Benzie County adopts $2023–24 fiscal year budget over one dissenting vote

The Benzie County Board of Commissioners voted to adopt the 2023–2024 General Appropriation Act and the L‑4029 fiscal year budget on Sept. 12, 2023.

The motion, made by Commissioner Art Jeannot and seconded by Commissioner Markey, passed on a roll call vote: Commissioners Cunningham, Jeannot, Markey, Nye and Chair Bob Roelofs voted yes; Commissioner Gary Sauer voted no; Commissioner Evan Warsecke was excused. The resolution implements the county administrator's Sept. 6 recommendations and authorizes the chair to sign the General Appropriations Act and the L‑4029 form.

The budget adoption is the county's primary annual appropriation and sets spending priorities and authorizations for county departments and programs for fiscal year 2023–24. The board's recorded action did not detail specific line‑item amounts in the meeting minutes beyond noting that recommendations from the administrator's memorandum were included.

County Administrator Katie Zeits had provided the Sept. 6 memorandum referenced in the motion; the minutes note the board adopted the budget with those recommendations but do not list every amendment or program change in the public record of the meeting. Commissioners discussed budget adoption during the regular session and proceeded to other agenda items after passage.

The board's formal adoption of the budget triggers administrative implementation steps, including signing the L‑4029 form required under Michigan law for county budgets. The minutes do not indicate any immediate administrative changes tied to the vote beyond authorization to execute the paperwork.

Next steps: county staff will proceed with implementation per the approved appropriation and any follow‑up reporting required by county policy and state reporting forms.