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Conservation easement board seeks November millage to fund farmland and open‑space preservation
Summary
Heather Wing asked the board to approve millage language for a November ballot measure to fund farmland and open‑space preservation, saying local matching funds are needed to capture state and federal grant opportunities; commissioners expressed concerns about 'millage fatigue' and distribution of benefits.
Heather Wing, speaking for the Conservation Easement Board, asked the commissioners to place millage language on the Nov. 3 ballot to fund farmland‑ and open‑space preservation. She said the local fund would allow the county to better match state and federal grants and cited prior successes preserving roughly 400 acres in southern Barry County and other preserved parcels across townships.
Commissioners discussed the proposal’s merits and timing. One commissioner praised preservation work and urged support; the chair and others expressed concern about millage fatigue given a likely upcoming jail/law‑enforcement funding request and questioned whether a general millage is equitable for residents who may not directly benefit. Wing said the board had double‑checked valuation figures for the ballot language and argued that protecting farmland and open space preserves the county’s character for future generations.
