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Finance committee reviews hiring, pension study and bid overages; Maple Court drainage bids sent back for review
Summary
County finance committee reported ongoing finance director recruitment, approved contract overages to be covered by municipalities, and sent a single high bid for Coloma Township Maple Court drainage back to the law department for review after a large discrepancy between expected and received bids.
The Berrien County finance committee updated the full board on hiring, a required pension study and several contract modifications at the Aug. 14 meeting.
Administrator Gissett and committee members said the search for a new finance director is active, with more than 20 applicants and rounds of interviews scheduled beginning the next day. Brandice (staff) briefed commissioners that the job posting remains open during first-round interviews.
The committee discussed a required five-year actuarial study and said the county will contract GRS for the pension review; staff estimated the cost would range from $20,000 to $28,000 and said the funds are available and the study is required by the state.
Committee members approved contract modifications in three cases that exceeded existing estimates: a $10,901 overage for Coloma Charter Township, a $60,894.97 overage for Lakeside East Road in Chikaming Township, and a $38,544.43 change for Hagar Township. Committee members said those overages will be paid by the respective municipalities because they requested additional work.
The committee also reviewed bids for a Coloma Township Maple Court drainage project. Staff said the expected cost was about $170,000 but only one bid was received (Selka Construction) at $494,120. Committee members voted to send the bid back to the county law department to determine whether a typographical error or other issue explained the discrepancy; staff said the item will return to finance after legal review.
Commissioners noted that the overage costs in the three modified contracts are being picked up by the municipalities involved and that no final county approval is complete until finance returns with review results.
