Van Buren County sets budget hearing, renews leases and agreements, and approves animal-control staffing change

Van Buren County commissioners on July 22 approved a set of administrative agreements, set a public hearing for the county’s proposed 2025–26 budget, and authorized making a part-time animal-control kennel position full time, among other routine actions.

The board set a public hearing on the draft fiscal 2025–26 budget for Aug. 12 at 12:50 p.m. and reviewed higher-level budget assumptions, including an anticipated 3% cost-of-living adjustment and an equalization office estimate of just over a 5% increase in taxable value for the coming year. Miss Grabermeier, the county finance director, told commissioners the draft is largely a “roll forward” of current budgets with targeted line-item updates after a year of detailed review.

The County also voted to renew a long-running lease with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for space on County Road 681 and approved related updates. County staff said the renewed lease would: remove janitorial services provided by the county, reduce the square footage calculation to reflect about 1,200 square feet previously given to Safe Harbor, and include a capital-improvement charge of roughly $90,000 for painting and wallpaper removal that will be paid and returned to the county’s CIP fund. The initial lease term is 10 years with two options for five-year renewals; the lease must then complete a state review process before execution.

Separately, the board approved a memorandum of understanding with Western Michigan University and an intergovernmental agreement with St. Joseph County to support a shared digital information department (DID) program. County staff described the arrangement as a collaboration that will allow the county to host interns and pursue joint research and grant opportunities; staff said Western Michigan University will have no authority over county operations and that there is no direct financial commitment from the county under the MOU.

Commissioners also voted to extend an existing engagement with the county’s external auditors for another term and to present a formal contract extension for final approval at the Aug. 12 Board of Commissioners meeting. County staff said retaining the same auditors would reduce disruption during the county’s upcoming accounting-software conversion and estimated modest fee increases in later years.

Market One’s county contract was extended for three years through Sept. 30, 2028, under terms discussed by the board; the vendor’s representative, Zach Morris, said the firm is working on housing-related proposals and had submitted multiple letters of intent that could total “over $4,000,000” if funded. The board also approved paying a legal invoice of $12,290 to outside counsel related to ongoing litigation matters and accepted the annual report from the county road commission.

On animal-control matters, a member of the public, Autumn Moriarty, urged the county to take stronger action on stray and nuisance cats. Moriarty said, “Cats are not like squirrels. Cats can get spayed. Cats can stop having babies.” Sheriff Daniel Abbott and other staff responded that state and local enforcement options are limited; the sheriff described stray cats as effectively free‑ranging or feral and said remedies for nuisance animals often are civil rather than criminal matters. At the meeting the board approved a request from the sheriff to convert a long‑time part‑time kennel worker from 29.5 hours per week to a 40‑hour full‑time position to help manage a sustained influx of strays and relieve workload pressures at the county kennel.

Other routine items on the agenda included acceptance of the road commission annual report, which highlighted in‑house mowing and seal‑coating operations, township cost‑sharing on some county projects, bridge and reconstruction planning, and equipment replacement schedules. The board also presented a proclamation recognizing Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott as the Michigan Sheriffs Association 2025 Sheriff of the Year.

Votes at a glance

- Memorandum of understanding with Western Michigan University / intergovernmental DID agreement with St. Joseph County — approved (motion passed; vote not individually recorded). - DHHS building lease renewal (County Road 681) — approved (motion passed; vote not individually recorded). Key lease terms: initial 10‑year term, two 5‑year options; county will not provide janitorial services; tenant to reimburse ~$90,000 CIP charge for painting/wallpaper work (repair timeline: 180 days from lease effect). - Set public hearing on fiscal 2025–26 budget for Aug. 12 at 12:50 p.m. — approved. - Engagement/extension with external auditors (extension to be brought to Aug. 12 Board meeting for final action) — approved to proceed. - Market One contract extension through Sept. 30, 2028 (1% annual increases) — approved. - Payment of Foster Swift invoice, $12,290 — approved. - Convert kennel worker from part time (29.5 hours) to full time (40 hours) immediately — approved. - Acceptance of Road Commission annual report — approved. - Proclamation honoring Sheriff Daniel Abbott as Michigan Sheriffs Association 2025 Sheriff of the Year — approved.

What commissioners said and why it matters

Finance director Miss Grabermeier framed the budget vote as a necessary step to allow public review: “Setting the budget is one of the most fundamental important things that the board has to do each year,” she said, adding that much line‑level work had been completed earlier in the year and that department heads had an opportunity to submit changes before the draft was presented. The hearing will give residents a recorded opportunity to comment on revenues and planned expenditures before the board adopts the final budget.

On animal control, public commenter Autumn Moriarty urged stronger enforcement: “If you choose to have a pet, you are then supposed to take care of the pet,” she said. Sheriff Daniel Abbott explained enforcement limits and community practice, saying county animal control faces legal constraints and heavy caseloads; he and county staff argued the kennel’s workload and shelter capacity justified making the kennel position full time to reduce overtime risk and improve operations.

County staff said the DID MOU with Western Michigan University is primarily intended to provide interns, academic research support and joint grant pursuit while giving the university no operational control over county systems. Zach Morris, Market One’s representative, told commissioners his organization is pursuing housing‑related funding and has submitted letters of intent that “could total, you know, over $4,000,000 if it all goes well.”

Background and next steps

- The DHHS lease renewal will proceed through the state’s review process; county staff estimated the state-side review and finalization could take several months before signatures are complete. - The county will hold the public hearing on the draft 2025–26 budget on Aug. 12 at 12:50 p.m.; if collective bargaining results in different compensation outcomes, staff said the board may need to adopt budget amendments later. - The auditors’ extension will be brought to the full Board of Commissioners meeting on Aug. 12 for final approval. - The kennel worker’s conversion to full time is effective immediately and will be paid from public‑safety funds through the end of the current fiscal year, then rolled into the general fund in the new budget year.

The meeting was conducted as the Committee of the Whole. Most motions were adopted by voice vote with commissioners indicating approval; the transcript records the motions as carried.