Bay County commissioners adopt wide slate of resolutions, ratify contracts and add opposition to House revenue-sharing cuts

The Bay County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, approved more than 20 resolutions and proclamations covering veterans recognition, public-health agreements, county projects and several budget and personnel matters, and added a resolution opposing proposed House budget cuts to county revenue sharing.

The items adopted at the 4 p.m. meeting included proclamations honoring veteran Van Arthur Digby, a recognition of National Recovery Month, ratification of multiple collective bargaining agreements, authorization to publish a notice of intent to issue bonds for a county pool project, and a budget adjustment of up to $20,000 for boiler repairs at the law enforcement center.

Why this matters: The votes included both ceremonial recognitions and operational decisions that affect county services and finances — from public-health purchasing agreements and grants to transportation planning funds and capital repairs — and the board recorded a formal position opposing House fiscal-year 2026 proposals that would cut county revenue sharing.

The meeting opened with a resolution honoring Van Arthur Digby for his military and veterans-service work; Digby and family members attended, and an attendee identified as Digby’s wife spoke about their service and marriage, saying, “This man who loves his country, who loves his family, deserves to have this award for all that he has done.” The board approved that resolution (Res. No. 2025-161) by voice vote.

Among the other notable actions, the board: - Proclaimed September 2025 as National Recovery Month (Res. No. 2025-162). - Received and approved an obsolete property rehabilitation certificate application for 614 Center Avenue, Bay City, with a project value of $1,170,000 (Res. No. 2025-?63 — application referenced in the record as for 614 Center Avenue, $1,170,000). - Authorized publication of notice of intent to issue bonds for the Bay County pool project (Res. No. 2025-164). - Approved changes to the fee schedule to add live-scan electronic fingerprinting for the sheriff’s department (Res. No. 2025-165). - Approved purchase of a jail transport van to support federal prisoner transports (Res. No. 2025-166). - Authorized application for and acceptance of a materials-management planning grant to support a county solid-waste plan (Res. No. 2025-167); county staff described the grant as supporting development and implementation planning for future solid-waste management and diversion efforts. - Ratified several collective-bargaining agreements covering correctional facility officers, records specialists, FOP personnel and nurses (Res. Nos. 2025-168 and 2025-176, among others). - Approved an agreement with McLaren Bay Region to purchase rabies vaccine and immunoglobulin for the health department (Res. No. 2025-169) and contracts with advertising vendors for health-clinic promotion (Res. No. 2025-170). - Approved a service/maintenance agreement for a Verdi cooling unit with Access Michigan (Res. No. 2025-172) and the purchase/trade-in of golf carts for the county golf course (Res. No. 2025-171). - Approved federal transportation planning and asset-management funding entries for the 2025 and 2026 unified work programs through BCATS (Bay County Area Transportation Study) (Res. Nos. 2025-177 and 2025-178). - Approved a budget adjustment of up to $20,000 for boiler repairs at the law enforcement center; staff explained the work must be done before high heating season because the boilers are large and must be shut down and cooled in place (Res. No. 2025-179).

Several items were accepted by voice vote with no roll-call tallies recorded in the meeting transcript. During discussion of the resolution opposing House revenue-sharing cuts, a commissioner urged timely constituent contact with state representatives, saying, “Now is the time to contact your representatives in the next couple weeks.” That resolution was added as an agenda item and approved (Res. No. 2025-181).

Votes at a glance (resolutions, short description, outcome): - Res. 2025-161 — Honor Van Arthur Digby for military and veterans service — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-162 — Proclaim National Recovery Month in Bay County — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-163 — Bay County winner L4029 / winter levy millage collection (as recorded) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-164 — Publish notice of intent to issue bonds for Bay County pool project — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-165 — Add live-scan electronic fingerprints to sheriff’s fee schedule — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-166 — Purchase jail transport van (for federal prisoner transports) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-167 — Receive work program; apply for materials-management planning grant — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-168 — Ratify collective bargaining agreements for listed personnel (corrections/records) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-169 — Agreement with McLaren Bay Region for rabies vaccine/immunoglobulin — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-170 — Agreements with advertising companies for clinical promotion (Health Dept.) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-171 — Approve purchase/trade-in of golf carts (parks) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-172 — Service/maintenance agreement for Verdi cooling unit (Finance/IS) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-173 — Payables (finance) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-174 — Budget increase for childcare fund (probate court) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-175 — Bay County Fairgrounds date request for 2025 — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-176 — Ratify collective bargaining agreements (FOP and nurses) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-177 — Federal transportation planning funds / FY2025 unified work program (BCATS) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-178 — Federal transportation planning funds / FY2026 unified work program (BCATS) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-179 — Budget adjustment for boiler repairs at law enforcement center (up to $20,000) — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-181 — Add-on: Oppose House FY26 budget cuts to county revenue sharing — Approved (voice vote). - Res. 2025-188 — Receive reports to county executive (August 2025) — Approved (voice vote).

What the record shows and what it does not: Most motions carried by voice vote with the transcript reporting the board’s “Aye” and “motion carries.” The meeting record in the transcript does not include recorded roll-call tallies (individual yes/no votes) for the items listed; where the transcript did not list numerical tallies or named roll-call votes, the board adopted items by voice vote and the transcript records no individual vote counts.

The board scheduled routine appointments and noted upcoming canvass and board-term expirations. Staff described the materials-management planning grant as a state-supported planning grant to support future solid-waste diversion and implementation steps; the grant’s dollar amount was not specified in the meeting transcript.

Meeting adjourned following public comments and announcements. The board also thanked staff and negotiators for hours spent securing the recently ratified labor agreements.