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Committee recommends a series of routine appointments, contracts and a property sale; votes recorded
Summary
At its April 15 Committee of the Whole meeting the Barry County Board of Commissioners recommended multiple appointments and agreements — including planning commission reappointments, remonumentation contracts, a Register of Deeds fee resolution and recommended acceptance of an offer to buy a Middleville parcel — and approved the meeting minutes.
The Barry County Board of Commissioners Committee of the Whole on April 15 recommended or approved a set of routine administrative actions, including reappointments to the Planning Commission, contracts tied to the county's remonumentation program, an update to Register of Deeds fees, and a recommendation to accept a $60,000 offer for 118 West Main Street in the village of Middleville.
Why it matters: Several items forwarded by the committee require final action by the Board of Commissioners; other items (minutes approval) were carried at the committee level. The remonumentation and Register of Deeds actions affect long-running county projects and fees that touch land records and surveying work used by property owners and title companies.
Votes at a glance
- Approval of Committee minutes (date listed in packet). Motion by Commissioner Bassett; support by Commissioner Hatfield. Outcome: approved by voice vote at the meeting; no roll-call tally provided in the transcript.
- Recommendation to reappoint John LaForge and Jack (applicant) to the Barry County Planning Commission for three-year terms (May 1, 2025–April 30, 2028). Motion by Commissioner Hatfield; support by Commissioner Smelker. Outcome: motion carries; forwarded to full Board of Commissioners for final appointment.
- Recommendation to approve a memorandum of understanding with Eaton County for the 2025 scrap tire grant (county to participate in Eaton County-managed grant and hauling arrangements). Motion by Commissioner Kent Bell; support by Commissioner Toonison. Outcome: motion carries; forwarded to full Board of Commissioners.
- Recommendation to appoint licensed surveyors to the 2025 Remonumentation Peer Review Board (list of surveyors in packet). Motion by Commissioner Colton; support by Commissioner Hatfield. Outcome: motion carries; forwarded to Board for final approval.
- Recommendation to enter the 2025 monumentation survey agreements (contracting surveyors to perform remonumentation work). Motion by Commissioner Toonison; support by Commissioner Campbell. Outcome: motion carries; forwarded to Board for signature authority.
- Recommendation to approve the 2025 county representative services agreement for remonumentation with Brian Reynolds, P.S., for $12,000 (one-year contract). Motion by Commissioner Smelker; support by Commissioner Hatfield. Outcome: motion carries; forwarded to Board for final approval.
- Recommendation that the Board adopt Resolution 25-15 to approve a revised fee schedule for the Barry County Register of Deeds effective June 1, 2025 (changes include updated remote-search subscription pricing, an increase in notary fee from $5 to $10, and a $1 per-minute track search fee). Motion by Commissioner Hatfield; support by Commissioner Campbell. Outcome: motion carries; forwarded to Board for consideration.
- Recommendation to accept the offer from Nate and Jillian Otto for $60,000 to purchase 118 West Main Street (former Baby Bliss/Designware parcel) from the Land Bank and authorize the county attorney and administrator to complete sale documents. Motion by Commissioner Hatfield; support by Commissioner Toonison. Outcome: motion carries; forwarded to Board for execution.
Details and next steps: The committee repeatedly used voice votes; the transcript does not include individual roll-call tallies. Each recommendation will appear on the County Board of Commissioners agenda for formal adoption or final execution where required. For the items described as "recommend to the Board," the committee carried the recommendation to the Board of Commissioners, which retains final authority.
