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Benzie County commissioners approve ordinance, contracts and ballot language; dozens of routine motions carry
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Summary
At their March 24 meeting the Benzie County Board of Commissioners enacted an amended Animal Control Enforcement Ordinance, approved multiple contracts and budget amendments (including a $60,000 digitization budget), allocated $15,000 from opioid settlement funds to Drug Court, and adopted ballot language to renew operations millage for The Maples for the August 4, 2026 primary.
The Benzie County Board of Commissioners on March 24 enacted an amended Animal Control Enforcement Ordinance, approved a package of contracts and budget amendments, allocated opioid settlement dollars to drug court and adopted ballot language for a millage renewal for The Maples.
The board voted unanimously on a series of motions that together address county operations and service delivery. Major actions included approval of payment of bills totaling $295,552.02 and enactment of the amended Animal Control Enforcement Ordinance with an effective date of April 1, 2026.
Votes at a glance: • Animal Control Enforcement Ordinance: Motion by Commissioner Christina Trigg, seconded by Commissioner Len Mathieu; roll call unanimous among attending commissioners; ordinance enacted, effective April 1, 2026. • Campus cleaning contract amendment (Chris Tisch): Motion by Trigg, seconded by Tim Markey; amended agreement authorized not to exceed $1,950 per week plus $80 per month for the gym, for a three-year period; funds identified in General, EMS/ALS and Central Dispatch accounts. • Opioid settlement allocation to Benzie County Drug Court: Motion by Gary Sauer, seconded by Len Mathieu; $15,000 approved from Opioid Settlement Funds. • Building Department digitization: Motion by Christina Trigg, seconded by Gary Sauer; budget amendment of $60,000 to the 249 Building Department Fund approved to recognize revenue and related expenditures. • Tribal Council 2% allocation application for Benzie Youth Strings: Motion by Len Mathieu, seconded by Tim Markey; application approved and chair authorized to sign. • Maples millage ballot language (Resolution 2026-011): Motion by Gary Sauer, seconded by Bob Roelofs; resolution adopted to place a millage renewal for the Benzie County Medical Care Facility (The Maples) on the August 4, 2026 primary ballot. • Change agent of record for employee benefits to Gallagher: Motion by Len Mathieu, seconded by Tim Markey; authorization given to provide required notice to Advantage Benefits Group and switch to Gallagher. • Appointment to Benzie Transportation Authority: Motion by Tim Markey, seconded by Gary Sauer; Ruth Griner appointed to a term expiring April 30, 2029.
Most motions passed by unanimous roll-call among the six attending commissioners (Tim Markey, Len Mathieu, Rhonda Nye, Bob Roelofs, Gary Sauer, and Christina Trigg); Commissioner Art Jeannot was excused. Several items were presented with staff in attendance to answer questions: Rob Jones for the Benzie Youth Strings grant application and Megan Garza for the Maples millage resolution.
The meeting also included routine departmental reports, commissioner updates and a later public comment period in which a few residents urged moving a separate Headlee Reset question to the November ballot rather than placing it in August. The meeting adjourned at 11:38 a.m.