Finance Committee approves PFAS bond reimbursement, Nash Creek funding, park CIP transfer and out-of-country travel

The Kent County Board of Commissioners Finance Committee on Tuesday approved a package of finance and project actions: authorization to reimburse pre-issuance expenses from future refuse-disposal bonds for PFAS treatment at three county landfills (not to exceed $11,000,000); authorization to pledge county full faith and credit for Nash Creek Intercounty Drain District bond series (not to exceed $4,100,000); a county at-large transfer and appropriation of $130,255 for the Nash Creek project; a transfer of $582,031.67 in park capital funds to the Wallfield Park North development project; and approval of an out‑of‑country conference travel request for a Third District Court judge.

Refuse disposal system bond reimbursement (PFAS treatment)

Action: The committee recommended that the board approve a resolution allowing the county and the Department of Public Works to reimburse expenses paid prior to issuance of the refuse disposal system bond (series referenced in the staff summary) from bond proceeds. Staff said the reimbursement authority would apply to design and construction work on three landfills (Kentwood, North Kent and South Kent) and the authorization would not exceed $11,000,000.

Discussion: Commissioner McCall asked about costs. Public Works staff (identified as Dar in the meeting) said Phase 1 design for PFAS treatment facilities is “about $1,200,000” to reach a 75% design and establish a guaranteed maximum price (GMP). The director said the project could be halted after design if costs exceed expectations; the bond authorization would allow charging certain pre-issuance expenses to future bond proceeds.

Outcome: Motion moved by Commissioner Stack and supported by Commissioner Halstead; approved by voice vote (committee members present said “Aye”; committee did not record individual roll-call tallies in the transcript). Note: vote was a voice vote and count not specified in the record.

Nash Creek Intercounty Drain District bond authorization

Action: The committee authorized pledging the county’s full faith and credit to issuance of the Nash Creek Intercounty Drain District bond series 2025, for Nash Creek projects not to exceed $4,100,000. The finance summary noted the county’s at-large portion is a little over $130,000.

Discussion: Drain Commissioner Yonker provided a detailed project history: the project was petitioned by the township four years earlier to address channel and erosion problems, sedimentation, tiling changes that accelerate runoff, and chronic flooding in a village. Yonker said engineers initially estimated an $8,000,000 project; the county secured $2,000,000 in state budget funding and additional conservation district support. The project will include about 1.5 miles of two-stage ditching, riparian plantings and wetland restoration; the authority said the county must obtain new easements, and property owners cooperated in signing them. Yonker noted a permit from EGLE (Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy) will include a five-year monitoring requirement for the reconstructed wetland area.

Outcome: Motion moved by Commissioner McLeod and supported by Commissioner Oliver King; approved by voice vote (Aye). The committee then approved a related at-large appropriation.

County at-large appropriation for Nash Creek (agenda item 5c)

Action: The committee voted to transfer and appropriate up to $130,255 to the FY25 general fund drains county at-large budget for the Nash Creek project. The staff summary said this amount would be added to $434,420 already appropriated this year.

Discussion/clarification: Commissioner McLeod asked whether additional county assessments were anticipated; staff said the next fiscal year will include other projects and that cumulative county at-large responsibility across petitions is expected to total about $7.8 million across several projects, with additional action to come in the next fiscal year.

Outcome: Motion moved by Commissioner Halstead and supported by Commissioner Oliver King; approved by voice vote (Aye).

Wallfield Park North development — CIP transfer (agenda item 5d)

Action: The committee approved transferring $582,031.67 to the Wallfield Park North development capital budget from seven completed or closed parks CIP budgets, per the department request and county policy that transfers over $100,000 come before the finance committee.

Outcome: Motion moved by Commissioner McLeod and supported by Commissioner Steck; approved by voice vote (Aye).

Out-of-country travel request (agenda item 5e)

Action: The committee approved a conference-related travel request under the employee business expense policy for Third District Court Judge Jeffrey J. O'Hara to attend a routine conference in Canada. The board’s revised policy requires any travel outside the continental United States to come before the finance committee.

Outcome: Motion moved by Commissioner Green and supported by Commissioner Oliver King; approved by voice vote (Aye).

Votes and procedural notes

All agenda items listed above were approved by voice vote during the Finance Committee meeting; the transcript records “Aye” for members in favor and declares motions passed, but the record does not provide individual roll-call tallies for each commissioner. Where staff provided estimated costs or design-phase figures the committee asked clarifying questions and staff indicated follow-up actions (for example, returning with guaranteed maximum price for the PFAS project after a 75% design).

Ending: The committee closed the action items portion of the meeting after the travel request passed and moved to miscellaneous business.