Committee rejects $9.3 million bond, approves $6.9 million capital improvement bond for Marquette campus

The Muskegon County Community Development and Strategic Planning Committee voted on April 17 to approve a 2025 limited-tax general obligation capital improvement bond not to exceed $6,900,000 and rejected a separate resolution to issue up to $9,300,000.

Finance staff presented two options for financing renovations and related work at the Marquette campus and secondary projects at the Hall of Justice and county parking areas. Angela Voshevsky, Finance Director, told the committee that a $9.3 million bond would produce an estimated annual payment of about $735,000 and total interest costs of about $4.5 million for a total cost near $13 million. She said a $6.9 million bond would lower the annual payment to roughly $550,000 and carry about $3.3 million in interest for a total near $10.2 million. “The payment on that would be about $735,000 annually,” Voshevsky said when describing the larger option.

The committee discussed trade-offs between doing all identified projects immediately versus staging some repairs over time. Supporters of the smaller bond said it would free approximately $200,000 a year in the county’s projected budget for maintenance and lower long-term interest costs. Several commissioners favored the $6.9 million option as a more conservative approach that preserves annual cash for future work while completing the core Marquette campus repairs.

Commissioners also reviewed a county program that allows departments to retain portions of unspent budgets as surplus for one-off projects. Staff described that the Circuit Court’s relatively large surplus balance resulted from early years of the surplus program and COVID-related budget variances; the finance team said the program has since been adjusted and surpluses are now capped to encourage more accurate budgeting.

Votes at a glance - CDSP 25-04-07 (resolution authorizing 2025 capital improvement bonds, limited tax general obligation not to exceed $9,300,000): motion moved by Chair Nance and supported by Commissioner McWigand; outcome: failed (7 no votes). The committee recorded seven “no” votes on the 9.3 million option. - CDSP 25-04-08 (resolution authorizing 2025 capital improvement bonds, limited tax general obligation not to exceed $6,900,000): motion moved (mover/second not specified on the record); outcome: approved (7 yes votes). The committee recorded seven “yes” votes and authorized the County Clerk to sign the resolution.

Budget impact and next steps Finance staff provided a 20-year payment projection for both scenarios and highlighted that the smaller bond would leave more annual budget capacity for maintenance and future projects. The committee instructed staff to proceed with the approved $6.9 million bond financing and to continue coordination with facilities and affected departments on project timing and procurement. No additional legal or state statutes were cited during the vote; the action authorizes the county clerk to sign the approved bond resolution.

Public comment and related remarks During the meeting, a county official urged the committee to keep interior repairs and tenant-facing finishes in mind as part of the broader capital plan. County staff and commissioners said they plan work sessions on South Campus transition and to continue monitoring departmental needs and surplus balances. The committee did not set specific construction start dates during the meeting.