County committees approve South County health remodel design, small grants and personnel policy changes

Berrien County’s personnel and human services committee and the administration committee reviewed and approved several items including the design for a South County health department remodel, adjustments to personnel policies to comply with state law, and a set of modest grants and donations.

The personnel and human services committee approved a waiver of competitive quote for an ARGIS enterprise agreement and recommended changes to bring the county's sick‑leave policy into compliance with state law. The committee also recommended a change to the resignation policy requiring employees to work their last day instead of using benefit time, and reviewed monthly per diems.

The committee approved a $4,000 well‑being grant for the health department to support staff fitness programs and a grant described as "a little over $47,000" to fund a program referred to in the meeting as the "dirt on wheat" program. A county official summarized the actions: "We did review that and approve that."

At an administration committee meeting, consultants from Eckert Wardell presented a proposed remodel for the health department’s South County building; that project was described as roughly $1 million. The committee also reviewed minutes, approved a recurring property‑use request for the Grama Art Fair, and prepared several resolutions for the full board, including a CCAB grant application through September 2026 and a resolution to accept a $3,000 donation from the Lehi and Elizabeth Ward Charity Fund and Bridal Charity Charitable Incorporated.

The items were forwarded to the full board for action at a future meeting; committee chairs said the presentations and documents have been distributed to commissioners for review.