[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6527174,"mediaKeyId","3645183-9edd8c62329aa6c420db9c811be3c268","parentId",3645183,"title","County to bring $2 million opioid-settlement request for recovery housing to upcoming agenda; commissioners press for clawback protections","audioSeconds",424,"startMs",4764000,"endMs",5188000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3645183-9edd8c62329aa6c420db9c811be3c268&start=4764&end=5188","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3645183-9edd8c62329aa6c420db9c811be3c268/thumbnail_4764000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6527174/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/County-to-bring-2-million-opioid-settlement-request-for-recovery-housing-to-upcoming-agenda-commissioners-press-for-clawback-protections","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527174-72e37b6167d0c6e6fcfde54d4c4d7b4c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123562&Signature=fabPNGy2EHd66MsGzxx33fqglnH-hAsHD2MAlBfaH96t9OWiKCF8LfUdVmLSKmmcIJ18oMjZ4VO5wCn8UEWQPXdEqyhXgESpQP4hSTbOJrhmlQYckO5hwvOWDy0kSynlFs~6kZrgdWhFMbLMC2ZqXFk1lPJM5UhBlbV2XDZt1HkKRL~FWIcmg~VLgdaopezotF5MWwceTdCdJZ~m2ca0d0dwlYW0kbu6Ks9Uacgi7vpLt07DRMJCYHEf2817iFFPoZT7IH84xoMkTWYdLWdo2RLcyUZIcBhnkUp~EXjor38C4i-lLm5mOJa4WsRnwOxEWB8EKcFuXH~bAdTvtxuN7A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kalamazoo County Government","date","2025-06-03T23:37:33Z","article","Deputy County Administrator Lindy Smith presented a proposal on June 3 asking the Board of Commissioners to allocate $2,000,000 from the county’s opioid-settlement funds to support recovery housing infrastructure. The board agreed to place the item on an upcoming agenda for a formal vote and directed staff and counsel to draft an agreement.

Smith said a developer is at risk of losing other funding — including Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and an Environmental Protection Agency grant for the project — without additional local funding to close a reported $4 million shortfall. Smith provided a written brief in the meeting packet and invited commissioners to ask questions before the item returns for formal approval.

Vice Chair Taylor spoke in favor of the allocation but said he was uncomfortable giving a large sum to a for-profit developer without safeguards. \"I really wish that this company had a nonprofit arm that was building it,\" Taylor said. He asked whether the county could include contract language allowing some or all funds to be returned if the developer raises more money than needed. Smith said staff would draft an agreement and corporation counsel said the question would be addressed in negotiations.

Chair Strips and other commissioners stressed the project’s role in the local opioid-recovery continuum and the multiple funding partners involved. Commissioner Strebs voiced strong support for moving the recommendation forward, saying the project prioritized deeply affordable units and recovery supports and that planned additional opioid-settlement receipts should keep the task-force budget on track.

Corporation Counsel acknowledged the request and said legal staff would examine whether the county can include recoupment or clawback provisions in the funding agreement.

Ending: County staff will bring a funding agreement and resolution to the board at an upcoming meeting for formal approval; commissioners requested that counsel explore contract provisions that would allow the county to recover funds if outside fundraising reduces the project’s need.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Commissioners Meeting | June 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Deputy County Administrator Lindy Smith requested $2,000,000 from opioid-settlement funds on June 3 to support recovery housing infrastructure; the board agreed to place the item on an upcoming agenda for formal approval and asked counsel to examine possible clawback terms.","taxTitle","Kalamazoo County, Michigan","taxId",2836,"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},6527178,"Road Commission presents $25 million safety grant, rising tree-response workload and 30-mile safety projects to county commissioners",1635,1541000,3176000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3645183-9edd8c62329aa6c420db9c811be3c268&start=1541&end=3176","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3645183-9edd8c62329aa6c420db9c811be3c268/thumbnail_1541000.jpg","/articles/6527178/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/Road-Commission-presents-25-million-safety-grant-rising-tree-response-workload-and-30-mile-safety-projects-to-county-commissioners","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527178-ecd1601019c43780b0425e0c97ff9b9b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123562&Signature=DM~cPL1hhYMlbUo8MjgTrWmb2hrLA95JepUls5Hfr-I0ZCzEzoao8tFBopL2AXCL4ioxrMEq7dsZCj9q~5mylBmIHo-Wb0kmVbICZ3DGYHgn2yX5m-6Wk2sfN-aI9XpXdOiyRjBPVil2mWPwV~6bqravPXMW8dYMOg-hobKwfz6kZHnXFaXYSf3tmF0iYCLE7j8R531MePE9ug62Sy4Cgc99ye0079VsBF9JfUAKBAPRMlyRaWazwJ1XXjZatlCOHIymqSuiKa7DD3mw-acz4WHmoJN9iX3lBCfELABElirHACfOUtoCSUMj0J3OQSCbipJvmnuYZyME4NQbf1Jjdw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Travis Bartholomew, managing director of the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County, presented the road commission’s 2024 annual report and 2025 priorities to the Board of Commissioners on June 3, highlighting a $25 million federal safety grant, funding sources and growing tree-removal and service-request workloads.

Bartholomew told the board the commission’s main recurring funding source is the Michigan Transportation Fund (MTF), currently modeled at roughly $28 million per year, supplemented by federal and state grants (about $3.9 million this year for primary-road projects) and increasing township contributions on local roads.

He described a 2024 award from the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program totaling $25 million for a five-year package of safety work. \"We were awarded the grant in 2024 for $25,000,000,\" he said, and the program will fund improvements across roughly 30 miles of primary roads, including reconstructed segments, shoulder widening, clear-zone work (moving trees away from the roadway), and centerline and edge-line rumble strips to reduce single-vehicle lane departures.

Bartholomew described the county’s service-request workload as a daily operational metric: 5,700 service requests were logged in 2024, and tree-related calls outnumber other categories. He gave a recent storm example: road crews pushed 450 fallen trees to the road edge during a 32-hour response window to restore access for emergency vehicles; long-term cleanup will likely take months.

He outlined a set of priority projects for 2025 including intersection and turn-lane improvements on G Avenue, the final phase of Sprinkle Road (using centerline and edge-line rumble strips and a concrete median in places), a roughly $2.8 million two-and-a-half-mile reconstruction in Pavilion Township that will add paved shoulders where previously absent to support the bike-route network, and additional reconstruction work in Schoolcraft Township.

Nonmotorized planning was also highlighted: the road commission maintains a county bike-route network with signage (about 500 signs) and supports Kalamazoo River Valley Trail segments and township nonmotorized master-plan projects. Bartholomew said the road commission acts as an Act 51 agency and helps route and manage funding for partner projects.

On operations and outreach, Bartholomew described a new public communication video about chip seal, explained RCKC Connect (a project alert system for road closures and project updates) and said the commission is hiring a road maintenance operator and a mechanic. He also noted ongoing collaboration with local units of government and county departments, including a recently approved emergency management vehicle storage agreement.

Commissioners asked questions about critical bridges, millage-funded township projects, MS4 stormwater permit costs and long-term trends in tree-related workload. Bartholomew told the board that two locally owned bridges are closed and costly to replace (bridge replacements can approach or exceed $1 million), that townships planning millages can work with the commission on planning and data to support voter outreach, and that MS4 stormwater permitting will require additional staff time and expense to meet state requirements. He said the commission is shifting from chemical brush control to more mechanical tree work to address large limbs and mature-tree failures.

Ending: Commissioners praised the report and graphics and encouraged continued collaboration between the road commission and townships on safety, millage planning and nonmotorized routing. Bartholomew urged residents to sign up for RCKC Connect for project and closure notifications.","Travis Bartholomew, managing director of the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County, briefed commissioners on funding sources, a $25 million Safe Streets and Roads for All grant covering 30 miles of safety fixes, service-request trends and increasing tree-related cleanup demands.",{"_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},6527182,"Kalamazoo County staff outlines local groundwater contamination sites, PFAS risks and testing options",802,489000,1291000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3645183-9edd8c62329aa6c420db9c811be3c268&start=489&end=1291","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3645183-9edd8c62329aa6c420db9c811be3c268/thumbnail_489000.jpg","/articles/6527182/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/Kalamazoo-County-staff-outlines-local-groundwater-contamination-sites-PFAS-risks-and-testing-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527182-09f3f536947f93b12d1a63b669a1e983/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123562&Signature=eGS7eIS0RG~6FeR9TQIyWCLdjy0kuj3qSqT2Xhwj5q1btmIq-P4nTVaY45E4Fku~t-YIlvFUjEYF0D7qtCVRY8ZQkYdAVZUfRJ9tlRD0bPBQmooFy6L~Jd7x0LoKQAZFYTu4QXecemsiJXVfQ7Yv3fzgcO8ezU~cTjV4TMeAPUoY2q55LU48qiS9Gg6CV3Fld7oaAY19W~COdRT1d~E6E1sVUzLBzqjVb~XvAK9ShGpIMZuhT1y3kn~uIpGDmNPX0mTaqm9gbronqJYND~cWyM~TvU6MAF3NCYhKx00agYCmdZWI4zXnud5MliWFBfBt09VmBKh08yiMGF851wh7hg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Leah Erlinson, Kalamazoo County groundwater specialist, told the Board of Commissioners on June 3 that the county contains multiple kinds of groundwater contamination sites and described where residents can find information and testing resources.

Erlinson said the county currently has five Superfund sites overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and additional state-managed sites, including Part 201 brownfields, Part 211 and Part 213 underground-storage-tank sites, and PFAS-specific sites. \"We currently have 5 within our county,\" Erlinson said while describing Superfund sites and how the EPA manages cleanup when there is no responsible party.

The presentation summarized contaminants commonly found in local groundwater: polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), PCE/TCE used in dry cleaning and degreasing, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), 1,4-dioxane, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and metals, pesticides and nitrates. Erlinson described health risks cited by state and federal agencies for several substances, including liver and kidney damage linked to some solvents and increased cancer risk associated with certain PFAS exposures.

Erlinson also explained site classifications and oversight: Superfund sites are overseen by the EPA; brownfields and many redevelopment sites are managed by the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC); and PFAS response is coordinated through Michigan’s MPART program and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

On remediation approaches, Erlinson listed common techniques used depending on contaminant type: excavation and disposal, capping and containment (often for landfills), on-site treatment and pump-and-treat systems, and filtration for some uses. She said PFAS are especially difficult to remediate because they persist in the environment and in human bodies.

For private well owners, Erlinson recommended annual testing for bacteria and nitrates and advised residents to use the state laboratory for site-specific tests such as VOCs and PFAS. She said the county distributes PFAS filters and educates residents about maintenance. \"If you have any household hazardous waste in your home and your property, take it down to the center,\" Erlinson told the board when describing disposal and sampling options.

Commissioners asked for clarifications. Commissioner Gisler asked how Part 211 (tanks) become Part 213 (leaking tanks); Erlinson said not all tanks that are removed have leaked and that detection sometimes relies on sales/discrepancy records. Commissioners also asked where residents can obtain guidance about irrigation wells inside a groundwater-restricted zone; Erlinson said they should contact the county environmental health department first and the county will follow up or connect them with state partners as needed.

Erlinson provided contact information for site-specific questions and pointed commissioners to public mapping tools maintained by EGLE and the EPA. She emphasized outreach and well management as key county activities: monitoring well permits near contamination sites, periodic water sampling, collaborating with state and city partners and arranging filter distribution for affected households.

Ending: Erlinson concluded by encouraging residents with particular concerns to contact the environmental health department and by reminding board members that public information and interactive maps for Superfund, Part 201/211/213 and PFAS sites are available on state and federal websites.","Leah Erlinson, Kalamazoo County groundwater specialist, told commissioners June 3 the county has multiple contamination site types — including five Superfund sites and several PFAS sites — and reviewed testing, remediation and public resources for well owners.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6527167,"Kalamazoo County commissioners approve consent agenda, minutes and proclamation; public comment on housing and Amplifund portal",650,9334000,9984000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3645183-9edd8c62329aa6c420db9c811be3c268&start=9334&end=9984","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3645183-9edd8c62329aa6c420db9c811be3c268/thumbnail_9334000.jpg","/articles/6527167/Kalamazoo-County/Michigan/Kalamazoo-County-commissioners-approve-consent-agenda-minutes-and-proclamation-public-comment-on-housing-and-Amplifund-portal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527167-f64c2372cdcbf49a618702cd0bdedea1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771123562&Signature=L60G3IjiqPvnya~aOqB5MAkw07I4t1wc1e2p3GpmP-liH10Won0Pwz86hm35sym9R3sC-zEYvNvWnMS7AzVgRlikXCyr3IOIv03UsRyWtN1qhmVXJkAjf6yN~9hWBUIsXmADQuOu3Unb9Uvpzwt~h~Bdjh9kot4KUPYBwQn9BSuYFj8N~2FRotgjGeQSbNOO8akhxJ6MtXn13igKBACB87Ex7R~NSuY1wD7AjBY7ZlIukEym3P0f9qXGYMqBvjn9MS9ZsdEW7ili8AGvceYcCkYntiEG1kU2y7sHh7-LdAm2fa-8xjFPYrOaXWooSVqryjBL1-gtiGGCW1ct21GiMQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners on June 3 approved routine business items and heard presentations and public comment.

Votes at a glance
- Elder Abuse Awareness Month proclamation (Item 2025583): approved by voice vote after a motion moved by Commissioner Morales and supported by Vice Chair Pro Tem Hepler; motion carried.
- Approval of draft minutes (05/20/2025 Committee of the Whole and regular meeting; 05/21/2025 Intergovernmental Roundtable Ad Hoc Committee; 05/29/2025 Youth Sports Facility Ad Hoc Committee): motions made and votes taken; the intergovernmental-roundtable minutes were approved as amended.
- Consent agenda: approved by roll call vote; clerk recorded eight yes votes (8-0).

During the meeting County Finance Director Ryan Post reviewed accounts-payable and payroll disbursements and said the packet included an accounts-payable claims list totaling $7,369,144, of which the board had been asked to approve $6,144,225.54; payroll disbursements for May were listed at $4,217,051.13.

Public comment: Mary Balkema of the city of Kalamazoo told commissioners the county’s Amplifund portal opened June 2 and will close July 3 with categories for multifamily projects, supportive services and creative projects. She thanked commissioners for earlier deliberations on an opioid-settlement allocation and cited ongoing projects including a 72-unit senior housing site on Burdick Street and a 42-unit single-family neighborhood in Portage.

The board also received an information presentation on groundwater contamination from Leah Erlinson, Kalamazoo County groundwater specialist, and an annual report from the Road Commission of Kalamazoo County.

Ending: Several commissioners praised staff and presenters and encouraged continued coordination on housing, road safety and storm response. The opioid-settlement allocation request for $2,000,000 was referred to an upcoming agenda for formal approval following counsel review.","At the June 3 meeting commissioners approved an Elder Abuse Awareness Month proclamation, multiple sets of minutes and the consent agenda by roll call; public comment highlighted an open Amplifund portal and local housing projects.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

County to bring $2 million opioid-settlement request for recovery housing to upcoming agenda; commissioners press for clawback protections

Road Commission presents $25 million safety grant, rising tree-response workload and 30-mile safety projects to county commissioners

Kalamazoo County staff outlines local groundwater contamination sites, PFAS risks and testing options

Kalamazoo County commissioners approve consent agenda, minutes and proclamation; public comment on housing and Amplifund portal