[{"_1":2,"_122":-5,"_123":-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",[32,74,86,98,110],{"_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",6638237,"mediaKeyId","2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d","parentId",2573794,"title","Finance Committee: quick outcomes — interns, festival sponsorships and health grants","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",10052000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d&start=10052&end=10052","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d/thumbnail_10052000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6638237/Oakland-County/Michigan/Finance-Committee-quick-outcomes-interns-festival-sponsorships-and-health-grants","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638237-3e5078c1c33bfb4a0ae308c001d68685/orig.mp4?Expires=1775182792&Signature=LSqkfKXGYlhal4ICX83jjY~Fb-CSCAk-3FcvpgKCbrteVSov-aetJceb1b4TcFe7lL494ZjM3e5aXCu4Xk~u6uY9prqxLLRQjQvtO9APSPo7PyV95M9W67NsPf3wE8-wqAG8ug3hPakX7lgGDFLa014hLX5DA9900EBCAFmc10T~t5REb966LadwSda5UGlHcgyMXqiQcVA~iR5FdEWpQ1iIcpwJNrrchooF~8BxPbnxHqAO8DRJbDFL~W7ebSnVs7IkiuMwyYIRdCSScoup~mellaXEsr7mm2UWrtWEobT9jCV0iiWpAZfK64deIJ4sYQjKpS9iDTBm7LC0ufhrLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oakland County","date","2025-03-12T18:31:33.88Z","article","The Finance Committee moved a series of shorter items and grant acceptances during the meeting. Key short outcomes:

- Law clerk internships: The committee approved creation of two seasonal law clerk intern positions to support the Public Defender’s Office. Pete Menna, who manages the county indigent defense system, said the positions will be funded through an existing grant and that HR requires positions to be budgeted before hiring interns. The motion passed.

- Madison Heights Juneteenth Festival: The committee approved a sponsorship request to support the Madison Heights Juneteenth celebration. Local organizers — including Commissioner Anne Erickson Gull, Kevin Wright and board member Michael Howard — described the event’s regional draw, volunteer base and community sponsorship model. Motion approved.

- Emerging Rest local health department grant (wastewater surveillance): The committee accepted an amendment adding approximately $2.17 million to expand lab capacity for community disease monitoring, including flu, RSV and COVID surveillance at long‑term care centers and congregate housing sites. Presenters said the majority of funding is federal pass‑through and that the funds will support reagents and staffing to analyze wastewater samples.

- Sustain Our Great Lakes grant: The committee accepted $300,000 from the Sustain Our Great Lakes (National Fish and Wildlife Foundation) program to support ecological restoration at Southfield Oaks (former Beachwood Golf Course) to reconnect floodplain and restore wetlands. The grant will be paired with county ARPA funds and park capital funds.

Procedural note: Committee members asked that staff include more detailed exhibits for each item in future packets; the committee approved all items and forwarded them to the full board where final approval or contract execution will occur.

Ending: Staff said they will confirm precise grant amounts and any necessary budget amendments in the full board packet and will provide requested project details on request.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Finance Committee Meeting 03-12-25","oneSentenceSummary","Short committee outcomes: two seasonal law‑clerk intern positions authorized for public defender; county sponsorship renewed for Madison Heights Juneteenth; an amendment accepted for wastewater surveillance/local health grants; county accepted a Sustain Our Great Lakes grant for Southfield Oaks restoration.","taxTitle","Oakland County, Michigan","taxId",2835,"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},6638242,"County signs multi‑year RapidSOS contract to add location, mapping and field tools for 911 dispatchers",804,9014000,9818000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d&start=9014&end=9818","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d/thumbnail_9014000.jpg","/articles/6638242/Oakland-County/Michigan/County-signs-multiyear-RapidSOS-contract-to-add-location-mapping-and-field-tools-for-911-dispatchers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638242-7dccffea7ec13631a2cd6c0d77e818f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775182792&Signature=gvpDQ7yyZJiMQGg3DlKf6IShDmf0qkNGWnNm1NqUHhfj3BviS8~16lUCZPsPHB2fWSuaD~ujpTWmD-~GiqtCzS998eFN7wJTD9Bs-9FSN5AKKjyR7aUP~IrxGpxIUcxXhNIhr2xqk36JWCu8-wvLqu3hP1ltP~bvG~W1z1FElXUNxz01ycFs9fH757LJMxoXzo3UohFRD6Axob1j5gm3-kuuQeCBdrioqYt9FyxdMJ4S6IfA9rXMEr3SlHwj5gGg3VdRyMJRIkWTs3K4Xn65-WXYFsm1jmlOUzxJrHM3aMegZ1BZCg5HdmNfKeyEH0FXZUxCG2LDOfAEvVMlMgzQFQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Finance Committee recommended that the Board of Commissioners authorize a multi‑year contract with RapidSOS to supply enhanced emergency location, GIS mapping and field‑responder communication tools to the county’s 19 public safety answering points (PSAPs).

Meredith Morgan, the county’s 911 coordinator, told the committee the RapidSOS platform delivers precise cell‑phone location, breadcrumb tracking for moving callers, indoor and outdoor mapping overlays and a field responder module that sends data to first responders’ mobile devices. “One of the things … is the GIS module,” Morgan said. “We can layer all of the maps that are Esri based, you know, indoor building maps, outdoor terrain maps.”

Why it matters: County staff said the tool will reduce cognitive load for dispatchers who currently monitor multiple screens and map systems, improve inter‑center information sharing during major incidents and support responders with floorplans, campus maps and other building‑level data. Capt. Miles told the committee the field module will ensure responders receive the same information the dispatcher sees and can return status information through the platform.

Contract scope and cost: Presentation materials and committee discussion clarified that the contract is structured as a three‑year agreement with two optional one‑year renewals; committee discussion clarified the purchase price is a recurring, per‑year cost (presenters confirmed the annual contract figure discussed in the meeting). Commissioners asked staff to confirm pricing details in writing; the item passed committee approval.

Privacy and translation tools: The committee heard that the RapidSOS package includes a communicator module for on‑the‑fly translation and transcription services, which the dispatch centers currently manage through separate third‑party calls. Commissioners asked about integration, redundancy and training; staff said training will be provided and the vendor can support rollouts to all 19 PSAPs.

Next steps: The committee voted to recommend the contract to the full Board of Commissioners. Staff will provide final contract language and a clarified cost schedule for the board packet.","The Finance Committee recommended a multi‑year contract with RapidSOS to provide enhanced location, GIS mapping and field‑responder tools to 19 dispatch centers across Oakland County; county 911 staff said the platform will consolidate multiple maps and aid multi‑agency response.",{"_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},6638247,"Finance panel approves five temporary positions, funding plan for multi‑year circuit court case management overhaul",1210,6869000,8079000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d&start=6869&end=8079","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d/thumbnail_6869000.jpg","/articles/6638247/Oakland-County/Michigan/Finance-panel-approves-five-temporary-positions-funding-plan-for-multiyear-circuit-court-case-management-overhaul","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638247-9cac9f7dfec176e0a2a8bfa569ad208d/orig.mp4?Expires=1775182792&Signature=Ine5IXAQtpGdqzeRsfWm2zk12-k~ccb-Cp8Wq8CKU3lxA1CQwdCG8QZSC9DxVbI9hj~VgvEOatMH0yyH8jJDa~gBUiKTh~aFFleuQ33TW8Rv9Wc3DgtxjhP2jx3TBQMyLM92jLvQmlu1iFwNKdQ1wnLWOAgKx0ysOxU8utOC9uErDEUQJLnucUJ4U6jSab1gpi6F4SmKFCskcDwg9iNBxbhr0Z4OypwUEQZj5hhMZavDaEXjA8QuYewo2AvQoqx91Gfd~eTfVTb6bxSDlIMFnQEKjlgWcwlJzp0FvGU-St-S9seoRJulBkoOMl5cWz9rmJ0OGVdBiouGolYhhQeHgQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oakland County Finance Committee approved creation of five full‑time eligible positions and set aside funding for professional services to support a planned multi‑year migration of the county’s circuit court case management system to a state‑collaborative platform.

County officials described the current system as a decades‑old mainframe that cannot meet new legal and reporting requirements. Presenters said a modernized system — part of a collaboration with the State Court Administrative Office (SCAO) — would improve data consistency across counties, support required record set‑aside at the charge level, and reduce reliance on specialized third‑party mainframe support.

Scope, timeline and cost: Project leads estimated the new platform and related professional services could cost between $15 million and $20 million overall. Committee discussion said a gap‑analysis and discovery phase will occupy the coming months; staff said the work would take roughly three years and that a phased gap analysis will be completed by the end of the calendar year. Professional services and vendor work were discussed separately from staffing. Commissioner Spitz referenced a $6.5 million professional‑services allocation across fiscal years 2025–27 as part of preliminary planning.

Staffing rationale: Presenters said the five positions requested are project‑specific subject matter experts and implementation staff. “You can’t say, ‘do this major system and do your regular job’,” an IT official said; the committee was told current staff assisting the project are already overburdened and the fresh positions will permit backfill of operational duties.

Budget and funding source: Staff said the project will require use of fund balance and described the request as a strategic investment. Presenters noted potential operational savings over time — for example, reduced third‑party mainframe licensing or support that staff estimated could be roughly $300,000 per year — but they also said the project is primarily intended to meet legal requirements and modernize county operations rather than generate immediate savings.

Oversight and deliverables: The committee asked for quarterly status updates and a clear project timeline tied to the gap analysis. Staff agreed to return with periodic reports showing the budget-to‑actual trajectory and overtime/expenditure detail for affected departments.

Votes at committee: Motion to create five full‑time eligible positions for circuit court case management and to fund professional services moved by Commissioner Powell and supported by Commissioner Cavell; committee approved and forwarded to the full board. Staff said any extension beyond the three‑year sunset would require a return to the board for approval.","The Finance Committee approved creation of five full‑time eligible positions and authorized multi‑year professional services funding to support Oakland County circuit court migration to the state court administrative office platform; staff said the project will take several years and is intended to replace a legacy mainframe system.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_46":104,"_48":105,"_50":106,"_52":107,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":108,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":109,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6638252,"Oakland County to shift government-to-government payment model to 3.5% fee, end external revenue sharing",1442,3667000,5109000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d&start=3667&end=5109","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d/thumbnail_3667000.jpg","/articles/6638252/Oakland-County/Michigan/Oakland-County-to-shift-government-to-government-payment-model-to-35-fee-end-external-revenue-sharing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638252-4ae524b9037c6de1846bfd13eb968355/orig.mp4?Expires=1775182792&Signature=VzXrvBk7mAC5dmCtJXRgwSUpUKAqjg7B3-YvPcz3Os6JwR7K0g-~m6dlabKQLrvbicheCD4rbmD8SLvlRQtygF9RUDmTQRyRhnxwULfs0S7ALgMVN7abv5wJP6shzxmjoEBe6EvYh4a2YpLD2v1MNRqIaEOtGUkVK3wxH8a84ZGIOT1mgefrxnLY1TuPzDyDeciw6Duxv91i~qefbEx0JDAVbxfdewXy7OmSdq5p727Y~HX8EtTF-fuZsF7sExMWIgLBOKWaHyEI-JG3m6TMIJRP8-SDqvyRxHYGTZReQKn98cwGg3pbLgqbuM8WwwAGoJDPNPMwS5kCVm7eZQMH~Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Oakland County’s Finance Committee voted to change the county’s government-to-government electronic payment contract, replacing a two‑decades‑old tiered per-transaction fee schedule with a flat 3.5% processing fee and ending the practice of sharing collected fees with external agencies.

The change affects county departments, 55 local municipalities (cities, villages and townships) and roughly 83 external agencies that use the county’s electronic payment service. Kim Marango, director of application and client services, said the program has been operating at a deficit because of rising transaction volume and vendor costs: “In 2023, the deficit was $450,000. In 2024, the deficit was $540,000,” she told the committee.

Why it matters: Under the existing arrangement, the county collected fees on small transactions using a tiered structure (for example, a $2.50 fee on payments under $50) and then split the net fees back to the municipality or external agency. Marango said in 2024 the county shared about $706,525 in fees and that roughly $525,000 of that amount went to agencies outside Oakland County.

County staff proposed the 3.5% model for two reasons: to align with industry practice (which is typically a percentage of the transaction amount) and to stop the county sub‑sidizing external agencies with county general fund dollars. Rod (IT leadership) told commissioners the current deficit and outside sharing cannot continue: “We should not be sending tax paying dollars in subsidization to CBTs outside of the county,” he said.

Questions and responses: Commissioners raised several concerns. Some said a 3.5% fee felt steep for residents making small online payments—especially property tax payments that can be large—while others asked that the county present clearer, customer‑facing language explaining the charge as a merchant processing fee and itemizing the portion that covers vendor processing versus county system upkeep.

Staff said departments and Oakland County municipalities will not have to purchase new readers; the county plans to absorb equipment costs for county departments and local municipalities but external agencies will be asked to buy updated credit card readers where needed. Staff also said the county will communicate the change to all participating parties and give external agencies the option to remain on county contract terms or pursue alternative vendors under state law.

Next steps: The committee approved the change and directed staff to provide clearer breakdowns and outreach materials for residents and participating agencies. Commissioners asked for a detailed distribution table of who currently receives what fees; staff agreed to provide the graphs and per‑agency breakdown used during the presentation. The committee vote passed and the change is scheduled to take effect in early 2026, after formal notice and outreach to participating agencies.

Votes at committee: Motion to amend G2G fee structure to a 3.5% flat fee and to cease revenue sharing moved by Commissioner Spitz, supported by Commissioner Taylor; outcome approved and forwarded to full Board of Commissioners.","The Finance Committee voted to move the county’s government-to-government (G2G) payment service from a tiered per-transaction fee to a flat 3.5% fee, and to stop sharing a portion of processing fees with external agencies; staff said the change is intended to eliminate a growing program deficit.",{"_33":111,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":112,"_41":113,"_43":114,"_45":115,"_46":116,"_48":117,"_50":118,"_52":119,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":120,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":121,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6638257,"Oakland County approves $500,000 to launch Rx Kids cash-prescription program for new mothers",1868,861000,2729000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d&start=861&end=2729","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2573794-585eaafb4c6af2a3d3bf1ad8cfc6945d/thumbnail_861000.jpg","/articles/6638257/Oakland-County/Michigan/Oakland-County-approves-500000-to-launch-Rx-Kids-cash-prescription-program-for-new-mothers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6638257-f7f2afbdfa3671642b288d4f0f33bd69/orig.mp4?Expires=1775182792&Signature=Hk7EyZfoItpqYo-B0h8y5Fc6h1cqzkVib77Yh7u-5gSVX~ALQxt7IhWBJQFDWj-hl5q-aSh-vHtPKO6zvT8gFVB5LC0yMFUiiXC8YmJ968p~bYaP5W3flb4CcXGG2RhX9kP2Fu~gBhf18Fswg-Tve03AQIUChvEAnZ-JOZ9X1HssiZpDzYm7OPfiHgASDB8p3ihNjsh9qh4bKRtJWpE9NA-VXpFi79c2jhk8KTQNXlNqzo~xrKQWRNB5a4-gB0tLeDXMlygsMZ3GzF1Sl8sbzbMSOeDg~dTzLIgZz-RVzTUgF67bGCH0Mo5QoWbEhwyR2A1AW~lK3f3B9lT5m2A4QA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Oakland County Finance Committee approved a $500,000 appropriation to help launch Rx Kids, a prenatal and infant cash-prescription program intended to support new mothers and babies during the first months of life.

County officials said the $500,000 is intended to catalyze matching public and private funds to bring Rx Kids to Pontiac, Hazel Park and Royal Oak Township and to leverage up to $2 million in available Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding reserved in the state budget.

Madiha, a county presenter, told commissioners the program gives a monthly cash “prescription” to eligible mothers in the first six months of an infant’s life. “Our motion is to authorize a appropriation of $500,000 to the Oakland County Rx Kids,” she said. Sarah Coles, Oakland County strategic partnerships and initiatives officer, said the county funding is designed to unlock private and municipal matches already raised for a two‑year launch.

Why it matters: County staff said the program has shown measurable outcomes in other Michigan pilot sites. Presenters cited evaluations from Flint, where administrators reported higher housing and food security among participants, near‑universal takeup and no evictions among participating families in the program’s first year. The county’s presentation also cited a reduction in postpartum depression symptoms among participants of roughly 10 percentage points in that evaluation.

How it will be organized: County officials said local implementation will be led by a community partner identified in the presentation as ULSA, with operations support from GiveDirectly for benefit disbursement. Presenters listed private funders already committed in Pontiac (the Alex Family Foundation, the Pontiac Funders Collaborative at the Community Foundation for Southeastern Michigan, and the Total Health Foundation) and said private fundraising exceeded $5 million to date for the cluster launch.

Funding mechanics and urgency: Sarah Coles said $20 million in TANF matching funds is available at the state level to localities that can demonstrate matching commitments, and that the opportunity will be awarded to jurisdictions that can demonstrate readiness and matching funds. County staff said the $500,000 is intended to be a county match to unlock those TANF dollars and private contributions. Commissioners asked for quarterly reporting and additional implementation detail to be added to the board packet.

Next steps and oversight: Commissioners asked staff to provide more detailed written information — a program presentation, evaluation data and a quarterly reporting plan — before the item goes to the full Board of Commissioners. The committee motion carried; presenters said staff will return with more detailed metrics and a reporting schedule.

Votes at committee: Motion to authorize the appropriation moved by Commissioner Powell and supported by Commissioner Smith Charles; presenters and several commissioners discussed implementation timelines and reporting before the motion passed.

Community impact and scope: County presenters said the TANF‑eligible population targeted is Medicaid births in the selected communities and that the initial launch will be targeted to specific localities where matching and private funds can be pooled to maximize the state TANF allocation.

Ending: County staff said they will use the county appropriation to catalyze the local launches, pursue matching TANF funds in Lansing and return to the board with implementation detail and regular updates.","The Finance Committee approved a $500,000 appropriation to help launch the Rx Kids prenatal and infant cash-prescription program in Pontiac, Hazel Park and Royal Oak Township, a county official said. The county funds are intended to leverage state TANF and private dollars to expand the program.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Finance Committee: quick outcomes — interns, festival sponsorships and health grants

County signs multi‑year RapidSOS contract to add location, mapping and field tools for 911 dispatchers

Finance panel approves five temporary positions, funding plan for multi‑year circuit court case management overhaul

Oakland County to shift government-to-government payment model to 3.5% fee, end external revenue sharing

Oakland County approves $500,000 to launch Rx Kids cash-prescription program for new mothers