Mackinac County commissioners adopt new meeting rules, limit last‑minute agenda additions

The Mackinac County Board of Commissioners voted Jan. 22 to adopt revised Board Rules that change the county’s meeting structure and restrict adding last‑minute agenda items.

Commissioners Daryl Schroeder and Austin Kimberling worked on the revisions and told the board the new outline will make the first meeting of each month a Committee of the Whole and designate the second meeting as the Regular meeting. Under the revised rules, items may not be added to the agenda at the meeting unless they are procedural or mandated, involve a legal opinion, are on a timeline, or are deemed an emergency by the chair and the county clerk.

Board members said the change is intended to provide clearer structure for deliberations and reduce surprises at meetings. Schroeder and Kimberling said the new cadence will allow more focused review at Committee of the Whole sessions and preserve the Regular meeting for formal votes.

The rules change was moved by Commissioner Austin Kimberling and seconded by Commissioner Judy St. Louis‑Scott and approved by the board with Commissioner John Kling absent. The board also approved related procedural updates elsewhere on the agenda that reflect the same meeting timeline.

The new rules take effect immediately; commissioners said they expect staff to update agenda templates and public notices to reflect the change.