Washtenaw County approves human services clerk title change; board hears EGLE materials agreement and budget, health and recovery updates

The Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners approved a request to change the position description and job title for a court-related human services clerk and discussed a proposed materials-management agreement with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) during a routine meeting.

The board voted unanimously, 8-0, to approve the request to change the position description and title of the human services specialist clerk position. The motion passed during the meeting after roll call and procedural confirmation.

County officials also presented a motion to approve an EGLE Materials Management Planning Program agreement and to authorize the county health administrator to sign the agreement on the county’s behalf. The motion was made and supported during the meeting; the transcript records the motion text and support but does not provide a final vote tally in the record supplied.

Board and staff members used the meeting to deliver administrative updates that could affect county operations and budgets. County staff reported an anticipated roughly 15% increase in health insurance rates for the next year. Officials said the county will continue meetings with partner counties about how to process program reimbursement and whether certain financial flows should continue to be routed through Manistee County or be submitted separately by each county.

Officials also described forthcoming contracts and committee activity aimed at expanding opioid-related services. A board member said the county will bring contracts to the board in the near term to continue peer recovery and peer review services and to consider setting aside capacity at a veteran-focused treatment provider, Traverse City Addiction Treatment Services. County staff said an opioid committee meeting will be scheduled to advance those plans.

On environmental remediation, staff reported that three companies have expressed interest in working with the county on changing PFOS treatment methods; staff said they plan to meet with those vendors to evaluate options. In other program notes, staff said the county’s childcare budget is only about 50% reimbursed by the state for out-of-home placements and that reimbursements remain a concern.

A staff member also noted an organizational change among cooperating counties: a region that had been part of an 11-county consortium associated with the GEO Group is reorganizing into a four-county GEO group effective Oct. 1. Separately, county staff confirmed that there are currently no placements of county clients outside the state of Arizona.

During the public-comment period, a resident criticized mainstream media and promoted alternative outlets. The resident said, "If you want uncensored news, go to infowars.com," and added political commentary about national figures. The comment was recorded as part of the meeting’s public-comment section and was not linked to any board action.

A board member praised county staff cohesion in public remarks, saying, "You guys all spoke very highly of Jamie and I. Wanna tell you a lot of what makes our job easier is the cohesion on this board that you guys all know our doors are open and you all come and ask questions." That comment appeared during the meeting’s administrative remarks.

Board members and staff indicated several follow-up items will return to the board, including contracts and committee scheduling related to opioid services, the EGLE materials-management agreement paperwork, and further analysis of the county’s options on assessment work now performed under contract. Staff said a decision about who will carry out certain assessments — whether to continue with the current contractor or bring them in-house — is expected by Oct. 1.

No formal wage, budget-adoption, ordinance or appropriation decisions beyond the personnel title change were recorded in the supplied transcript excerpts.