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Fiscal committee approves multiple contracts, budget substitutions and salary changes
Summary
At the Dec. 2 fiscal committee meeting, commissioners approved a 3‑year employee assistance contract, a one‑year insurance agent extension, payments and budget substitutions (including $3.27M for the Steven Steele project and $500K for filtration plant switchgear), several salary ordinance adjustments, the bid list, and received the comptroller’s warrant and treasurer’s reports.
The fiscal committee met Dec. 2 and approved a series of fiscal actions spanning contracts, budget substitutions, insurance services, and salary ordinance updates.
Employee assistance program: Staff presented the RFP results and recommended continuing with Alliance Incorporated as the city’s EAP provider. The committee approved a resolution to authorize a new three‑year EAP contract with administration costs not to exceed $132,480. Michael Osterman, Employee Benefits Manager, cited 2024 utilization data and said the provider has served the city for the past three years.
Insurance agent of record: Deputy HR Director Michelle Eddie requested a one‑year extension with Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services as the city’s agent of record for property and casualty insurance, not to exceed $58,850 for calendar year 2026, to allow time for a full competitive RFP in 2026. The committee approved the extension.
Payments and budget substitutions: Stormwater staff requested payment of $28,136.57 to the Kent County Drain Commissioner for Saddleback Drain assessments tied to pump‑station work and dredging; the committee approved the payment. The committee also authorized a $500,000 budget substitution to cover switchgear replacement at the filtration plant after a lightning strike and approved a $3,265,506 substitution to fund the Steven Steele project water share using available IIP funds due to increased costs from groundwater contamination.
Salary and classification actions: Commissioners approved a salary ordinance formalizing updated pay schedules for non‑represented management employees of the 61st District Court (effective 07/01/2025) and approved classification/range adjustments requested by MobileGR (parking and mobility titles) and creation of a parks planning and project manager classification (Range 19) for Parks and Recreation. Staff noted Civil Service Board approval for the classification changes.
Routine business: The committee approved the bid list (sewer lining, snow removal, etc.), received and filed the comptroller’s warrant report for Nov. 4–17, 2025 totaling $27,402,640.67, and received the treasurer’s report (portfolio ~$720 million, ~3.44% return) with discussion about volatile rate forecasts. Finance staff said they would return with updated revenue estimates and forecasting work (in collaboration with GVSU) at the February update.
Votes on these items were taken by voice; no roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript. Staff noted a small number of transcription inconsistencies in the packet language (for example, the agenda referenced a different named EAP vendor in one line), and the committee’s approvals were recorded as voice votes.
