[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6575101,"mediaKeyId","3124844-ab77f214fcdead225ff185c926aab944","parentId",3124844,"title","Resident raises SIG Sauer concerns; sheriff and HR say no grievances and no safety incidents","audioSeconds",11971,"startMs",162000,"endMs",12133000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3124844-ab77f214fcdead225ff185c926aab944&start=162&end=12133","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3124844-ab77f214fcdead225ff185c926aab944/thumbnail_162000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6575101/Eaton-County/Michigan/Resident-raises-SIG-Sauer-concerns-sheriff-and-HR-say-no-grievances-and-no-safety-incidents","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575101-c05ea9522f425882aef2c480d06e6852/orig.mp4?Expires=1771057521&Signature=gGdJOS9r4CuG01WrfQpOa5xdByyc1ixvDXD6cLuhKpGPUzMpYuoWP0ap8NLl8IuNEPC3bs25hl1hN61ZrbqeIlPAZNiLBrDn3TCOfQjms6JIXWnKpnHpinnN-5pJYLGPd90H4UYfuU4eZKcoPjrjEO1d7-HklYrRND4d47qooyB5DoJoXGm0W-vCipkuR55Y3aoN4muvIpTPpSVNLzDn1iObTHR3jbAMt3KetQtTdtQnCDRYppIuuG35q1TmDDz0BX4K8EoL2BD0OWLP~1t0~0MWDdtQuVKibKHy1s7ay~wjrKdNtewl6UJpOh2ZN6KhSf-VfqLanijFI6qiQXz99w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Eaton County","date","2025-04-25T17:22:48.903Z","article","A resident told the Ways & Means Committee during limited public comment that she had heard from current and former sheriff’s office employees alleging safety problems with a recently purchased Sig Sauer handgun and urged the board to vote against county spending because of those safety concerns.

“I'm all about the Second Amendment,” public commenter Rhonda Shoper said. “I don't have a problem. It's the malfunctioning that is the issue.” Shoper told commissioners she had researched lawsuits and said her understanding was that there were “22 lawsuits in 16 states” and that one state had restricted the model. She said that, based on what she had heard, she intended to “vote no.”

County officials who responded later in the meeting disagreed with the public account and described steps taken before and after the procurement.

Sheriff Reich told the board that the department had moved to the Sig Sauer model after considering options and the need to replace older Glock handguns. “These guns are very safe,” Reich said, adding that the department had participated in a review of the firearm and that comparable agencies, including Michigan State Police, had equipped officers with the same model.

The county’s human resources director also addressed the comments and said, “there wasn't a single grievance filed” related to the handgun procurement. The HR director said the county arranged detailed briefings with union bargaining representatives and a Sig Sauer representative; the sessions, the HR director said, covered manufacturing changes and performance improvements and included firearms specialists from other agencies.

Officials said they had seen no local safety incidents involving the new handguns since the procurement and that staff had worked to provide forums for employees to raise concerns. The sheriff and HR director noted that some past industry litigation had led manufacturers to alter certain parts and that the county had sought information before completing the purchase.

No formal action followed the public comment. Commissioners said they expect county staff to continue reviewing safety and training practices and to respond to any additional concerns raised by employees.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","4-25-2025 Ways & Means Committee Budget Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","A resident told the Ways & Means Committee she had heard from current and former sheriff’s office employees alleging safety problems with a recently purchased Sig Sauer handgun; the sheriff and the county HR director said the county held briefings with unions and the manufacturer and that no grievances or incidents have occurred locally.","taxTitle","Eaton County, Michigan","taxId",53092,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6575106,"Eaton County projects $4.9 million budget gap; commissioners debate public‑safety millage and possible cuts",5180,717000,5897000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3124844-ab77f214fcdead225ff185c926aab944&start=717&end=5897","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3124844-ab77f214fcdead225ff185c926aab944/thumbnail_717000.jpg","/articles/6575106/Eaton-County/Michigan/Eaton-County-projects-49-million-budget-gap-commissioners-debate-publicsafety-millage-and-possible-cuts","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575106-714d8d1f741981c0fabd385c88a24fd3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771057521&Signature=ahONvqcJjDg5NDgVdO1d5zkLbkvxwwa6R2xKA~S~2-EjRGF-JUh4VjGO2LbdA7yeHIUTjjvvXyi9yd3EgLBMONmnPK0D806KQRPiWcKxQOCOGCY65zlEMLigwvjmjGDK1K2yMSftaPrJw3Qsm-xjxILqs7YtqOPeF2YKJIy8HmSlC5prZWevaBdB9RsCFfWo1KqioAtihWHR5TvZCaT4kuyWWgu2McR3HTYyz1nuUUqyAazhRHNes0qEsBSGL7JLtqCzqTewlXUNOX2gML1E9jvtMmEAztSIwZ4BxegBCOwOWfhhaGMrdXdmrSrfUOhENxE~b76dzkNJO56G1YOFmw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Eaton County officials told the Ways & Means Committee that preliminary budget requests for 2025‑26 outpace projected revenues by about $4.9 million, and commissioners spent much of the meeting reviewing where cuts would fall if additional revenues are not secured.

Connie (staff member) framed the meeting as an information step in the budget process and warned commissioners that “the cuts are coming” while more detail is gathered. Melissa (finance director) and other staff walked commissioners through an updated multi‑year projection that showed property tax revenue slightly below earlier estimates and some one‑time improvements in interest earnings.

Key revenue details offered in the presentation included:

- Property tax projection: staff reported a revised property‑tax projection of roughly $26.6 million, down from an earlier estimate of about $27.1 million.
- One‑time and near‑term changes: a modest increase from industrial tax and the advent of retail marijuana licensing in Charlotte produced small new receipts; Treasurer Reyna projected roughly $600,000 more in interest earnings for the current year and about $1.3 million for the next fiscal year.

On the expenditure side, staff noted that department requests added to the gap and called attention to the difficulty of cutting positions without degrading services. Melissa laid out a department‑by‑department view of personnel and ancillary costs to give commissioners a clearer picture of where payroll makes up most of the budget.

Commissioners and staff emphasized that some services are mandated by state law or constitutional office duties and cannot be reduced without legal consequences. The sheriff repeatedly told the board that the county is required to operate the jail and provide court security; he and other law‑enforcement officials warned that the likely near‑term budget response without new revenue would be to end county road patrol and scale back other discretionary services.

“If this public‑safety millage fails, we will not be able to sustain road patrol,” Sheriff Reich said. Asked how quickly the sheriff’s office could rebuild a dissolved road patrol if voters later approved a new millage, Reich said restoring a full road patrol would be “a miracle” because recruitment and training take many months and competing agencies typically pay more.

Commissioners discussed options and mechanics for cutting costs, including:

- Reclassifying or charging external partners for services that the county currently provides without cost (for example, contract planning and zoning services provided to townships).
- Reducing departmental FTEs, which staff warned would largely show up in personnel reductions and the loss of services rather than amenity cuts.
- Revising outside agency funding and grants; staff said the board had requested letters of intent from external agencies to document expected funding needs.

Several commissioners and the county controller urged residents to weigh the long‑term cost of cuts against the short‑term tax impact. “You either pay for it or you don’t have the service,” Connie said, summarizing the practical choice facing the board.

Schedule and next steps: staff said they will send departments a template asking them to classify functions as mandated or discretionary and will compile results for the board. Commissioners asked that the packet be finalized and distributed to absent commissioners; staff indicated department presentations and further budget workshops are planned in late May and June so that any changes can be incorporated before adoption.","County finance staff presented revenue and expense projections showing a roughly $4.9 million shortfall under current departmental requests. Commissioners discussed a proposed 2‑mill public safety millage on the May ballot and the likely consequences—most notably elimination of county road patrol—if voters reject the measure.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6575110,"Eaton County lays out $28.2 million six‑year capital plan, flags security and drain costs",3064,91000,3155000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3124844-ab77f214fcdead225ff185c926aab944&start=91&end=3155","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3124844-ab77f214fcdead225ff185c926aab944/thumbnail_91000.jpg","/articles/6575110/Eaton-County/Michigan/Eaton-County-lays-out-282-million-sixyear-capital-plan-flags-security-and-drain-costs","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6575110-6098af536dd6bf3c1c049ff6ef113dfd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771057521&Signature=EF7XBAeIMVZ7PlXY1GhMGZYWrDuUf9-1dbtLf8LA8er28ZwlNvCJSkfnT32N2j4OzBdV4zH~Mptt42-jjbZKU-88izex9G1SL7F~mTwjswEDbal~GPLLI2KQW8fcxH7BMK~DRYHALRh3I01y36NXLvjSP5RCwjCiYipUTyMXmaaYp8HOwiJ~JFI6fqVxc8Ae4jIEv02xFuxP1IbfwsYks7UKCrxGYkZpyxwZENvNV7tFp4zpvTn524sLb2XgSFIxE3ipnrIOX-ogwziGcLgbMKAtTI8Em2NNj~cEa3avaafDW~ateLhu5pnPIEMcjap2NRxFqkLQuMSicjFbVm-GbQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Eaton County staff told the Ways & Means Committee Tuesday that the county’s draft Capital Improvement Program (CIP) shows roughly $28.2 million in needs over the next six years, a package made up of about $16.2 million for county facilities and $12 million for technology infrastructure.

The presentation, given to commissioners during a special Ways & Means meeting, emphasized two themes throughout: the county has deferred routine maintenance for years and a number of large, non‑discretionary costs—most notably drain maintenance and security upgrades—are compressing the general fund.

“The average age of our buildings is 37 years,” Chad Powers, facilities director, said. “Every component has a lifespan and, when you defer it, the cost just balloons.” Powers told commissioners that the courthouse alone dates to 1976 and that past staffing reductions left facilities short of institutional knowledge needed for proactive upkeep.

Ben (staff member) and Powers walked through a building‑by‑building inventory in the CIP packet. The plan separates ongoing maintenance (funded historically from the Public Improvement Fund) from capital projects bigger than $25,000. Projects explicitly called out in the draft include roofing, elevator work, masonry and security modifications for older buildings; the draft also lists the county’s vehicle and equipment needs.

Eric Daley, director of Technology Services, said technology needs are large and different in kind from building repairs. He told the committee that some network infrastructure installed in 2019 is expected to need replacement in roughly three to seven years, that replacement cycles for laptops and servers are now driven by vendor support and security requirements, and that recurring subscription and warranty costs are increasing. “There is no quick, free way out of this,” Daley said. “Storage, network switches, wireless infrastructure and server replacement add up. We’re projecting about $12 million in technology‑related capital needs over six years.”

The CIP presentation also called attention to two items commissioners pressed as likely to materially affect the general fund:

- Drain maintenance and the Bank Intercounty Drain: staff showed a five‑year snapshot in the packet and said drain maintenance expense rose about 29 percent in the last year. Ben cautioned that bonding for the bank drain could increase obligations further depending on the bond structure and timing.

- Animal control facility: staff put an estimated $1,800,000 as a placeholder for replacing the current animal control building, which a facilities assessment described as aging and having costly, failing underground systems. Powers said the building could be salvaged but “it would cost more and not be a wise investment” compared with constructing a new facility.

Staff outlined possible ways to manage the costs, including applying for federal and state grants, negotiating multi‑year vendor agreements to stabilize recurring expenses, and considering partial bonding to “front‑load” projects if the board decides to accelerate work. Ben said a potential bond tied to the bank drain could free up additional dollars to address multiple near‑term priorities but warned that bonding would also affect future cash flow and would require underwriters’ review of the county’s fiscal policies.

Commissioners asked how reducing the county’s building footprint or staff would change maintenance costs. Powers said selling buildings would reduce in‑house workload but not necessarily save money in the short term because contractors tend to charge a premium for emergency work and the county would still have transition costs. He said the facilities team currently operates with five full‑time maintenance staff covering roughly a dozen county buildings, down from a previous historic staffing level.

Ben and staff said the packet is a draft: departments will provide more detail and formal department presentations are planned for June or earlier if the board directs it. The CIP exercise will be revisited each year and used in conversations with rating agencies and potential bond counsel; Ben told commissioners Standard & Poor’s had already asked about the county’s capital planning during recent debt discussions.

Next steps: staff will refine the CIP and follow up with department directors about project timing, grant opportunities and bond scenarios. Department directors are scheduled to present more detailed project budgets in the coming weeks so commissioners can consider adoption or modification in the budget process.","County staff presented a draft six‑year Capital Improvement Program that groups $16.2 million in facilities needs and $12 million in technology needs, and warned that deferred maintenance, drain costs and an aging building inventory will push expenses higher without new funding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Resident raises SIG Sauer concerns; sheriff and HR say no grievances and no safety incidents

Eaton County projects $4.9 million budget gap; commissioners debate public‑safety millage and possible cuts

Eaton County lays out $28.2 million six‑year capital plan, flags security and drain costs