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Votes at a glance: Committee forwards insurance renewal, conservation easement and several administrative items to full board
Summary
The Committee of the Whole recommended several routine and substantive actions to the full Barry County Board of Commissioners, including insurance renewal, a conservation easement on Bailey Nature Preserve and administrative appointments and disposals.
The Barry County Committee of the Whole on July 15 made multiple recommendations to the full Board of Commissioners. Key motions and outcomes recorded during the meeting included the following.
- Renewal of county insurance coverage with the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority for July 1, 2025–July 1, 2026. The motion (moved by Commissioner Hatfield, supported by Commissioner Getty) to recommend approval and authorize the county’s member representative carried. The agenda motion specified an amount of $510,963; the MMRMA presenter provided a premium figure of $510,009.63 and discussed a member distribution of roughly $210,000.
- Conservation easement for Bailey Nature Preserve with the Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy. The motion (moved by Commissioner Tennyson/Toonerson, supported by Commissioner Hatfield) recommending approval to sign the easement carried. Staff described carve-outs allowing limited infrastructure (about 50,000 square feet) for trails, a vault toilet, parking and small structures aligned with the parks master plan.
- Disposal of multiple county vehicles by private sale or scrap. The committee (motion by Commissioner Bassett, supported by Commissioner Getty) recommended that the board approve disposal of specified surplus vehicles; staff said the county would advertise private sale and scrap remaining items if unsold.
- Appointment of an officer delegate and alternate to the Municipal Employees’ Retirement System (MERS) annual meeting. The committee recommended appointing Eric Zuska as officer delegate and Marcia Bassett as officer alternate to attend the October 2025 MERS meeting at Grand Traverse Resort, and approved payment of expenses for the delegate and alternate (motion by Commissioner Hatfield, supported by Commissioner Smelker).
- Appointment of a deputy medical examiner. The committee recommended appointing Dr. Nicholas Kostelecki (transcribed as doctor Nicholas Kalecki/Kalecki in places) as a deputy medical examiner for Barry County; the motion was moved by Commissioner Smelker and supported by Commissioner Hatfield and carried.
- Appointment of Jerry Wilson to the Barry County Community Mental Health Authority Board for a three-year term beginning April 1, 2025. The committee recommended the appointment (motion by Commissioner Bassett, supported by Commissioner Campbell) after interviewing the applicant.
Several motions were carried by voice vote; explicit roll-call tallies were not recorded in the public transcript. Each recommendation will be forwarded to the full Barry County Board of Commissioners for final action.
