[{"_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",[32,73,85],{"_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":55,"_72":55},"mediaId",6269683,"mediaKeyId","3040854-6fb380c04a5eb4e3a0568683418219df","parentId",3040854,"title","Votes at a glance: minutes approved; board votes to enter closed session for collective bargaining","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",926000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3040854-6fb380c04a5eb4e3a0568683418219df&start=926&end=926","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3040854-6fb380c04a5eb4e3a0568683418219df/thumbnail_926000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6269683/Berrien-County/Michigan/Votes-at-a-glance-minutes-approved-board-votes-to-enter-closed-session-for-collective-bargaining","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6269683-41e6403bab1e3e027ac70c7c1a33c87d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770970262&Signature=dOdXJxLwx58C4DWe3isss3tMK6NkWAlzOKACs4pac4RfnNmw7Wgy6dxmisIds7dfTgiNWJZblIcvbN74Ds~y40bovG35adfVKjreC4BvEF5xl1Kgx6qYXjK0tMty0dFB5f3QjVoDJybRIJTqeTZwJ0ogbF6khzJCB5P~ghTdqK7yR0lF3JaGhSwAiwRake0HrAGvgyLgZtvfa3gj~PsQqXJIuLAaFX2oP1VY-U7wSfxaQS39ThZQqSezbAYLOx-6TsBreby7D-3l3yrKskNhOP1iGCNE2g574dabcDZor7SdI2YHCINPlBgbQHUy5k1Tpscdlnjtc6EBwBqjfkqz9Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-04-17T17:55:19.77Z","article","The Berrien County Board approved prior meeting minutes and later voted to go into a closed session to receive a collective bargaining update covered under attorney–client privilege.

A motion to approve the minutes was made by Freeland, supported by Ott; commissioners responded “aye,” and the chair announced the minutes were approved.

Later, Commissioner Tyler moved to go into closed session for a collective bargaining update under attorney–client privilege (MCL 15.268). The motion was supported by Commissioner Vollrath. The board took a roll call; Commissioners Freeland, Harrison and Hinkleman recorded affirmative votes during the roll call. The clerk announced the motion and called for the roll. The board stated it would take no further public action in the current session after the closed session and would break for committee meetings following the closed session.

No additional formal votes on ordinances or contracts were recorded in the provided transcript excerpt.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","04 17 2025 Committee of the Whole Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The board approved prior meeting minutes and voted to enter a closed session for a collective bargaining update under attorney–client privilege (cited MCL 15.268); roll-call responses were recorded for several commissioners.","taxTitle","Berrien County, Michigan","taxId",13478,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":74,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":75,"_41":76,"_43":77,"_45":78,"_46":79,"_48":80,"_50":81,"_52":82,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":83,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":84,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6269688,"County clerk urges consolidated early-voting site, new software and more staff",699,1279000,1978000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3040854-6fb380c04a5eb4e3a0568683418219df&start=1279&end=1978","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3040854-6fb380c04a5eb4e3a0568683418219df/thumbnail_1279000.jpg","/articles/6269688/Berrien-County/Michigan/County-clerk-urges-consolidated-early-voting-site-new-software-and-more-staff","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6269688-413bc8274684bdf06035104bd70fa88d/orig.mp4?Expires=1770970262&Signature=Muaty7lUw1Dh-Syf5805kySePZTiiclcyYtgU~N4QCqtNBsniK76SBlyFrzbvm274RRI74dZdaKTHms-U2d8Gd192OviKSUsMPU2jjOZQh8PJtI~flpaydgSuN90llSW2pCPRq5w2HLKFHgzM~O9j~ridrbe3URfKFUH1q5y5NzF60IMsLCvJVnLi7saKMADS0R1IAA3DCSnrfGyca8V1cbr2QpFlbyjoUN7aUnzi5T12kgogNC8LorvKS7e9jhfl~iH2IJpb5rS6zn4cI2SVCbsA7d~8vGAqn8HPdPxyoGn6ho5S2QltUYG2wuKU5GDH-v50YU4vorXKhxqQ5TvdQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Adam Clark, Berrien County clerk, told the board the clerk’s office will deliver its annual guide and highlighted priorities for the coming year: consolidating early-voting operations, upgrading software and adding staff to handle rising workloads.

Clark said the clerk’s office secured about $226,000 in state grant money that reduced costs for local jurisdictions and credited former Clerk Sharon Tyler and staff for accomplishments over the past year. He reported modest changes in vital records — a slight decrease in births, a marginal increase in marriages and an increase in deaths — and said concealed-pistol-license (CPL) permit activity rose, with the office receiving both applications and renewals.

On elections, Clark said early voting expanded under Proposition 2022 and the office operated two early-voting sites this cycle: one at South County and one at LMC. He said about 13,000 voters cast early ballots at the in-person sites in November. Clark urged the board to help find a centrally located county-owned building that could house staff, be publicly accessible and provide secure, climate-controlled storage for election equipment. He said the state has indicated grant support will be limited going forward and reminded commissioners that election equipment recertification is scheduled in 2027.

Clark also identified software needs: a modern, mobile-friendly vital-records system to allow online applications for birth certificates and more user-friendly campaign-finance software that would permit filers and the public to view and pay from online portals. He said the current systems are outdated and that newer products offer greater transparency and ease of use.

On personnel, Clark said court workload and statute-driven changes are increasing staff workload and recommended competitive pay to retain staff; he noted neighboring court staff perform similar duties for lower pay levels and called that a problem for recruitment and retention.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about online access to campaign-finance reports, how often two early-voting sites will be required and security needs for equipment storage. Clark said two early-voting facilities would be needed every two years for larger cycles unless the county can locate a single county-owned site that houses all equipment and staff. He described storage requirements as secure, temperature-controlled space with restricted access and fob controls. Clark said he is working with county staff, including Don Trail and Brian, to identify potential facilities.

The clerk closed by reiterating the priorities: centralize early voting and equipment storage, upgrade vital-records and campaign-finance software, and address staffing and ADA-compliance issues at public counters.","Berrien County Clerk Adam Clark urged the board to find a county-owned, ADA-accessible location to centralize early voting and equipment storage, cited $226,000 in state grants won by the office, and said the clerk’s office will seek new vital-records and campaign-finance software and additional court staff.",{"_33":86,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":87,"_41":88,"_43":89,"_45":90,"_46":91,"_48":92,"_50":93,"_52":94,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":95,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":96,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":55,"_72":55},6269693,"Equalization director: no valuation-factor changes after slower market growth",366,962000,1328000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3040854-6fb380c04a5eb4e3a0568683418219df&start=962&end=1328","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3040854-6fb380c04a5eb4e3a0568683418219df/thumbnail_962000.jpg","/articles/6269693/Berrien-County/Michigan/Equalization-director-no-valuation-factor-changes-after-slower-market-growth","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6269693-7a9bf077f04e103abc382ae53e2f9b5e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770970262&Signature=SpWhhs63wNu-jp1HbhnM6ogvX46e~3XihvVf1v9gQL6cy0Lamx18wpSl2Isoo5hBgoetQ9arna9ZxvKTEouGDQLYE1DfBs-db0muW1lSD~Jq8akMQPDEiKgEjWedJ1uzuSY1o45CWFxZV9C0v~5yPI14Kk1kWB8TwzcSL-FQgQFJ8gaUxPa1IQ78xVdceY~NNgFz-Ve2ngP0UQVl~42cjJYlgyfIb6yXbU9V1pmLqUSR1HPS6iqLLb2na65BF2WM-umxXV7BsgcpQbfWOU69kvoYuZToGE-9jOVX~jfEdo0trldSzyfPySZNfqwiGlxxDnPp0iMdiykiAh7tPCLNsA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Warren, the county equalization director, told the Berrien County Board that staff recommends a factor of 1.0 for all property classes after this year’s annual equalization review.

The presentation summarized why that recommendation matters: the equalization process tests whether local assessment rolls fall within the statutory range of true cash value and, if they do not, can prompt upward or downward adjustment factors for property classes. Warren said the county completed 77 appraisal studies, roughly 1,000 individual appraisals overall, 33 sales studies and 190 assessment-level reviews as part of this year’s work.

The nut of his report was that market appreciation has slowed. Warren said equalized values increased about 7.6% year over year, down from the prior cycle’s larger jumps; taxable value — the figure used to compute taxes — rose about 3.46% this year, down from last year’s 7.36% change. Because the assessed levels fell within the target range, Warren recommended a neutral factor (1.0) for all classes and said no upward or downward factors are being proposed. He said the full equalization report, supporting charts and the official paperwork will be provided to commissioners next week.

Warren highlighted a multi-decade comparison showing the divergence between equalized value and taxable value and noted the strong correlation in recent years between the inflation multiplier and taxable-value changes. He offered to answer follow-up questions and noted staff are prepared to deliver more detailed breakdowns for individual municipalities when the packet is released.

The presentation closed with recognition of appraisal staff who completed certifications and training this year.

A more detailed equalization report and the formal resolution will be distributed to commissioners next week.","Berrien County’s equalization director reported that property values rose more slowly this year and recommended no adjustment factors for assessment classes; a full report and paperwork will follow next week.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: minutes approved; board votes to enter closed session for collective bargaining

County clerk urges consolidated early-voting site, new software and more staff

Equalization director: no valuation-factor changes after slower market growth