Ontonagon County commissioners approve $50 holiday gift-card bonus and several grant and service agreements

The Ontonagon County Board of Commissioners approved a 2025 employee Christmas bonus consisting of $50 gift certificates to local eating establishments and authorized several grant and service agreements during its Dec. 3 meeting.

The board approved the holiday gift-certificate bonus by motion of Nousiainen, supported by Bourdeau; the motion carried on a 5-0 roll call vote. Separately, the board approved the 2026 Indigent Defense grant agreement (motion Cane, supported by Bourdeau, carried 5-0) and an agreement for services with MSU (motion Bourdeau, supported by Store, carried 5-0).

Why it matters: the actions reflect routine personnel and service-authority decisions that affect department budgets and county legal-service arrangements heading into 2026. The gift-certificate bonus is a one-time, non-salary recognition for county employees; the indigent defense and MSU agreements establish funding and service commitments for the coming year.

The board also approved payment batches and payroll totals. The minutes show regular payments totaling $105,158.13 and prepaid bills totaling $105,584.81 for the period 10/16/2025–11/12/2025, and payroll for periods ending 10/24/2025 and 11/07/2025 totaling $193,684.45. Fund-by-fund breakdowns are recorded in the minutes and were approved by a 5-0 roll call vote where specified.

During other business, commissioners discussed participation on an Advisory Committee related to MSU services. The board also noted a membership change for the Brownfield Authority and adjourned the session at 4:31 p.m.

The motions and financial approvals were recorded in the meeting minutes; no public comments were received at that session.