Muskegon County Human Services Committee approves Health West contracts, IT purchases and staffing changes; reclassification passes 5-4

The Muskegon County Human Services Committee on Nov. 1 approved a series of Health West contracts, information-technology purchases and a personnel reclassification that passed by a 5-4 vote, the committee chair said.

The measures approved included two fiber-optic service contracts for Health West sites, purchases of endpoint security software and new computers, a three-year snow-removal extension, an amendment to an existing time-management contract, a reclassification of a recovery coordinator position to an inclusion-and-engagement administrative assistant, consolidation of lobby support positions into a single full-time role that will lead to two layoffs, and a three-year contract extension with Senior Resources of West Michigan to administer senior millage grants.

The approvals affect the agency’s service sites, information-security posture, day-to-day operations at its main clinic and the administration of senior millage funds. Committee members said the procurement and staffing steps are intended to support service delivery at Health West facilities across Muskegon County.

Votes at a glance: HS2501-01 through HS2501-09

• HS2501-01: Authorize Health West to enter a 36-month agreement with Everstream for 500 megabit fiber point-to-point service at 1161 West 7; motion moved by Commissioner Page, supported by Vice Chair Cook; outcome: approved (vote not otherwise recorded in the transcript).

• HS2501-02: Authorize Health West to enter a 36-month agreement with Everstream for 250 megabit fiber point-to-point service at 1713 Seventh Street, Muskegon; motion moved by Commissioner Page, supported by Commissioner Nash; outcome: approved (vote not otherwise recorded).

• HS2501-03: Authorize purchase of Cisco Secure Endpoint antivirus and professional services from Sentinel Technologies via a cooperative contract at an approximate cost reported as $56,009; motion moved by Commissioner Nash, supported by Commissioner Cook; outcome: approved (vote not otherwise recorded).

• HS2501-04: Exercise a second contract renewal with Preferred Lawn Care for snow removal and salting services for calendar year 2025 at Health West sites; motion moved by Commissioner Diana Shanks, supported by Commissioner Hayskamp; outcome: approved (vote not otherwise recorded).

• HS2501-05: Reclassify a recovery coordinator (position N11400 wage grade HX00210) to an inclusion-and-engagement administrative assistant (wage grade HO0024), funded from account 7106; motion moved by Commissioner Nash, supported by Commissioner Cook; outcome: approved, roll-call vote recorded as 5 yes, 4 no.

• HS2501-06: Amend the contract with Advanced Time Management to include additional active users through the contract term; motion moved and supported (no cost reported); outcome: approved (vote not otherwise recorded).

• HS2501-07: Purchase 100 ThinkPad T16 laptops and 46 Dell OptiPlex 7020 desktop computers from CDW-G via cooperative agreement at an approximate cost reported as $154,007.82; motion moved and supported; outcome: approved (vote not otherwise recorded).

• HS2501-08: Eliminate two hourly lobby support specialist positions (N48901 and N48900) and create one full-time lobby support specialist position; motion moved by Commissioner Cage, supported by Commissioner Nash; outcome: approved (vote not otherwise recorded). Committee discussion noted that the two part-time employees will be laid off and may apply for other positions; the change is planned to take effect in February.

• HS2501-09: Enter a three-year agreement with Senior Resources of West Michigan to provide Senior Millage Grants administration services effective Jan. 1 (extension of prior arrangement); motion moved by Commissioner Cook, supported by Commissioner Hayskamp; outcome: approved (vote not otherwise recorded).

Key details and discussion

Fiber service and site names: The committee approved two 36-month point-to-point fiber contracts with Everstream for Health West locations. Christy Chittenden, Health West chief information officer, asked whether the sites already had internet service and whether the new contracts were less costly; committee members and staff clarified that 1161 West 7 is a newly approved location and the fiber will establish service there. The committee also discussed the informal or working names for sites (transcript references include “the mental health center,” “NIMS” and “Colby” for 1713 Seventh Street).

Cybersecurity and devices: The committee authorized Health West to purchase Cisco Secure Endpoint antivirus and professional services through Sentinel Technologies using a cooperative contract at an approximate cost discussed in the meeting (reported around $56,009). The committee also approved buying 100 ThinkPad T16 laptops and 46 Dell OptiPlex desktop units from CDW-G at an approximate total cost reported in the meeting as $154,007.82. A commissioner asked how old equipment is disposed of; staff said devices that have ever stored protected health information (PHI) are destroyed under contract, and that Health West contracts with a vendor to perform device destruction.

Facilities and grounds: Committee members approved a second-year renewal of a snow-removal and salting services contract with Preferred Lawn Care for 2025. Bernie Carlson, identified in the transcript as the organization’s chief financial officer, said the vendor selection was run previously in 2022 and that Health West expects to go out for competitive bids in future procurement cycles: "we did it back in 2022. So we did a 1 year with it, to extend it for 3 years." (quote as spoken in the meeting).

Lobby staffing and service demand: Dr. Cynthia Ladronka, chief medical officer at Health West, described heavier daily demand at the main mental health center lobby since the end of COVID-related restrictions: "we roughly are doing about 260 scheduled appointments at our mental health center on a daily basis," she said. She said the lobby handles scheduled appointments, crisis visits, pharmacy customers and walk-in services, and that the agency is proposing a single full-time lobby support specialist to provide consistent presence and familiarity with frequent consumers during high-traffic blocks such as the Clozaril clinic (which staff said draws about 50 to 75 people on certain mornings). Staff confirmed that the two current hourly employees work under 20 hours per week and would be laid off if the new full-time position is created; human-resources and transition assistance were discussed as next steps.

Personnel reclassification and diversity context: The committee approved reclassifying a recovery coordinator position into an inclusion-and-engagement administrative assistant funded from account 7106. A commissioner raised concerns about leadership-team diversity and hiring patterns; Health West leadership responded that the assessment-based hiring process and recent hiring have broadened the leadership mix and that the new inclusion-and-engagement role will support cultural-intelligence assessments and staff and community engagement efforts.

Senior millage administration: The committee approved a three-year contract with Senior Resources of West Michigan to continue administering senior millage grants effective Jan. 1; staff said this continues the prior contract that was extended through Dec. 31 to bridge fiscal-year timing.

Next steps and timing: Committee members indicated the lobby staffing change would be implemented in February to allow transition conversations with affected employees. Other contracts and purchases will proceed under the standard contract-signing process, with the Health West executive director authorized to sign the agreements where specified.