Benzie County board reaffirms McCall settlement, approves magistrate pay and public‑safety purchases
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Summary
On Feb. 25 the Benzie County Board of Commissioners voted to re‑enact a settlement in Johnny Ray McCall Jr. v. Benzie County, set a magistrate salary, and approved purchases including an ambulance and three patrol vehicles; a commissioner voted against reaffirming the county administrator’s litigation role.
The Benzie County Board of Commissioners voted Feb. 25 to re‑enact its prior action approving a settlement in Johnny Ray McCall, Jr. v. Benzie County, Case No. 1:24‑cv‑00086‑JMB‑PJG, authorizing the chair to sign a release and settlement agreement to be negotiated between the parties following confidential mediation.
Chair Art Jeannot said the board values citizen engagement and emphasized the need to rely on counsel until proven otherwise: “we have to hire the right people and assume that they are giving us good information until we are proven differently.” Public commenter Eric VanDusen of Benzonia Township urged greater transparency and questioned county legal advice, telling commissioners, “I really think you should question the competence of your attorneys,” and later asking the board to waive FOIA fees and release attorney‑client materials related to the litigation.
In the same session the board approved personnel and equipment items that affect county operations and budgets. The board set the court magistrate salary at $70,600 for posting, with funds available in the General Fund. It authorized purchase of one E‑450 ambulance from RSVP, Inc., not to exceed $249,000 from Fund 210 (Ambulance Fund), and approved purchase of three new patrol vehicles not to exceed $200,000 from the Capital Fund and Equipment Replacement Fund. The board also approved a labor letter of agreement with the Police Officers Association of Michigan (POAM) permitting step placement above the start step for EMS new hires.
The board approved two opioid‑related funding actions: up to $20,000 in direct payments to the Transportation Authority over five years (not to exceed $4,000 annually) to support transportation for Parole and Probation Services, and reimbursement up to $50,000 to Centra Wellness to expand substance‑use health‑home services; both require reports describing the impact of funds.
Most motions passed unanimously among present commissioners (Jeannot, Markey, Nye, Sauer, Trigg, Warsecke; Commissioner Roelofs was excused). One vote on reaffirming the County Administrator/Controller as the county’s designee for mediation, settlement and other legal matters carried with Commissioner Nye voting no (Ayes — Jeannot, Markey, Sauer, Trigg, Warsecke; Nay — Nye; Roelofs excused). The board authorized the chair to sign agreements and directed staff to process required budget adjustments where specified.
What happens next: the McCall settlement will be formalized in a release and settlement agreement negotiated between the parties and executed by the chair; the ambulance and vehicle purchases proceed under the authorized funds; opioid funding recipients must provide annual impact reports. The board adjourned at 12:32 p.m.