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Eaton County holds special budget meeting as department leaders outline cuts and impacts
Summary
Elected officials, department heads and outside partners spoke at a special Eaton County budget meeting about proposed cuts, describing staff reductions and service losses if the board adopts preliminary recommendations. Commissioners adopted a procedural motion and heard public comment urging retention of treatment courts and other programs.
Eaton County commissioners met in a special budget session to hear presentations from elected officials, department directors and external partners about the impacts of the board's preliminary budget-reduction recommendations.
Chairman Ted Mott opened the meeting with procedural guidelines and asked departments to keep presentations focused and brief. The board adopted a procedural motion to proceed with the agenda; the motion was recorded as carrying. Limited public comment followed, including a lengthy statement from Steve Segrist urging continued county support for community corrections and treatment courts.
The meeting was organized as a series of short briefings. County Clerk Diane Bosworth described consolidation steps in her office and proposed modest fee increases; Treasurer Darris Raynett warned that losing staff could delay tax settlements and foreclosures and described partnerships with local nonprofits to assist homeowners. Judge Ted Cunningham, chief judge of the trial courts, said a preliminary recommendation to cut court positions included roles that were not vacant and that would jeopardize court operations. Prosecutor Doug Lloyd and his deputies said the prosecutor's office is understaffed and losing experienced attorneys; they urged the board not to cut attorney or support positions further. Sheriff Robert Wright described more than $2 million in planned departmental reductions and the elimination of two dozen positions but said the office had restructured to preserve a reduced countywide patrol presence.
Outside partners and county programs also presented: Community Mental Health Authority CEO Sarah Lurie described how a 30% reduction to their requested allocation would reduce jail-based services and outpatient capacity; United Way of South Central Michigan requested support to expand Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) mobile services and continued 2-1-1 access; MSU Extension explained that deeper cuts would reduce local office hours and support staff; and Tom Lewis, Eaton County veteran service officer, outlined small, grant-funded veteran programs and the county's statutory obligations.
Public testimony included a plea from a longtime corrections director that the county's treatment courts reduce recidivism and the jail population and save taxpayer money, and comments from a resident urging the board to address increasingly large drain assessments.
No final budget vote occurred at the session; commissioners closed after hearing the presentations and public comment. The board did record one procedural motion (to proceed with the agenda) as approved during the meeting.
