Lifetime Citizen Portal Access — AI Briefings, Alerts & Unlimited Follows
Benzie County commissioners approve budget hearing date, contracts and benefits renewal; votes at a glance
Loading...
Summary
At its Aug. 12 meeting the Benzie County Board of Commissioners scheduled a public hearing on the 2025–26 budget, certified CDBG program income after a public hearing, and approved a slate of contract extensions, repairs and a benefits renewal that opts out of Public Act 152; most votes were unanimous.
The Benzie County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 12 approved a series of routine and administrative actions, including scheduling a public hearing on the 2025–26 budget, certifying CDBG program income after a public hearing, authorizing contract extensions and repairs, and approving employee benefits renewal that includes a 50% HSA contribution and an opt-out of Public Act 152 hard-cap limits.
Key votes at a glance
- Agenda approval: Motion by Roelofs, seconded by Nye; Ayes: Jeannot, Markey, Nye, Roelofs, Sauer, Trigg; Absent: Davis. (SEG 001) - Minutes approval (July 22, 2025): Motion by Sauer, seconded by Markey; Ayes recorded after Commissioner Davis arrived. (SEG 001) - CDBG program income certification: Motion by Trigg, seconded by Sauer; certified fiscal year 2024 program income and adopted related program guidelines. (SEG 003) - Bills payment: Approved $264,313.70 for July 18–Aug. 7, 2025. (SEG 004) - Recycling Coordinator services extension: Authorized one-year extension with Schaffer Company, LLC at $7,000 per month (funded from the 228 fund and State Materials Management Grant). (SEG 005) - Airport allocation: Approved release of $3,000 to the Airport Authority as budgeted. (SEG 005) - Employee benefits renewal: Approved Priority Health, Delta Dental and The Standard for 2025–2026; authorized HSA contribution equal to 50% of the plan deductible to be deposited in two lump sums (first deposit after Oct. 1, 2025; second on March 1, 2026); board opted out of Public Act 152 hard cap limits. Commissioner Nye said she would like to revisit the payment schedule at the end of the first year. (SEG 005) - Jail boiler pump/TACO assembly replacement: Accepted Hurst Mechanical proposal for $6,903.12 with funds from Capital Projects. (SEG 005) - LEMP Work Agreement: Approved 2026 agreement with Michigan State Police — Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division. (SEG 005) - MERS delegates: Selected Commissioner Gary Sauer as officer delegate and Commissioner Rhonda Nye as alternate; affirmed Laurel Evans as employee delegate. (SEG 005) - Commissary fund budget amendment: Authorized $2,000 amendment to the 595 Commissary Fund. (SEG 005) - Campus cleaning contract: Accepted a three-year agreement with Chris Tisch, not to exceed $8,233.33 per month, subject to legal review. (SEG 005)
Most votes were roll-call and unanimous where recorded. Several items passed with motions that included explicit funding sources or notes that contracts would be returned for signature after legal review. Where the board conditioned future approval (notably the Point Betsie project), motions were recorded as conditional pending funding.
Why it matters: these routine approvals set the county’s near-term administrative and financial agenda — scheduling a budget hearing begins the public budget process, the benefits vote sets employee costs and contribution timing, and contract approvals authorize maintenance and operational services across county facilities.
What’s next: staff will post the August 26 public hearing for the 2025–26 budget and return with any requested follow-up information on conditional items and contracts subject to final legal review.