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Chippewa County commissioners approve Amtrak support, property tax levy and multiple grants; several administrative items pass by voice vote
Summary
The Chippewa County Board of Commissioners approved several resolutions and administrative actions at its regular meeting, including backing efforts to bring Amtrak to the Upper Peninsula and certifying the county tax levy under Michigan law.
The Chippewa County Board of Commissioners approved multiple resolutions and administrative actions at its regular meeting, including a resolution supporting efforts to bring Amtrak service to the Upper Peninsula, the countyinvestment policy review, certification of the county tax levy under Michigan law, and authorization for opioid settlement spending.
The board voted by roll call to approve Resolution 2025-08 supporting Amtrak service to the Upper Peninsula. Commissioners recorded "yes" votes from Commissioner Neffert, Commissioner Lorenz, Commissioner Shackleton, Commissioner Treanor and Chairman Martin.
The board also completed its biannual review and approval of the county investment policy (Resolution 2025-09) and certified the county property tax levy (Resolution 2025-10), citing MCL 211.24e through 211.44a and forms L-4029 and L-4028 as part of the certification process. The property tax levy vote passed on a roll call of the seated commissioners.
Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing opioid settlement spending (page 45 of the packet). During discussion a commissioner noted recent changes in opioid prescribing and said a steering committee has been formed; the board recorded a roll-call approval.
Other formal approvals during the meeting and related committee recommendations included:
- Appointment of Crystal True to the material management finance committee (term expires 06/12/2030); motion passed on voice vote.
- Acceptance of the county audit for fiscal year ending 12/31/2024 with an unmodified (clean) opinion, as presented by auditor Ken Talzma; committee recommendation and full-board approval.
- Acknowledgement and acceptance of the Chippewa County Health Department's 2024 annual report.
- Authorization for health-related grants: Healthy Communities Zones grant (for fiscal year 2025: $55,323; up to $175,825.60 for fiscal year 2026) to support partnerships between local farmers and WIC/MIHP clients; Superior Health Foundation grant for $25,000 to supplement nursing time and the hepatitis C program; and a prosecutors' victims-rights grant allocation of $92,895 for fiscal year 2026. Each grant was approved as presented.
- Authorization to release a notice to receive bids for a Generac 2000-series generator for central dispatch, and approval to test Central Square Mobile CAD first-responder software with five local agencies (sheriff, Sault Ste. Marie fire and police, Ken Ross EMS, and other agencies).
- Authorizing the county chairman's signature for Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) grant paperwork to allow reallocation of funds before state paperwork deadlines, with staff noting a June 30 paperwork deadline and a September 30 spending deadline.
- Sheriffoffice requests: approval to waive purchasing policy and purchase two Chevy Tahoe police vehicles (motion passed by voice vote); release of a request for quotation to purchase a 2025 Dodge Durango police pursuit package; approval to reallocate equipment funds to purchase a LensLock camera and storage system (transcript lists $33,534); and approval of funds to expand the sheriff's storage building lot (transcript lists $5,960.64 but contains a conflicting figure later in the record). The motions passed on voice votes or committee recommendation.
- Approval to submit the 90th District Court mental health grant application for $127,071.14.
- Claims and accounts: the finance committee recommended and the full board approved May county bills and payroll and health department claims; the packet listed total claims and payroll across funds in the millions (transcript line itemized a total claims figure of $2,088,804.29).
Where the transcript contained numerical inconsistencies (for example, a published per-vehicle price and a separate total that did not match), the board recorded approvals by voice vote and the clerk's packet will be the formal record for precise figures. Several items were approved on voice votes per standard procedure; others required and received roll-call votes.
The board moved through additional committee reports and adjourned after routine commissioner comments.
