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Residents urge action on Clay Township emergency services and question JFS building funding
Summary
During public comment on Feb. 17, residents raised three issues: an invitation to a Griffin Academy workforce event; concerns and a proposed $2.5 million levy to improve Clay Township emergency services; and criticism of a new Job & Family Services building, which the county administrator clarified would not use Human Services Levy construction funds.
Multiple residents addressed the board during the public-comment period on Feb. 17. Tari Darr invited commissioners to an upcoming Griffin Academy event in Englewood focused on construction workforce development and employer engagement. Angela Howell, identified as chairwoman, spoke about recent conflict in Clay Township regarding emergency services and put her remarks on the public record; she said the township is moving toward a resolution that includes a proposed $2.5 million levy to support emergency services across Clay Township, Verona and Phillipsburg. Janemarie Sowers expressed discontent about the new Job & Family Services (JFS) building and questioned whether county levy funds were being used for construction.
County Administrator Michael Colbert responded during the meeting to clarify funding: he stated the new JFS building will not use Human Services Levy dollars for construction and that Developmental Disabilities Services (DDS) remains funded through the Human Services Levy with a larger proportion of levy dollars than many other entities funded through that levy. The minutes record these exchanges but do not include verbatim quotes from each speaker.
These public comments put community concerns and proposed local levies on the record and prompted a county-administrator clarification about levy fund usage.
