recovery-needs-opens-applications-for-opioid-settlement-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6303674-b82f5462d1e2f1a36ac6089ee87c28ac/orig.mp4?Expires=1775250789&Signature=hDLYxUxsZaj2YxjsSoYKCE7KC~3ZSbWv~Ivc-Kw3qQR-oSkPaBFlcMxvPVyBGdFcZn37UhlnUPFz~rNKEIastevXruTOpxe-4EgrhF~qFOXhW5dxzQTgS8tssmu7b6vGIGMsketgQ-0q4JoyAVhbAQu9TQ-aW2TIzlAVZYPIN~R9fTdJZnak-3V834c957XJ0Xmv9i8lmDsRFXufdZXF1qiWc9oQ7XbXOvJnAOl1x76aPRKmpQ2V6zayG7vXYRx3U3iB3F9fQj~M4LEAdvk389sjYK3tfvy5jf7PcjryIH6l9C1MOhijC766HrWKjRplKUlOceO7g3barJ5BsVq2TA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Liz, a member of the Barry County Substance Use Task Force, told the Board of Commissioners that community listening sessions identified housing, access to mental-health care, transportation and harm-reduction services as top priorities for people in recovery.

The presenter said stable transitional or supportive housing is “the biggest identified need” and quoted a local professional: “If people don't have stability and they know that they have a safe place to sleep at night, it's really tough to move forward.” She listed other recurring themes as transportation barriers to care, misunderstandings about how services are paid for, stigma, and a need for youth prevention and criminal-justice navigation supports.

The task force has released an application process for Barry County’s share of opioid-settlement funds, the presenter said. She said the task force and staff will serve as technical assistants to applicants, that a press release and social-media messages are under way, and that application materials are posted on the task force’s page on the county’s substance-use website. The presenter said the application deadline is March 31 and invited prospective applicants to contact her for help.

The presentation classified recommendations as tier 1 and tier 2 priorities and urged local organizations and individuals to submit proposals tied to the community’s needs. The presenter also emphasized the task force’s efforts to make materials accessible and said the website follows ADA accessibility standards.

Commissioners and other attendees asked for clarification about what “community support” means in practice, and the presenter said respondents described gaps such as agencies that close before a resident can attend or services scheduled when someone is at work. She said some perceived gaps may reflect lack of awareness about available services and that the task force intends to do more outreach and education.

The next step, the presenter said, is that a review committee will score applications and bring recommendations to the commissioners, who will make final funding decisions.

Liz said she has received phone and email inquiries and will provide technical assistance for applicants. \"We've tried to have everything in an easy to read format to meet our accessibility criteria,\" she said.","A Substance Use Task Force presenter summarized community needs — housing, mental-health access, transportation and harm-reduction — and announced an application process for opioid-settlement funds with a March 31 deadline and technical-assistance support.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Public commenter raises Open Meetings Act, FOIA and local facility concerns

Barry County commissioners approve claims, budget amendment and set public hearing on PACE program

Barry County task force outlines recovery needs, opens applications for opioid-settlement funds