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Board approves tax rate request, emergency ice-storm payment and routine actions; several items tabled
Summary
On May 12 the county approved the 2026 L-4029 tax rate (4.7270 mills), authorized a $3,500 contingency transfer for ice-storm emergency bills, approved payments for caretaker gutters and routine invoices, received the treasurer's report, and tabled two opioid-spending resolutions pending documentation.
The Alpena County Finance & Ways Committee approved a series of routine and time-sensitive items and recorded several votes at its May 12 meeting.
Tax rate: The board voted to approve the county's 2026 tax rate request (L-4029), which staff described as the county operating rate for the summer with a millage rate stated as "4.7270." The L-4029 will be signed by the county clerk and the board chairman as required.
Emergency ice-storm bills: Staff requested a transfer of $3,500 from the contingency fund to a line item to cover emergency-management payments resulting from the recent ice storm; the board approved the transfer to allow the county to seek FEMA reimbursement.
Invoices and operational payments: Because some vendors (including WEX fuel card and Enterprise) send short-payment-window invoices, the board authorized the county clerk to pay such invoices on receipt and report back to the committee to avoid late-payment penalties. Commissioners approved advancing payments for a gutters contract for the caretaker's house after staff explained a two-contractor approach and phased payments.
Treasurer's report and consent calendar: The committee received the treasurer's report (staff reported fund balances and said revenue/expenditures were on track) and approved the consent calendar with the minutes from the full board.
Opioid-settlement resolutions tabled: Two recommended uses of opiate-settlement funds (agenda items identified on the packet as 2609 & 2610) were tabled for lack of clear minutes/documentation from the opioid remediation steering committee; staff will ask the committee for fuller records and return the items for board action.
Roll-call outcomes: Multiple items were approved by recorded roll call; where votes were explicitly recorded the transcript shows unanimous "yes" votes on carried motions. Items tabled (opioid resolutions) were put over by recorded roll call as well.
Why it matters: The approvals preserve county operations (tax request), allow immediate payment of emergency and short-window invoices to avoid penalties, and keep the county in federal-reimbursement footing for disaster expenses. The tabled opioid items demonstrate board caution in disbursing restricted settlement funds without clear committee paperwork.
Next steps: Staff will submit the L-4029 for signature, seek FEMA reimbursement for eligible costs, report on paid invoices as authorized, and return the opioid items after providing committee minutes and documentation.
