Public Health & Safety committee backs local plan items and prepares resolution to support animal-seizure bills

The Berrien County Public Health & Safety Committee reported actions taken at its meeting earlier the same day and notified the full board of several items the committee advanced.

The committee approved advanced step hire requests from the county health department, acted to adopt the Area Agency on Aging plan (Resolution 288) and approved a staffing pattern change for the clerk of the Area Agency on Aging. The committee also passed a formal resolution expressing opposition to proposed changes at the state level to the mental-health system; the committee told the board it had acted on those items.

County Prosecutor Amy Berg briefed committee members about a Michigan appellate/constitutional development: the office is addressing the legal change that previously held life-without-parole unconstitutional for 18-year-olds and now extends to 19- and 20-year-olds, producing about 15 cases that require additional staff time.

Animal control staff (Ashley Herr) and committee members discussed a forthcoming county resolution (recorded in the committee as Resolution 292) to support Michigan Senate Bills 293 and 294. According to the committee report, those bills would create a bond or forfeiture process to apply when an animal is seized in a pending or active court case alleging animal neglect or cruelty. The committee recommended the full board sign the resolution supporting the bills; the resolution will be on the board's agenda at a future meeting for formal adoption.