Benzie County board elects Jeannot chair, adopts 2025 rules, schedule and four routine resolutions

The Benzie County Board of Commissioners elected Art Jeannot chair and Commissioner Nye vice chair during an organizational meeting Tuesday in Beulah, and approved a set of procedural rules, a calendar of regular meetings and four routine resolutions.

County Clerk Tammy Bowers called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. in the Frank Walterhouse Board of Commissioners Room at the Government Center. Commissioners Jeannot, Markey, Nye, Roelofs, Sauer, Trigg and Warsecke were present. Commissioner Roelofs gave the invocation and the board recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

Why it matters: The actions set leadership, meeting cadence and administrative policy for Benzie County’s Board of Commissioners in 2025 and formalize financial and policy practices (banking depositories, ACH transfers, and a fair housing resolution) that allow county operations to proceed under the new leadership.

During the nominations for chair, Commissioner Sauer nominated Commissioner Jeannot. A motion by Sauer, seconded by Commissioner Roelofs, to close nominations passed by unanimous roll-call vote and Jeannot was elected chair. "He thanked everyone for their confidence in him and look forward to the year," the chair said after taking over conduct of the meeting.

For vice chair, Chair Jeannot initially nominated Commissioner Sauer, who declined. Commissioner Roelofs then nominated Commissioner Nye. A motion to close nominations, moved by Commissioner Markey and seconded by Roelofs, passed unanimously and Nye was elected vice chair.

The board approved the meeting agenda on a motion by Commissioner Warsecke, seconded by Commissioner Trigg. During discussion of the annual meeting calendar, Commissioner Nye moved (seconded by Commissioner Sauer) to set regular board meetings for the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 9:00 a.m., with Study Sessions on the second Tuesday beginning at 12:30 p.m. (or 30 minutes after the Board meeting, whichever is later). The board also moved the April 8 meeting to April 1. The motion passed by unanimous roll-call vote.

The board reviewed and approved amended Board Rules for 2025. The proposed edits included minor grammar and punctuation corrections, adding or adjusting wording in several sections (listed in the record as 1.4, 1.51, 4.128, 4.129, 4.32, 4.4, 5.1, 7.2 and 10.4), a limit on consecutive chair terms, and reordering the agenda to move presentations earlier. Chair Jeannot said section 4.4 (committees) will be discussed at the next meeting after consultation with the vice chair and county administration. The motion to adopt the Board Rules as amended was moved by Commissioner Sauer and seconded by Commissioner Warsecke and passed on a unanimous roll-call.

Commissioner Nye flagged capitalization and punctuation issues in the Public Comment statement; the board adopted the statement as amended on a motion by Commissioner Warsecke, seconded by Commissioner Markey. Committee appointments were deferred to the next meeting; Chair Jeannot, Vice Chair Nye and the county administrator will meet after the session to review assignments.

Votes at a glance - Resolution 2025-001 (Election of Board Chair): Adopted; motion by Warsecke, seconded by Trigg; roll-call vote: Jeannot, Markey, Nye, Roelofs, Sauer, Trigg and Warsecke — ayes; no nays. - Resolution 2025-002 (ACH Electronic Transfer Transactions): Adopted; motion by Sauer, seconded by Nye; roll-call vote unanimous. - Resolution 2025-003 (County Depositories): Adopted; motion by Roelofs, seconded by Warsecke; roll-call vote unanimous. - Resolution 2025-004 (Fair Housing): Adopted; motion by Markey, seconded by Roelofs; roll-call vote unanimous.

There were no public comments during either public-comment period. The board adjourned at 10:12 a.m. on a motion by Commissioner Roelofs, seconded by Commissioner Markey.

The meeting record shows County Clerk Tammy Bowers and Chairman Art Jeannot as the official signatories on the minutes.