Shiawassee County commissioners approve $12.5 million in warrants, staffing changes and grants; sheriff contract talks draw 2 dissenting votes

The Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners met May 21, 2025, in Corunna and approved routine and programmatic measures including payment of invoices and payroll totaling $12,502,000.36 and several personnel actions.

The board approved the warrants, invoice edit reports, wire transfers and payroll batches on a motion by Commissioner Howard and a second by Commissioner Garber; the voice roll call was recorded as seven yeas, zero nays. The board also approved minutes for prior meetings and multiple committee minutes.

A motion to accept the sheriff’s recommendation and authorize the sheriff, the county administrator and the corporation counsel to enter contract negotiations with a selected vendor carried on a 5–2 roll call, with Commissioners Holzhausen and Shepard voting no. That item was taken in the same set of actions that included approvals for several personnel replacements: one sheriff road patrol deputy (not to exceed Step 1), an executive assistant for pretrial services (grade 4), a juvenile caseworker (grade 7), a part-time probate guardian ad litem (not to exceed 20 hours per week) and an IT position for central dispatch (grade 12). Those personnel motions carried on recorded votes as shown in the board minutes.

The board approved purchase of a new lawnmower from Aldermans not to exceed $11,279 on a 6–1 vote; Commissioner Shepard cast the lone dissent. The board also approved the county’s Remonumentation Peer Review Group members and related contracts and accepted a rehabilitation mortgage discharge for Lois Ann Beebe of 508 E. Main St., Owosso.

The board approved the L-4029 form to establish the 2025 summer tax millage rates and authorized the chair and clerk to sign the document.

On financial assistance, the board approved Resolution #25-05-06 to submit a FY2026 Community Corrections grant application prepared by the Office of Community Corrections in the amount of $185,997.60 for programs and services. The Community Corrections Advisory Board had recommended submission of the application.

The board also approved the Integration Agreement, Part I, between Shiawassee County and Michigan’s Public Safety Communication System and adopted the proposed Materials Management Committee by-laws.

Appointment and administrative items included approval of Jerry Haber to the Community Mental Health Board, presentation of the Sunlight Ward from the Michigan Fair Elections Institute to the county clerk, and the introduction of Tyler Cesar, an intern in the administration office working on Brownfield grants. County Administrator Dr. Boggs said the county audit will be presented at June meetings and that bonds for Pleasant View are moving forward; he also referenced a memo from Health Department Director Larry Johnson about funding cuts to the Health Department.

Votes at a glance: - Warrants, payroll and invoice approvals: approved (roll call 7–0) — total $12,502,000.36. - Rehabilitation mortgage discharge (Lois Ann Beebe): approved (roll call 7–0). - Remonumentation peer review group and contracts: approved (roll call 7–0). - L-4029 (2025 summer tax millage rates): approved (roll call 7–0). - Lawn mower purchase (Aldermans, ≤ $11,279): approved (6–1; Shepard opposed). - Resolution #25-05-05 (see separate article): approved (7–0). - Sheriff contract negotiations authorization: approved (5–2; Holzhausen, Shepard opposed). - Personnel replacements (road patrol deputy; executive assistant — pretrial services; juvenile caseworker; part-time probate guardian ad litem; IT position): each approved (roll calls recorded as unanimous in minutes). - Resolution #25-05-06 (FY2026 Community Corrections grant, $185,997.60): approved. - Integration Agreement, Part I (Michigan Public Safety Communication System): approved (7–0). - Materials Management Committee By-Laws: approved (7–0). - Appointment of Jerry Haber to Community Mental Health Board: approved.

The board’s meeting package also listed several attendees connected to a towing RFP (Rick Gokee, Rob Lepley, Chandler Buck, Joe Audia, Dean Gaffner, Richard Maurer, Jim Brown, PJ Daly). The minutes note those representatives were present; action on negotiation authorization was limited to approving the sheriff’s request to begin contract negotiations. The meeting adjourned at 6:39 p.m.

Reporting note: vote tallies, motion text and dollar amounts are taken from the board minutes recorded in the meeting transcript; where the transcript contained punctuation errors in numeric amounts, figures were normalized to standard dollar notation (for example, the Community Corrections grant amount is reported here as $185,997.60 as shown earlier in the record).