Berrien County board keeps current bylaws, adopts 2025 calendar with four night meetings and circulates conflict waivers

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners on Thursday voted to continue using its existing bylaws and rules of procedure while staff works on changes required by a recent move to four‑year terms, approved a 2025 meeting calendar that keeps regular Thursday business hours and adds four night meetings, and directed commissioners to complete updated conflict‑of‑interest disclosure forms.

The board first approved minutes from the Dec. 19 meeting, with the motion recorded as "moved by Bill, supported by Harrison," then adopted a motion to use the current bylaws and rules until a careful revision process is complete. "Motion by Harrison, supported by Tyler," was the procedural record for that vote. The board also confirmed appointments for sergeant at arms, parliamentarian and chaplain as "status quo." The board approved the calendar with an amendment to exclude county holidays.

Keeping the bylaws in place matters because staff and commissioners said the change to four‑year commissioner terms will require significant work to update internal rules. "Because of the change to the 4 year terms, it will require significant work on the part of staff and the board to go through…