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Mackinac County commissioners return land-division authority to local units
Summary
The board voted to return land-division and land-combination application authority to local unit governments after a 90-day notice, citing liability concerns raised by the county equalization director.
The Mackinac County Board of Commissioners voted Aug. 14 to return authority for land-division and land-combination applications to local unit governments after a 90-day notice period.
Equalization Director Dulcee Ranta told commissioners the county’s handling of these applications exposes the county to liability and potential lawsuits and said most local units are already processing their own applications. Commissioner Austin Kimberling moved the change and amended his motion to cover both land divisions and land combinations; the motion passed unanimously with Commissioners Kimberling, Mike Patrick, Daryl Schroeder and Judy St. Louis-Scott voting yes.
Ranta said only two west-end local units currently rely on the county for these services and that local units must secure and pay for assessors to perform the work. Commissioners noted the shift will require local units to find qualified assessors; Commissioner Schroeder flagged concerns from two clerks in his district about recruiting qualified staff.
The board set a 90-day notification window during which the county will inform local units that responsibility is transferring back to them. The motion does not appropriate additional county funds or change other assessment processes; the board did not adopt any interim county-assessor program.
Next steps include formal written notice to affected local units and administrative follow-up to confirm transition timelines and any information-sharing needs between county and local offices.
