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Residents and townships urge Barry County not to fund Isabella County lawsuit
Summary
Multiple residents and a Castleton Township resolution urged the Barry County Board of Commissioners to oppose using county taxpayer funds to support an Isabella County court case; administrators said the lawsuit could have a potential financial impact but no funding decision was made.
Multiple residents and township representatives used the public‑comment period at the Barry County Board of Commissioners’ Dec. 9 meeting to press the board not to use county taxpayer dollars to support a court case in Isabella County.
John Lake of Irving Township read a letter from State Representative Angela Rigas’s office opposing the idea of Barry County contributing funds to the Isabella County case. Gary White of Castleton Township read a township resolution “opposing the use of taxpayer funds supporting lawsuits that our County is not a part of.” Elden Shellenbarger and Shelly Lake also told commissioners they opposed any county contribution to the case.
County Administrator Eric Zuzga later provided an update on the Isabella County lawsuit and “discussed the potential financial impact it could have on the County,” according to the meeting minutes, but no formal motion or vote to contribute funds was introduced at the meeting. The board took no action on the matter during the session.
The public comments were recorded in the official minutes and several speakers urged the board to decline any proposal to allocate Barry County taxpayer funds to litigation involving another county. The minutes show the board reviewed correspondence and township resolutions submitted into the record but did not adopt any new policy or funding related to the Isabella County matter at this session.
Commissioners will next meet Dec. 16, 2025; if any proposal related to funding outside litigation is brought forward it would be considered then or at a subsequent meeting.
