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Barry County commissioners approve pay adjustments, contracts and appointments
Summary
At its April 27 meeting the Barry County Board of Commissioners approved pay-level changes for select deputy positions and a countywide non-represented pay scale, ratified remonumentation contracts and surveyor appointments, accepted claims, authorized vehicle dispositions and approved an intercounty hazardous-waste agreement.
Barry County commissioners on April 27 approved a package of personnel pay changes and several administrative contracts and appointments that affect county operations and services.
The board unanimously approved 2026 pay levels for the Chief Deputy Register of Deeds, the First Deputy Treasurer and the Deputy Drain Commissioner and authorized a retroactive pay increase for those positions effective Jan. 1, 2026. After a recess, commissioners also approved the 2026 pay scale for non-represented employees, the public defender and senior court staff, with retroactive pay from Jan. 1 through April 17, 2026. Commissioners discussed that four of five employee associations have ratified contracts providing a 6% increase for 2026 and 4.5% for 2027 and 2028; the board had previously approved a 3% increase for non-union employees in December 2025 and revisited wages following association negotiations. County Administrator Eric Zuzga said his compensation will be reviewed at his next evaluation and that the Deputy County Administrator position will be addressed later because the post is vacant.
The board approved multiple professional-services agreements tied to the county remonumentation program. The board accepted the 2026 Agreement for Remonumentation Grant Administrator Services with Anderwylde LLC and the 2026 Agreement for Remonumentation County Representative Services with Brian Reynolds, P.S. It also appointed six licensed surveyors to the Remonumentation Peer Review Board for 2026: Steven C. Koerber, Michael P. Pratt, Cameron Reid Lear, Randall J. Jonker, Rodney Lee Bredeweg and Ryan Miller.
Finance actions included approval of claims totaling $47,604.84. The board accepted an MMRMA insurance settlement of $12,500 for a 2016 Chevy Tahoe (VIN 1GNLCDEC8GR311008), directed the vehicle be sold for salvage to the highest bidder and authorized use of the Vehicle Fund to purchase and equip a replacement Tahoe. The board also authorized disposal of a 2016 Ford Taurus (VIN 1FAHP2D81GG150538).
Solid Waste Director Rachel Frantz presented and the board approved a one-year agreement with the Kent County Department of Public Works to permit Barry County residents to use the Byron Center Safe Chem household hazardous-waste drop-off facility during 2026 with county expenditures capped at $7,800.
The board also approved an agreement transferring fiduciary responsibility for the Barry Community Resource Network (BCRN) to the Barry Community Foundation.
All motions noted above passed with recorded votes listing Ayes: Bassett, Campbell, Hatfield, Jackson, Smelker and Teunessen; absent: Callton and Getty.
The board noted a separate item on potential pay increases for elected officials will be discussed at the May 12, 2026 meeting.
