Berrien County commissioners approve consent calendar; discuss grants, wetland credits, vital-record fee increase and broadband applications

The Berrien County Board of Commissioners approved the consent calendar at its April meeting and heard committee updates on public health funding, road projects, wetlands mitigation credits and broadband grant activity.

The board approved routine business by roll call. Commissioners discussed several items in committee reports before the vote, including an update from the health department about reduced federal COVID-related funding and a personnel committee recommendation to apply for grants supporting maternal breastfeeding training.

County prosecutor Amy Byrd told commissioners the prosecutor’s office was awarded a $48,000 grant for firearm-safety awareness and storage education; the funds will be used for radio and print outreach across local media outlets. The board placed a accompanying resolution on the consent calendar to accept the funds.

Administration committee members discussed a proposal to participate in a Michigan wetland mitigation credit program (resolution cited as 4197 in committee discussion). The county was offered 20 acres of mitigation credits — 10 acres in Van Buren County and 10 acres in Berrien County — that could be applied to future…