[{"_1":2,"_97":-5,"_98":-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":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",6100486,"mediaKeyId","2813398-50c7ff38602c8730f6cc10185e53732b","parentId",2813398,"title","County finance director: DDAs captured $876,000 in county taxes; commissioners call for talks with cities","audioSeconds",158,"startMs",719000,"endMs",877000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813398-50c7ff38602c8730f6cc10185e53732b&start=719&end=877","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813398-50c7ff38602c8730f6cc10185e53732b/thumbnail_719000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6100486/Lapeer-County/Michigan/County-finance-director-DDAs-captured-876000-in-county-taxes-commissioners-call-for-talks-with-cities","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100486-87f1b466df17d4acc86039731682bd9a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111079&Signature=QbSbfJ97u~U66GfZqqPKaycEc52xaNy-8rVSrG1USBunUgjwMdFRpNRs6ra-NdNrXN6SKWfjewpzK8260dj23RvAE3GUW0AekJ3ZYglMAtrJsfz2Mx1Ckw5koAPCYM~nmMK8TePwZwhQsWDBZ~B1d0ZdkQEYqdA0SmOBKDTHw70wXTU-erkKT8srNNMjifmCpo797YX7Q-HjgJ6gRZsuHVCXiAbbcif2JHvev1ggq1vnlhhVg6SLtuIXxKtdTMb~A2SKP6f0tbAhqTiIThDBs11H0N52R--ZhLXbqbVOEg6vsbpzns-xkjPb7CnX7BKQd60v5MzbveG2~s-PAlM0fg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-03-27T15:07:19Z","article","Finance Director Jackie Bennett told the Lapeer County Board of Commissioners that county tax capture by downtown development authorities (DDAs) and similar districts totaled $876,000 for the period assessed, and she provided a city-by-city breakdown during elected-officials time.

“$876,000 of county taxes were captured by DDAs,” Bennett said. She told commissioners the city of Lapeer was the largest captured area and that the city had $554,000 captured. Bennett also said that voter-approved public-safety millages produced about $51,000 captured across the various districts combined.

Commissioners reacted with concern. Commissioner Hanks said he had asked DDA leadership not to capture veteran-specific millages and called the practice “in bad taste.” Commissioner Kemp said the county had previously taken a restrictive stance on supporting development programs inside captured districts and that the absence of a clear county response encouraged more aggressive capture by local DDAs and TIFAs.

Bennett explained how capture works in practical terms: money captured in a development district is intended for development inside that district rather than remitted to countywide funds directed to veterans or other voter-approved levies. “They are supposed to use all of this money to develop whatever money that they have,” she said.

Commissioners said they want further discussion with municipal leaders to seek increased coordination. “We need to have a discussion with the city of Lapeer and Emily City eventually and try to get a higher level of cooperation on this,” one commissioner said.

What the transcript does not show: no ordinance or binding action to change capture rules was proposed or adopted at this meeting. Commissioners recorded concerns and asked for further conversation with city officials; no legal or budgetary changes were voted.

Clarifying details recorded in the meeting: Bennett said the $876,000 figure is verified by county finance; figures for individual cities were given in the meeting but not all municipal breakdowns were read into the record. Commissioners raised that the captured money had been authorized by voters for specific uses and expressed concern that capture directs those dollars to local development projects instead.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Lapeer Co Full Board Meeting 3/27/25","oneSentenceSummary","Finance Director Jackie Bennett told the board that $876,000 in county taxes was captured by downtown development authorities and similar districts, with the city of Lapeer accounting for the largest share ($554,000), prompting calls for county-city talks.","taxTitle","Lapeer County, Michigan","taxId",52336,"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},6100496,"Lapeer County appoints Bonnie Lawrence to library board amid heated public debate over children’s access to materials",4010,1138000,5148000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813398-50c7ff38602c8730f6cc10185e53732b&start=1138&end=5148","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813398-50c7ff38602c8730f6cc10185e53732b/thumbnail_1138000.jpg","/articles/6100496/Lapeer-County/Michigan/Lapeer-County-appoints-Bonnie-Lawrence-to-library-board-amid-heated-public-debate-over-childrens-access-to-materials","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100496-f70dc94e80ea1e70fb02a2240ba8c3a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111079&Signature=gpedMub3I~Bjo6r9a2KAA3msQBcxGJwxQhVZjY7K-MMh2bGYti7RzlZINi~s5L0P6qu0jQA-WfxAsLfBkQDTQ0ebuHbN4Tj-n84mvOpFp1jvB3aPy8o4rN3dYeylw5Jq-~eLwtJEeWTKEajqxpNIIcwtn3hrYCofC2vuHfXlCyMPB6~ZDqaRNrRfCMt3n0YjAOzeQFWiXk42~9MTkRl54hYtuTpK8yjNXmt615SI00QxP-onQlxWRx6eQtNMqpI9HZymEhhxzHjv-cJdoVXsyEjoiBSMc62JuQMWE04W~Vln~EVhDdlUIgCB71eiYF4iCeC7NrVWTaObf6aOVKHQLw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Bonnie Lawrence was appointed to a partial term on the Lapeer District Library Board by a 5-2 roll call vote Thursday, concluding more than two hours of public comment in which residents urged the county to either restrict or preserve access to certain library materials.

The appointment filled one partial term on the library board; Commissioners Zender, Hagedorn, Kemp and Commissioner Wise and Chairman Howell voted for Lawrence, while Commissioners Nisley and McMahon voted for candidate Christine Newton, according to the roll call held at the meeting.

The contested appointment came after multiple speakers during the meeting’s public-comment periods urged sharply different approaches to library policy. Some parents and community members testified that children can access sexually explicit or age-inappropriate material without parental permission and called for new age restrictions or placement rules. “We are not asking to ban any books,” said Amy Hintz, “We’re just asking these books to be placed in the section where parents can choose.”

Other speakers warned against removing or restricting books. Susan Hook, who addressed the board in the second public period, cautioned that some social-media claims about the library’s holdings were inaccurate and cited a court case she said undercuts broad removal of books: “There simply is no interest, let alone a compelling one, in restricting access to not obscene, fully protected library books solely on the basis of the majority’s disagreement with their perceived message,” she read aloud from the opinion she referenced (identified in the record as “Sund v. Wichita”).

Several speakers described personal experiences. Debbie Wilcox said her 10-year-old had encountered illustrations she found “horrific” and urged rules that prevent minors from checking out adult materials without parental consent. By contrast, Rhonda Lauren and other commenters emphasized that LGBTQ children and other underrepresented groups deserve representation in library collections and that removing materials would harm those youths’ sense of belonging.

Commissioners debated the matter publicly but emphasized the limits of their authority. Chairman Howell told attendees that the board’s role is appointing trustees, not setting library collection policy: “This board does not decide anything about books one way or the other. We appoint people that we have confidence in to serve on the library board.” Commissioner Wise said he expects the library board to pursue age-appropriate restrictions, while Commissioner McMahon said the current library leadership had plans to protect children and that commissioners who supported Lawrence had not reviewed the specific contested books.

After the vote, Howell urged both sides to lower the temperature and work together to preserve community goodwill that supports library millages and operations.

The library board vacancy filled Thursday is a partial term ending Dec. 31, 2028. The meeting transcript shows the discussion began during the first public comment period when residents raised the matter and concluded at the roll call appointing Lawrence.

Next steps: The library board, not the county commission, handles collection policy and any restrictions or permissions that determine where materials are shelved and how minors access them. Several speakers asked the commission to press the library board for age-restriction policies and for parental-notification systems; the transcript records public calls for such changes but does not record any directive from the commission to adopt specific rules.","Bonnie Lawrence was appointed to a partial term on the Lapeer District Library Board by a 5-2 roll call vote Thursday, concluding more than two hours of public comment in which residents urged the county to either restrict or preserve access to certain library materials.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":79,"_47":91,"_49":92,"_51":93,"_53":94,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":95,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":96,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6100492,"Votes at a glance: Lapeer County commissioners approve resolutions, purchases, personnel changes and multiple appointments",1045,4103000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2813398-50c7ff38602c8730f6cc10185e53732b&start=4103&end=5148","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2813398-50c7ff38602c8730f6cc10185e53732b/thumbnail_4103000.jpg","/articles/6100492/Lapeer-County/Michigan/Votes-at-a-glance-Lapeer-County-commissioners-approve-resolutions-purchases-personnel-changes-and-multiple-appointments","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6100492-be213e8b2984d3a9d8302684c4643a1b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771111079&Signature=NgII2VA3lpuJ1F~GWJyRzEKcQcl7WnWzTzA6tsHEtvBYGoBFxEGAHxDzb9VBD9-9AvGU81g0KJwF-iR0zrXmjdrlR3axnjzv3sBwFHyuloE5EFccUIhfriOEiN5N7D6QYHjMxoUUGiHNPACPh2jduKfdmCcYrLLtGRX4j-1W6VljL7f1PELeq3~jP72Cwl93zWBbFUDhhdqSkbPNknJtPqxsRKzc~Dtd0SbMRqxaiNnaN5VWA3nLVmCPDjkdzOL0maVTkHngD2F3GGwfXwc8VoDa-x0hZxl-p0~TCDdZROPTGFnohgF68LaNwYGx-FOxRlCTS-ENl9qQVIhMnB6Xlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At its meeting the Lapeer County Board of Commissioners approved a slate of routine motions and several discrete actions — including resolutions recognizing National Crime Victims Week and honoring outgoing Health Department Director Kathy Haskins — and took multiple appointments to boards and committees.

The commission voted on motions 1 through 14 (agenda pages 1–4) in a series of procedural motions and roll-call votes. Several items voted as blocks were moved and supported by commissioners and carried by voice or roll call as noted in the record.

Key actions and outcomes recorded in the meeting:

- Resolution recognizing National Crime Victims Week: Approved by roll-call vote (unanimous “yes” recorded by commissioners present).

- Resolution honoring Kathy Haskins, retiring health department director: Approved by roll-call vote (unanimous “yes” recorded); the commission presented the resolution and photographed the honoree.

- Motions 1–5 (medical examiner, credit card issuance and related routine items): Moved and supported; approved by voice vote.

- Motion 6 (telecommunications week resolution): Approved by roll-call vote (unanimous “yes” recorded).

- Motions 7–12 and 13–14 (consent and routine agenda items shown on pages 3–4): Moved, supported and approved by voice vote.

- Vehicle and facilities purchases and work (properties committee):
• Purchase of a Dodge Durango for county use; transcript records two figures — $38,770 and $38,979 — presented in committee; motion carried using CMH building equipment acquisition and replacement funds with no net cost to the county general fund. (Clarifying detail: the transcript includes both $38,770 and $38,979 as presented.)
• Purchase of a new vehicle for the drain commissioner at no additional cost to the county general fund: motion carried.
• Purchase of a 2025 Dodge Durango for central dispatch: Authorized at $42,319 to be paid from the 911 millage line; motion carried.
• Sheriff’s office kitchen remodel at the Medelin building: Authorized “not to exceed $30,000,” with a budget amendment to follow; motion carried.
• Purchase of 18 chairs for the sheriff’s office not to exceed $15,000; motion carried.
• Authorization to sell surplus items at public auction; motion carried.

- Personnel and organizational actions (personnel committee):
• Overlap training for the incoming buildings and grounds parks director (pay grade 22) for up to 30 days: Authorized; motion carried.
• Authorized county administrator/controller to negotiate salaries within approved pay-grade steps for appointed department heads with the requirement to notify commissioners in writing prior to acceptance: Approved.
• Community Mental Health (CMH) table-of-organization changes: Reclassification of two registered behavioral technician positions through attrition to applied behavior analysis technician roles; recorded as yielding a cost reduction to CMH and no cost to the county general fund; motion carried.

- Audits: Motions to authorize county and road commission audits were moved, supported and carried.

- Appointments (selected roll-call results):
• Emergency Management Advisory Council: James (Jim) Henry (health director) appointed to fill the required health-director seat for a term ending 12/31/2025; motion carried by voice vote.
• Community Corrections Advisory Board: David Mallett nominated and appointed as the local police-chief representative; nominations closed and Mallett appointed by unanimous ballot.
• Veterans Services Board: Three nominees were presented for two partial-term vacancies. By roll call, Robert Conrad and David Hill each received five commissioner votes and were appointed to terms ending 12/31/2027.
• Community Mental Health: Commissioners nominated and confirmed citizens and officials (including Commissioner Brad Hagedorn as the commission representative) to fill several CMH seats; nominations were closed and unanimous ballots cast.
• Lapeer District Library Board: Five candidates were nominated for one partial-term vacancy; Bonnie Lawrence was appointed by roll call (5 votes) over Christine Newton (2 votes); motion carried.

Discussion vs. decision: The record distinguishes extensive public discussion (notably during the lengthy public-comment periods) from formal actions taken by roll call or voice vote. Where the record contains only discussion, no formal county policy change was adopted; for example, commissioners emphasized that library collection policy is the library board’s responsibility and took no separate policy action on materials during the meeting.

Documentation notes: The transcript records movers and supporters for many consent motions as consolidated motions (e.g., “I move motions 1–5”); where a specific mover/second was given the minutes record that detail. When monetary figures were presented with variation in the record (see the Dodge Durango purchase), the transcript text is reported verbatim rather than reconciled.","The Lapeer County Board of Commissioners approved routine motions and several notable actions including two resolutions, vehicle purchases, building work for the sheriff’s office, personnel authorizations, and multiple board appointments. This summary lists each formal action and the recorded outcomes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County finance director: DDAs captured $876,000 in county taxes; commissioners call for talks with cities

Lapeer County appoints Bonnie Lawrence to library board amid heated public debate over children’s access to materials

Votes at a glance: Lapeer County commissioners approve resolutions, purchases, personnel changes and multiple appointments