Votes at a glance: Barry County board approves consent agenda, claims, transit resolution and account signer authorization

Barry County — During its Jan. 28, 2025 meeting the Barry County Board of Commissioners approved multiple routine and administrative items by roll call. Key actions approved included the consent agenda, disbursements (claims), a transit funding resolution and authorization of account signers for county bank and investment accounts.

Votes at a glance

1) Consent agenda — APPROVED Motion: Motion by Commissioner Getty; support by Commissioner Hatfield for all items listed on the consent agenda. The consent agenda included minutes approval, appointments and reappointments to boards and commissions (examples: Barry County Land Bank Authority appointments, Commission on Aging reappointments, Parks and Recreation appointments, Veterans Affairs Committee appointments), job description revisions and FTE changes. Roll call: Commissioners recorded "aye" for all present; clerk called the roll and the chair announced the consent agenda is approved. Outcome: approved (unanimous among recorded votes).

2) Approval of claims — $92,689.44 — APPROVED Motion: Motion by Commissioner Smelker; support by Commissioner Hatfield to approve claims in the amount of $92,689.44. Roll call voters recorded on the transcript: Carlton (Aye), Campbell (Aye), Getty (Aye), Hatfield (Aye), Smelker (Aye), Toonison (Aye), Bassett (Aye), Jackson (Aye). (Transcript shows the clerk calling the roll; all recorded votes were "Aye.") Outcome: approved.

3) Resolution 25‑05 (FY2026) — Intent to apply for state formula operating assistance under Act 51 — APPROVED Motion: Motion by Commissioner Smelker; support by Commissioner Toonison to adopt Resolution Number 25‑05 (fiscal year 2026) of intent to apply for state formula operating assistance under Act 51 (Public Acts of 1951, as amended) and to name Transportation Director Mary Bassett as official representative for public transportation matters. Authority referenced: Act 51, Public Acts of 1951 (as amended). Roll call recorded in transcript: Campbell (Aye), Getty (Aye), Hatfield (Aye), Smelker (Aye), Toonison (Aye), Bassett (Aye), Carlton (Aye), Jackson (Aye). The chair announced the motion is approved. Outcome: adopted.

4) Authorization of county account signer(s) — APPROVED (amended) Motion: Motion by Commissioner Smelker; support by Commissioner Campbell to authorize Barry County Treasurer Kelly Shumway as the account owner signer on county bank and investment accounts effective Jan. 1, 2025 and to authorize the chairperson to sign a letter to the banks. Commissioners asked for additional authorized signers; the motion was amended on the floor to also authorize Clerk Sarah Vandenberg as a signer. Roll call recorded: Getty (Aye), Hatfield (Aye), Smelker (Aye), Toonison (Aye), Bassett (Aye), Carlton (Aye), Campbell (Aye), Jackson (Aye). Motion approved. Outcome: approved (amended to include Clerk Sarah Vandenberg).

Additional notes: several consent‑agenda appointments listed by staff are recorded in the meeting minutes (reappointments to Barry County Commission on Aging, Barry County Transit Board, Parks and Recreation Commission, Board of Road Commissioners, Veterans Affairs Committee). Those specific items were approved as part of the motion to adopt the consent agenda. Where the transcript lists term start and end dates, the article reports those dates as given in the meeting; if an agenda item lacked a detail in the transcript, the article notes that detail as "not specified."

Ending: Board members discussed internal controls around account signers and asked the treasurer to recommend any additional staff signers. The board’s roll‑call approvals closed routine county business for the meeting.