[0:00] I'm not going.

[0:01] » It was a It had been a record.

[0:05] » Just looking at the

[0:06] » They had a different band. So,

[0:08] they paid a little more money.

[0:10] » Oh, did they?

[0:18] » Bob, did you go to the hear the band?

[0:22] » Did you go to the chicken barbecue? Hear

[0:24] the band?

[0:25] » No. No. We're up in Travers.

[0:29] Well, they had a new one. I paid some

[0:31] money for it.

[0:33] I ran out of steam.

[0:36] That's where you're going to be pretty

[0:37] soon. Tra, right?

[0:41] Next week.

[0:45] » Father came up there. The chicken.

[0:49] » Oh, nice.

[0:52] » You should bless the chicken before they

[0:54] before they got slaughtered. Yeah. But

[0:57] anyway,

[0:57] » Is it recording?

[0:58] » It is recording

[1:00] » And Travis

[1:16] did run out.

[1:18] » Yeah, fairly early.

[1:22] Oh, really?

[1:24] I don't want to say something stupid.

[1:27] » Yes.

[2:20] Oh,

[2:59] I

[3:24] like to call the finance committee

[3:25] committee the whole order

[3:28] the pledge.

[3:32] To the flag of the United States of

[3:34] America and to the republic for which it

[3:37] stands. One nation under God,

[3:39] indivisible, with liberty and justice

[3:42] for all.

[3:45] [clears throat]

[3:47] » And madame clerk of roll call, please.

[3:50] » Commissioner Weber

[3:50] » Here.

[3:51] » Commissioner Campbell

[3:52] » Here.

[3:52] » Commissioner Jill Zinc

[3:54] » Here.

[3:54] » Commissioner Ingler

[3:55] » Here.

[3:55] » Commissioner Marino

[3:56] » Here. Commissioner Sweeney

[3:58] » Here.

[3:58] » Commissioner Hope

[3:59] » Here.

[3:59] » All present. Mr. Vice Chairman,

[4:01] » Thank you. Uh up next will be approval

[4:03] of the agenda. We'll start with general

[4:06] public comments on agenda items only. Uh

[4:09] we have no presentations or special

[4:11] reports. We do have one appointment for

[4:14] the parks and recreation committee or

[4:17] commission, excuse me. Under committee

[4:20] reports, we have several items.

[4:24] Um and then we have no intergovernmental

[4:27] affairs, no administrative controller

[4:30] issues, no unfinished business, no new

[4:32] business. We'll have general public

[4:34] comment again toward the end and then

[4:37] announcements and adjournments. So is

[4:40] are there any

[4:42] uh additions or

[4:45] did anyone like Yes, sir. Chair, I would

[4:47] like to add uh to the committee reports

[4:50] um agenda item number 18, discussion of

[4:54] the current uh 2027

[4:57] uh employee health benefits.

[5:01] » There's support for that chairman.

[5:03] » Yes, sir.

[5:05] » Um well, I'll wait for the support then

[5:08] we'll have we'll have a discussion.

[5:10] » Okay. [clears throat]

[5:11] Reported by Marino.

[5:13] » Okay. This was brought up earlier and

[5:15] I've talked to both the chair, vice

[5:17] chair and Swany on this um to bring this

[5:22] issue up with the healthcare to have

[5:24] disc session and um

[5:28] and we kind of agreed to do it during

[5:30] the announcement. Um, I'd like to hear

[5:32] what some of the public comment is, if

[5:34] anything. And I also worked on quite a

[5:38] few items in here. So, it would uh I

[5:41] would rather have it done in the

[5:43] announcements. We're talking even if we

[5:47] discuss that, we're talking about

[5:49] changing a policy that's already been

[5:51] noted on and a kind of a controversial

[5:54] vote that went well, not controversial

[5:57] because it did go sick. So, I'm willing

[5:59] to have the discussion, but I'm not

[6:02] willing to give it priority on the

[6:05] agenda at this time.

[6:07] And um anyways, I will be voting against

[6:11] changing the agenda as presented. Also,

[6:15] we like to have material in front of us

[6:17] on agenda items

[6:20] um beforehand. Um I know whenever

[6:24] late minute the [clears throat] agenda

[6:26] goes out on a Friday and usually if

[6:28] something has to come on in between of

[6:29] course we had a Monday I will usually

[6:32] send everything to the commissioners

[6:34] telling them and explaining to them why

[6:37] we need to have an agenda item like call

[6:39] without getting the information

[6:41] beforehand. So um we don't know what the

[6:45] information the discussion is going to

[6:47] have. So, um I just don't think it

[6:50] should be put on a priority yet till we

[6:52] have actually actually have numbers we

[6:53] can actually look at. So, I'll be voting

[6:56] against the um changing the agenda as

[7:00] presented

[7:01] amendment.

[7:03] » Okay. Any other discussion on the

[7:06] amendment? Yes, sir.

[7:07] » I know when I attended the last Northern

[7:09] Michigan Counties Association, there was

[7:10] some discussion on health cost. This is

[7:13] something that every county I think in

[7:16] Michigan is facing. Steep increases and

[7:21] long-term sustainability uh is in

[7:23] question.

[7:25] I'll probably not probably but I will

[7:27] vote against this only because I think

[7:30] we need to have more information. I'd

[7:31] like to have maybe administration reach

[7:33] out to see what some of our neighboring

[7:36] counties are uh providing in terms of

[7:38] health health care.

[7:40] I'm thinking next year we're going to be

[7:42] looking at another 20% increase and we

[7:44] just can't keep up. We may have to go to

[7:46] the 8020 and and just go to that and

[7:49] keep up with that on a annual basis, but

[7:51] I'll be voting against the motion.

[7:54] » Okay. Any other discussion on the

[7:58] motion?

[8:01] » I'd say whether we put it on the agenda

[8:04] or not. Uh my only point is to put it

[8:07] out at the beginning of the meeting so

[8:09] that at least at the second discussion

[8:13] uh or public comment I mean um people

[8:15] know that we're discussing it during

[8:18] announcements.

[8:21] » They know now.

[8:22] » They know now.

[8:24] » Yes.

[8:25] » Just one more thing that popped in my

[8:26] mind as a parliamentarian.

[8:29] Um I think that this requires something

[8:31] more than a simple majority vote to

[8:33] amend

[8:34] No. You

[8:35] » Sure in the bylaws?

[8:37] » I looked it up over the weekend because

[8:38] I've got numerous calls on it.

[8:40] » If you uh actually

[8:43] you can amend it at the beginning, you

[8:45] can amend it with the simple majority.

[8:47] Now, if the meeting is happening and you

[8:50] want to add an agenda item, then then it

[8:53] has to be a twothirds vote. So, if it

[8:56] happens at this point, then it's a

[8:58] simple majority vote. If you're in the

[9:00] meeting and then you want to add

[9:01] something, then it has to be a twothirds

[9:04] vote. So,

[9:06] » The only other thing I would say is I

[9:08] don't think there's any commissioner

[9:10] here that uh

[9:13] devalues uh the fact that the employees

[9:18] going to have to pay more for for health

[9:21] care. It's something that they depend

[9:23] on. Uh it just comes down to where do

[9:26] you balance that budget?

[9:29] You do the best you can.

[9:34] » Any further discussion on the amendment?

[9:39] » Okay. Can we do a roll call on that?

[9:42] » Um, Commissioner Weber,

[9:44] » No.

[9:46] » Commissioner Campo,

[9:47] » No.

[9:47] » Commissioner Jzinski,

[9:49] » No.

[9:50] » Commissioner Ingler,

[9:51] » No.

[9:51] » Commissioner Marino,

[9:52] » Yes.

[9:54] » Commissioner Swainy,

[9:55] » Yes.

[9:55] » Commissioner Hope,

[9:56] » No. We have two eyes, four nos. Motion

[10:00] failed, Mr. Vice Chairman.

[10:01] » Okay. So, we'll we'll stick to the

[10:03] current agenda. Um I hope we do have

[10:06] discussion on that during announcement

[10:11] to vote on the amend.

[10:13] » We do need to vote on the on the um

[10:16] agenda as published.

[10:19] All those in favor say I.

[10:20] » I.

[10:21] » I. We have an agenda

[10:24] and brings us to general public comments

[10:26] on agenda items only.

[10:34] For general public comment,

[10:38] nobody online. Okay, seeing no one for

[10:40] general public comment, uh we'll move

[10:42] right down to we have no presentations

[10:45] or special reports. Item six,

[10:48] appointments to boards and commissions.

[10:51] and it's consider appointing one member

[10:54] to the parks and recreation commission

[10:56] county citizen representative to

[10:58] complete a vacated three-year term

[11:01] ending December 31st 202127

[11:06] and we have two applicants who have ever

[11:09] Everett W Bradshaw Jr. and Tim Lannon.

[11:13] Uh, is there anyone that wants to speak

[11:16] to that? Yes, sir.

[11:18] » Um, I know that I know Everett W.

[11:22] Bradshaw and his wife and I know he's

[11:25] would be really really

[11:29] overqualified really for for the things

[11:31] that we want to do about planning

[11:33] committees and Robert's rule support

[11:35] which we just talked about today. So, I

[11:38] would I I would say we really make a

[11:41] good decision if we picked him.

[11:44] » Yes, sir.

[11:45] » Yeah. And both of these candidates are

[11:47] well qualified. Um

[11:51] it's one of always was one of my

[11:52] favorite committees to be on the parks

[11:54] board. So, it was you got to go to the

[11:57] different parks for some of your

[11:58] meetings and and do stuff. Uh I know uh

[12:02] Mr. Lon comes to our meetings all the

[12:04] time and representative of union. So

[12:07] this is a tough one, but they're both

[12:09] excellent candidates. So it'll be a hard

[12:12] hard to choose between the two of them.

[12:14] So two good candidates. It's a good

[12:18] place for us to be.

[12:21] » Any other discussion on that before we

[12:24] move on? And we will make that

[12:26] appointment at next week's meeting. Uh

[12:29] brings us down to committee reports,

[12:32] finance committee, committee the whole

[12:34] and item one, Commissioner Johnson,

[12:36] please take that for us, please.

[12:39] Consider ratifying and placing on file

[12:42] August 28, 2026 invoice list in the

[12:45] amount of $337,94253.

[12:51] the September 4, 2026 invoice list in

[12:55] the amount of $348,42689

[13:00] cents and the adjustment list dated

[13:03] August 27, 2026.

[13:08] » Walk us through these for the August

[13:10] 28th list with the amount of $337,94253.

[13:17] The general fund portion of that is

[13:19] $124,764.34.

[13:23] This list was sent out six days prior to

[13:26] the payment of these invoices. And so it

[13:29] gave uh the commissioners a chance to

[13:31] review and ask questions if they had

[13:33] any. Uh we do have three hat payments

[13:36] right here to make up for some uh past

[13:38] late billing. They had some change over

[13:40] in the hats and so we're making them

[13:43] hold for our contract. And what you'll

[13:45] see is that there's some Great Lakes

[13:46] Bay, Michigan Works that we've seen many

[13:49] times in the past. Again, it's not a

[13:50] general fund expenditure. And we also

[13:53] have to McBride quality care for the day

[13:57] treatment monthly contract from the

[13:59] trial court.

[14:02] » Any questions on the August 28th list?

[14:08] » Next is the September 4th list.

[14:10] $348,426.89.

[14:13] 89. General fund portion is $62,576.37.

[14:20] Here we have some insurance payments for

[14:22] international and 90-day prescriptions.

[14:25] We also have the monthly dental and

[14:27] vision insurance. We also have the

[14:29] equalization contract to Preston

[14:32] Community Services. Then we also have a

[14:34] large payment in here to Speed Techch

[14:36] Equipment for $71,9495.

[14:40] That was for the portion of the balor

[14:42] payment per board approved uh contract

[14:46] from 421 of 26.

[14:49] Any questions on the September 4th

[14:52] invoice list.

[14:55] Okay. Next, we have the uh adjustments

[14:58] list. This list is prepared to show you

[15:01] any invoices that were reduced or

[15:03] increased to correct uh data entry

[15:05] errors. And there's also invoices on

[15:08] here that are added so that way we can

[15:11] uh pay them early to get early payment

[15:13] discounts or to get uh late fees, avoid

[15:17] the late fees. And again, you'll see

[15:19] it's not as many on this one. Um but we

[15:21] do have the consumers and corn food

[15:23] service which we typically find on this

[15:26] one as well.

[15:28] » Okay, any questions on the adjustment

[15:30] list?

[15:32] Okay, hearing none, we will move that

[15:34] item to next week's meeting. And item

[15:37] two, uh, Commissioner Sweeney,

[15:40] » Consider approving the budget request

[15:42] for fiscal year 27 childc care funds in

[15:45] the amount of 2,556,723.91

[15:53] of uh, board chair

[15:56] to sign the form DHS291.

[16:06] Do we have Curtis on? Do we have Carrie?

[16:09] » Yes.

[16:10] » Oh, okay.

[16:12] » Good morning.

[16:12] » Here's Carrie.

[16:13] » I can hear you.

[16:14] » Good morning.

[16:15] » Morning.

[16:16] » Good morning. So, we're bringing to you

[16:17] the 2027 childc care fund application

[16:20] and budget. This has been approved by

[16:22] the state, signed by Judge Black and the

[16:25] DHS director. So, there really are no

[16:29] changes except for some increases for

[16:32] contractual

[16:33] um services as well as the wages and

[16:36] fringe benefit projected changes um for

[16:40] the juvenile probation officers.

[16:41] Otherwise, everything else is the same.

[16:46] » Sounds good. Any questions for Director

[16:49] Curtis?

[16:50] » Director Curtis, this is Commissioner

[16:51] Angler. I'll let you off early because

[16:53] you know the child care is one of the

[16:55] fun that always gives me a little bit of

[16:58] angst but uh you guys do a great job

[17:00] there but u I'll lead you off on the

[17:02] questions but it wouldn't be a year if I

[17:04] didn't ask a couple questions on that so

[17:06] anyways thank you

[17:08] » Yes thank you

[17:12] » Okay anything else

[17:15] discussion

[17:18] » Okay thank you

[17:20] » Thank No.

[17:21] » Yep. And we'll move that item to next

[17:24] week's [clears throat] meeting. And item

[17:27] three, Commissioner Weber, would you

[17:29] take that for us, please?

[17:30] » Yes. Consider approving the contract

[17:32] modification between Isabella County as

[17:34] fiscal agent for Great Lakes Bay

[17:36] Michigan Works and Grashet Isabella

[17:38] Regional Education Services District for

[17:40] case management services for the

[17:42] contract term October 1st, 2025 to

[17:45] September 30th, 2026. and authorize the

[17:47] board chairperson to sign the same.

[17:51] » Yep. So, being the fiduciary for Great

[17:54] Lakes Bay, Michigan Works, we get to

[17:56] approve their contracts and this is this

[17:59] is one of them. Uh provide case

[18:01] management services

[18:04] uh in the Crash Isabella Res.

[18:10] Anything you want to add? No, just an

[18:11] increase of $10,000 to a contract that

[18:14] was originally $2.3 million. So small

[18:19] but have to do it go through the

[18:21] process.

[18:24] » Okay, we'll move that to next week's

[18:26] meeting and item four. Chairman, you

[18:29] want to take that one?

[18:30] » Sure. Consider approving the contract

[18:32] modification between Isabella County as

[18:34] the fiscal agents for the Great Lakes

[18:36] Bay Michigan Works in Conley Detective

[18:39] and Security Guard Agency Incorporated

[18:42] for the contract term October 1st, 2025

[18:46] through September 30th, 2026 and

[18:49] authorize the board chairperson to sign

[18:52] the same kind of the same uh thing on

[18:55] there. What's interesting on this one is

[18:57] that they're adding one security guard

[19:00] in their contract. So, fortunately, it's

[19:04] it's kind of the way things are as the

[19:06] security start to be a main concern. So,

[19:11] » Okay, any discussion, questions?

[19:15] » Okay, move that item to next week's

[19:18] meeting and brings us down to item five.

[19:21] Mr. Campbell, you pay that for us.

[19:23] » Y

[19:24] » Please

[19:24] » Consider approving the purchase of an

[19:26] Isabella County Sheriff's Office

[19:28] replacement patrol vehicle in the amount

[19:31] of $40,56.667

[19:34] 67 cents utilizing claim proceeds from

[19:39] MMRA

[19:42] and the sale of surplus sheriff's office

[19:45] vehicles and and or other available and

[19:49] approve the sheriff's office funding and

[19:53] authorize the board chairperson to sign

[19:56] the necessary budget amendments and

[19:59] purchase documents.

[20:02] Shariff,

[20:03] » Morning.

[20:04] » Good morning. Uh, so when the deputies

[20:07] were released, um, you know, we we did

[20:09] liquidate several of the older cars from

[20:11] the fleet, um, which was fine at that

[20:14] point. Now that we're trying to we're

[20:16] getting some some, um, momentum back and

[20:19] getting some some positions back in in

[20:21] line. Uh, vehicles become a sticky

[20:25] situation, you know, to so expensive. So

[20:28] unfortunately, uh, we had one of our,

[20:30] um, patrol units, uh, although it was a

[20:32] couple years older. Um, had very low

[20:35] miles onto it. Uh, it was struck, um,

[20:39] when the driver failed to yield to a

[20:41] stop sign and total vehicle out. So, we

[20:45] lost a fairly new vehicle in our fleet.

[20:48] Um, a second vehicle uh was involved in

[20:50] an accident with an older one, but we

[20:52] still lost that one. That was a

[20:53] administrative car. So, we really don't

[20:56] want to um have to find the funding and

[21:00] and the challenges, you know, moving

[21:02] forward if we have some money coming

[21:03] back from those claims from MMRA, which,

[21:05] you know, the numbers are there. Uh

[21:07] we're a little short, like 6,000 or so.

[21:09] But, um we are going to be selling uh

[21:11] the other administrative cars when we

[21:13] get the new ones in. So, that should

[21:14] make up that difference or some

[21:16] commissary funds, which is typically

[21:17] where we find the money for cars anyways

[21:19] over the years. So, not worried about uh

[21:23] the that additional 6,000. We should be

[21:24] able to pick that up pretty easy and and

[21:26] not have any general fund. Um the uplift

[21:28] is always an expensive thing to put all

[21:30] the lights and sirens back into it. Um

[21:32] we probably will wait just a just a

[21:35] minute on that uh in the I think it's

[21:38] late winter, early spring, we can apply

[21:40] for the USDA grant and that'll offset a

[21:44] big chunk of that. Um so right now we'll

[21:46] probably just get the car. We don't want

[21:48] the price of the car to go up anymore.

[21:50] because they're so volatile in pricing

[21:51] and we can get one right now for that

[21:53] price. We know so we get the car in the

[21:55] fleet and then we can, you know, apply

[21:57] for this grant down the road um to

[21:58] offset the cost of the $67,000 to uplift

[22:01] it, put the license sirens back into it.

[22:04] That's kind of our plan. So that just

[22:05] doesn't

[22:08] hurt our fleet any further, you know, or

[22:09] reduce our fleet any further and doesn't

[22:12] bring any money out of general fund to

[22:13] do it. So

[22:17] » Any questions? What does it cost to

[22:19] equip?

[22:21] » Anywhere from 6 to7,000. Can can be a

[22:24] little bit more. Sometimes um we chose

[22:27] the Durango again because that's what we

[22:29] had. So like the cage in it and some of

[22:31] the equipment has to fit back into it.

[22:34] Sometimes the manufacturers change the

[22:35] design of the car. So some of that stuff

[22:37] doesn't fit anymore. The push bumper,

[22:39] the cage or something. Uh I don't think

[22:42] that's the case here. I think um this

[22:43] Durango, all the equipment that we took

[22:45] out of the one that was wrecked will go

[22:47] back into it. So it's a little less. So

[22:49] it could be 67,000 but if we have to

[22:51] start buying some equipment for

[22:53] different make model or they change them

[22:55] the the dimensions of it goes up a

[22:57] little more. [clears throat]

[22:59] » Yeah. Yes. I know when before we kind of

[23:03] had a schedule on there because you can

[23:05] get your cards through them ideal and

[23:07] there's a certain spot after so many

[23:09] miles where the the tradein value

[23:11] actually makes sense to do it where you

[23:13] let them grow them too long you lose the

[23:15] value on them. So, we probably need to

[23:18] start looking at maybe getting on that

[23:20] schedule and replacing them before they

[23:23] lose their value too much because they

[23:24] depreciate. So, fast.

[23:26] » Couple couple things to you know,

[23:27] obviously with changing the deputy

[23:28] status. Um, you know, before we were

[23:31] about two two and a half years, we were

[23:33] trying to cycle them out at close to

[23:34] 100,000 miles. We got a good resale onto

[23:36] them at that price. Yeah. But the

[23:38] maintenance wasn't really being too

[23:40] challenging. You know, we get too many

[23:42] miles onto them, then it's just constant

[23:43] maintenance and repairs. So that was

[23:46] working pretty well. Um right now, you

[23:48] know, the deputies are assigned a

[23:49] specific car. So, um the miles stay

[23:52] down. They take better care of it

[23:53] because it's just them in that car and

[23:55] that helps to a little bit. But, um uh

[23:58] you know, as we have the potential to

[23:59] get a few more deputies back, um they

[24:01] will become an issue, you know, with

[24:03] that that mileage starting to increase

[24:06] and have that problem again. So, we're

[24:08] we are trying to find those solutions

[24:11] before they become problems. That that's

[24:13] what you're

[24:14] » Yep. I have to say we might have to go

[24:15] back when we get more cars ready. So

[24:17] » Yeah, and again our commissary fund has

[24:19] been pretty healthy and stuff. Um so we

[24:22] to use that for those car purchases

[24:24] because we use all the transports for

[24:26] prisoners and stuff. So it relates back

[24:27] to

[24:29] » Do we have the computer equipment for

[24:32] this car?

[24:33] » So we have everything. Yes. Um I will

[24:35] tell you um you know it will probably

[24:38] peak up here in a minute but you know

[24:39] we're like Windows 10 on some of them.

[24:41] you know, Windows 11 installed would

[24:42] install on a couple of them, but not all

[24:44] of them. So, we we're starting to see

[24:46] because these computers that we have

[24:48] into them, the Panasonics, they are

[24:53] probably six to seven years old now.

[24:56] They're workh horses and they're still

[24:57] working, but [clears throat]

[24:59] [snorts] we may have to include some

[25:00] computers into them for a few thousand

[25:02] dollar to start upgrading those because

[25:04] we've had a few challenges. I got one on

[25:06] my desk right now that um I had to redo

[25:09] and it's not coming back online. So,

[25:12] » What are those things? But they're

[25:13] pretty old computers, but they're just

[25:15] workh horses and for what we're using

[25:16] for still. So, yes. And

[25:20] right now, yes.

[25:22] » Thank you.

[25:24] » Any other questions,

[25:26] comments?

[25:27] » Okay. Thank you.

[25:29] » Thank you. We'll move that item to next

[25:31] week's meeting. And item six,

[25:35] Commissioner Marino, I want to take that

[25:37] first. [clears throat]

[25:38] » Consider approving the FY2027

[25:41] emergency management performance grant

[25:43] work agreement and authorize the board

[25:46] chair person to sign the same.

[25:50] We have director Gennis. Morning.

[25:52] » Morning. So this is the uh work

[25:55] agreement uh signature page that we've

[25:58] seen ever since the UPG grant has

[26:00] started many years ago. So um it's just

[26:04] gives the uh scope of work of the grant

[26:07] and then the signature page goes back to

[26:09] the Michigan State Police follow the

[26:12] scope grant uh work of the grant. So

[26:17] again the grant seems to be going down

[26:19] and down each year. It used to be

[26:21] covering about 30 36% of the salary. Now

[26:24] it's about 8 to 11%. So that's just

[26:28] thanks to the feds. That's the amount of

[26:30] money that the state gets. That's how

[26:33] deciphers out for every count. So

[26:36] pretty self-explanatory. Like I said,

[26:38] it's you guys have all seen this

[26:41] anything

[26:42] » Numerous times.

[26:42] » Yep.

[26:44] » Okay. Any questions?

[26:47] » Perfect. Thank you. We will move that to

[26:50] next week's meeting and brings us down

[26:53] to item eight.

[26:57] Item seven.

[26:58] » Sure. Got ahead of myself.

[27:02] » I do that sometimes.

[27:04] » Consider approving the agreement for

[27:06] extension services between Michigan

[27:08] State University and Isabella County for

[27:10] fiscal year 2027

[27:13] in the amount of $178,724.

[27:18] and authorized the board chairperson to

[27:20] sign the same. Thank you, Eric.

[27:22] » Yeah, thank you. Um, so I didn't know

[27:27] many of you know now that I was called

[27:29] for jury duty, so we didn't know if we

[27:30] were going to gonna be here today or not

[27:32] because but I didn't have to report. So

[27:34] would you want me to talk about the the

[27:36] annual report now please?

[27:38] » Okay. Okay. So um this is the 2025

[27:41] annual report. We're always year back so

[27:43] as we're collecting data but so it was a

[27:45] very strong year. We're we're very

[27:47] fortunate as well county obviously with

[27:49] with your support but uh the added staff

[27:52] that we bring in outside of this

[27:54] contract that we have here and so um

[27:56] just you know to talk about we have

[27:59] Misty Oval who is a farm stress educator

[28:02] Liz Advent link who is uh taking over

[28:04] our 4 program just a great job back

[28:07] » Yeah great job with that and she's our

[28:10] food safety educator we have Danielle

[28:12] Shrock who is over she's not housed here

[28:15] but she covers Bella County. One of the

[28:16] things that we've been working on is

[28:19] continuing to to gain traction uh for

[28:22] our master gardener program. And so she

[28:25] is now um the person that is, I think,

[28:29] really doing a great job in building,

[28:31] you know, reconnecting with the groups

[28:33] that were uh in that. We have

[28:35] highlighted in the report. Um we have um

[28:38] a project that's happening at the

[28:39] Discovery Museum that she's been working

[28:41] on over there for about two years now.

[28:43] So, uh, that's been going really good.

[28:45] Uh, Alisa Gman, uh, she is our

[28:48] extension, uh, tribal educator. So, she

[28:51] is split between our Isabella County

[28:53] office and Sang Chipa tribal, uh,

[28:55] college. um she's doing uh a lot of work

[28:59] uh in the sovereignty space and I know

[29:01] there was a question about that uh

[29:03] before but connecting uh with the

[29:05] indigenous tribes uh throughout the

[29:07] state really kind of throughout the

[29:09] country um kind of you know

[29:13] engaging those communities I think kind

[29:16] of talking with them connecting with

[29:18] them uh growing and learning together

[29:20] with them uh obviously we've had non

[29:22] we've been fortunate to have non gross

[29:24] uh for for a number of years. Uh Sabrina

[29:27] McGee. Uh this would be one of the um we

[29:31] did lose Sabrina because they cut the um

[29:33] SNAPD program, but Sabrina was on staff

[29:36] and so some of the numbers reported in

[29:38] there. Um she was still working for part

[29:40] of that year. So um she was there. And

[29:42] then we have Monica Jean who um has is

[29:46] our egg educator. So uh she's doing a

[29:48] lot of work out in the in the egg

[29:51] community. And tomorrow there's actually

[29:52] a field of cover crops. Um I don't know

[29:55] it's if you know about it I'm assuming

[29:57] but over at Gross Farm. So there's a a

[30:00] presentation that she'll be doing over

[30:01] there tomorrow. Um and then happy to go

[30:05] through I know this was pretty hot off

[30:07] the press for all of you but um this

[30:09] will all be posted online too um if

[30:12] there are specific questions um as we go

[30:16] through the January 4 I think. Um, happy

[30:20] to deal with any questions or

[30:23] » You forgot to mention Misty.

[30:25] » Yeah, Misty Oel. Yep. She was one of the

[30:27] first ones. She's our uh farm stress

[30:29] educator. She's also doing health. Um,

[30:32] and I think one of the other cool parts

[30:34] about I mean there's a lot of cool parts

[30:36] about extension. I um sincerely mean

[30:39] that. Um, but we have all these

[30:40] different educators like talking earlier

[30:42] with Commissioner Hope that you know

[30:44] there's uh, you know, we have pine tree

[30:46] experts that are in our district that

[30:49] still support uh, the different

[30:51] communities. We have integrated pest

[30:53] management. We have Tai Chi that not so

[30:56] much here because I think they have

[30:57] other staff but uh that do that at this

[30:59] commission on aging but that you know we

[31:01] have all these touch points that um you

[31:04] know the experts from around the state

[31:06] and then we also have experts on campus

[31:08] that we that we work with. And so I

[31:10] think that's just another point that I'd

[31:12] like to to share and remind people

[31:15] about. If you have questions that you're

[31:16] not not sure of, we have the ask the

[31:18] expert. Um, so if you go [clears throat]

[31:20] on MSU Extension and you have a

[31:22] question, it could be we get thousands

[31:25] of these uh questions, but you know, it

[31:27] could be it could be about trees, it

[31:29] could be about pests, it could be a

[31:31] picture of a we found a caterpillar when

[31:34] I was with my little guys the weekend.

[31:35] I'm like, what is that? I'm like, I have

[31:37] no idea. We're going to take a picture

[31:39] and send it in and see if we can figure

[31:40] out what it is. So,

[31:43] um, but so any other

[31:47] questions? Wasn't a gypsy mozzle?

[31:49] » No, we we know those

[31:52] from you.

[31:53] » Yeah.

[31:56] » Any questions, Mr. Carbowski?

[32:01] » Okay. Well, thank you.

[32:02] » Thank you.

[32:03] » And then with regards to the MOA, um

[32:05] it's the same British standard

[32:08] memorandum of agreement that we've had

[32:10] over the years. So, appreciate uh Brian

[32:12] and Chris meeting with me and kind of

[32:14] talking through uh those different

[32:16] spaces. We did a 3% overall increase,

[32:18] but um so but it looks pretty much the

[32:22] same as it has in the past. So

[32:23] » Cool.

[32:25] » Okay,

[32:27] » Thank you very much. And we will move

[32:29] that item to next week's

[32:31] » Agenda. And I believe that brings us to

[32:35] item eight. And Commissioner Swain

[32:37] » Consider approving the individual

[32:39] services contracts between the Isabella

[32:41] County Commission on Aging and James

[32:43] Vander. Karen

[32:46] Wangdonski,

[32:48] Angela Mcgherk, Judith Schwarz, Steve

[32:51] Wood, and Mary Elger to provide activity

[32:54] services effective October 1st, 2026

[32:57] through September 30th, 2029. I thought

[33:00] board chair to sign. My apologies to

[33:03] Karen.

[33:04] » That's okay.

[33:06] Sure, it's happened before.

[33:07] » I stumbled over.

[33:09] » Well, good morning. Um so before you

[33:11] this are our contracts for our personal

[33:13] service uh for our instructors for our

[33:16] activities program. So all these

[33:18] individuals teach other fitness classes.

[33:20] So the other one is our um is our

[33:23] painting instructor that we've had for

[33:25] so many years. And we're so fortunate to

[33:27] have all of these wonderful individuals

[33:28] who continue to want to work for us and

[33:30] who have been here for so long um and

[33:32] have such a great following here um with

[33:35] our with our guests. So, um, all of

[33:38] these individuals, they have, um,

[33:39] they're not, it's not an an employee

[33:42] position, so they are, um, individual

[33:44] contractors with us.

[33:50] » Lots of activities.

[33:51] » Lots of activities.

[33:53] » Yes.

[33:53] » Yeah, it's very, very fun. Very popular.

[33:56] » Yeah. Good. Any any questions or

[33:58] comments

[34:01] for gentlemen here?

[34:04] Thank you.

[34:06] And we'll move that item to next week's

[34:08] agenda. And item nine, Commissioner um

[34:13] Weber.

[34:14] » Yep. Consider approving the region 7

[34:17] area on aging contract drill agreement

[34:19] and other required documents for the

[34:21] fiscal year 2027 through fiscal year

[34:24] 2029 and authorize the board chairperson

[34:26] to sign the same and therefore accepts

[34:28] the funding for services.

[34:31] So this is our annual agreement that we

[34:33] have every year with Legion 7 area

[34:35] agency on aging and the funding we

[34:37] receive from them helps support our

[34:39] inhome services programs and also our

[34:41] nutrition programs. Um and with that it

[34:43] represents approximately 20% of those

[34:46] budgets of the total budgets that we

[34:48] have for them. Um very important for us

[34:50] to receive this funding and it as of

[34:53] this year it looks like they've um

[34:54] increased it to a three-year agreement.

[34:56] Typically, it's a one year. So, I'm

[34:58] curious if that that changed with that,

[34:59] but it's everything is says uh three

[35:01] years. So, um which would be wonderful

[35:04] in itself.

[35:07] » Okay. Does this support the um Medicare

[35:12] Medicaid uh informationational

[35:16] » We do that just on our own like the med

[35:19] med

[35:20] » We do that. We don't receive

[35:21] reimbursement for that. That's just

[35:23] something that our staff does for the

[35:24] community. So we no longer receive any

[35:26] reimbursement for it. Um

[35:28] » We used to right

[35:29] » There was there used to be that state

[35:31] program um the MAP Michigan the

[35:34] » Okay. Yeah. Yeah.

[35:35] » That program they did away with it state

[35:37] level.

[35:38] » Oh

[35:38] » Um but we have continued to do it here

[35:40] as long as our staff are able to

[35:42] continue to do that just because it is

[35:44] such a huge need in our community and um

[35:48] so so do that. It's still complicated.

[35:51] Yeah.

[35:52] » Which that's coming up October 7th.

[35:54] that's going to be begin here. So,

[35:55] October one, they start taking

[35:56] appointments. Um, and that becomes a

[35:58] really, really busy six weeks here for

[36:00] our staff and volunteers. I mean, they

[36:02] couldn't do it without the volunteers

[36:03] that we have that help us with that as

[36:05] well. But, yeah, we receive nothing for

[36:06] that. Um, area agency does have an

[36:09] educator though that we've started

[36:10] leaning on who will come here and she'll

[36:12] provide seminars.

[36:14] » Oh, okay.

[36:14] » Um, so that is something we have stepped

[36:16] back on, back away from, um, and

[36:18] allowing asking them to take it on and

[36:20] she's done that. So, I think quarterly

[36:22] she comes here and and I think she's

[36:24] here later this month and we'll just do

[36:26] an educational session and then if

[36:27] people want to sign on up for one-on-

[36:29] ones and they do that with our team.

[36:32] » Yep. I've done that. I've signed up for

[36:35] Medicare last year. So, it's a it's a a

[36:39] great help.

[36:41] » Somebody hold your hand and walk you

[36:44] through.

[36:45] » They're so knowledgeable.

[36:46] » Yeah. It's a gift to our community for

[36:48] sure.

[36:49] » Yep. It is. Any

[36:52] other questions or comments?

[36:56] Okay. Thank you.

[37:00] And that brings us to item 10. Chairman,

[37:04] you want to take that one or excuse me.

[37:06] Consider approving the fiscal year 2027

[37:10] through fiscal year 2029 Isabella County

[37:13] Commission on Aging nutritional site

[37:16] agreements for congregant meal sites

[37:20] with Shepard United Methodist Church at

[37:22] the rate of $150 per month. Fremont

[37:26] Fremont Township Wind Community

[37:29] Buildings at the rate of $300 per month.

[37:32] Rosebush Presbyterian Church at the rate

[37:35] of $100 per month in the Sherman

[37:38] Township Wayman at a rate of $250 per

[37:41] month and authorize the board

[37:43] chairperson to decide to save.

[37:45] » So this is our annual agreement which

[37:48] we've now this per legal we were able to

[37:50] do this. We've extended it to a

[37:51] three-year contract which is helpful for

[37:52] not only us but all of these entities as

[37:55] well. Um, but this is allows us to

[37:58] utilize their space throughout the

[37:59] community so we can offer our congregate

[38:01] meal sites outside of here. So, we have

[38:03] it at these four locations in addition

[38:04] to here. Um, we do have a change

[38:07] starting October one and it's in

[38:09] Rosebush. So, prior to this, we've

[38:10] always been at Rose Bush Manor and this

[38:13] year starting October one, our location

[38:15] was changing to the Rosebush

[38:16] Presbyterian Church, which is just right

[38:18] next door to Rose Bush Manor. Um, and

[38:21] it's merely because of space. uh

[38:23] Rosebush Manor expanded and created more

[38:26] rooms, but the lunch space did not get

[38:30] larger and so there's a lot more folks

[38:32] in there and so we really are having a

[38:34] hard time having room for the public to

[38:36] come to that congregate site. So by

[38:38] moving next door to the church um our

[38:42] meal site facility is so excited to be

[38:44] able to welcome more community older

[38:46] adults to come in for those congregate

[38:48] meals. On those days though, we are

[38:50] going to still continue to provide meals

[38:52] to Rose Bush Manor just because we've

[38:54] done that ever since on those Monday,

[38:56] Wednesday, Fridays. So on those days,

[38:58] our bulk drivers will still deliver the

[39:00] meals to them as well and then we'll

[39:01] have it at our meal site there. So

[39:02] they'll still get our meal on those

[39:04] three days a week.

[39:05] » Sounds like improvement efficiencies.

[39:07] » Absolutely. And just to just to to get

[39:10] more community involvement. I mean,

[39:12] that's our goal is to, you know, to help

[39:15] people not be isolated and in their

[39:16] home. We want them out and and

[39:18] socializing with others and that's will

[39:19] give us the space to do that. And she's

[39:21] so excited about doing some of the

[39:23] activities that we have having room to

[39:25] do dancing and all sorts of fun

[39:27] activities. So it'll be good good for

[39:29] the community. [clears throat]

[39:31] » Nice of Rose Bush Presbyterian to step

[39:34] up and

[39:36] » Absolutely.

[39:39] » And these rates look the same to me as

[39:43] they they have been for several years.

[39:45] They are they're all the same except for

[39:46] the Rose push one and that just

[39:48] increased by $10 a month by switching

[39:50] that location. Everything else is the

[39:51] same.

[39:54] » Excellent.

[39:56] » Good. Any questions, comments on that

[39:58] item? Uh if not, we'll move that to next

[40:02] week's meeting and item 11. Commissioner

[40:05] Kent Paul, you want to take that?

[40:07] review and assess the semianual 2%

[40:10] application from the Isabella County

[40:13] Commission on Aging requesting $572,554

[40:21] programs and services.

[40:24] » So, this is certainly a um a team

[40:27] effort. our our 2% applications every

[40:30] year. Our managers are involved in it

[40:32] with me and so we together um create

[40:35] this application and one thing in the

[40:38] past that the tribe had asked is that we

[40:39] provide the same application in the

[40:41] spring and the fall. So this is the same

[40:43] one that you saw this spring. Uh and

[40:45] then anything that we are hopeful that

[40:47] we are we're fortunate enough to receive

[40:49] anything everything is total and we

[40:51] spend it all within this fiscal year. So

[40:53] if we do receive something from this in

[40:55] November, it comes back to this fiscal

[40:57] year and applied to fiscal year 26. Um

[41:00] so we've been so fortunate, you know,

[41:02] since 95, we've received over $10.8

[41:04] million from the tribe here in division

[41:07] on aging and um you know, as other funds

[41:11] continue to go down, we rely heavier and

[41:13] heavier on it. So we're so thankful for

[41:15] what we're ever able to receive.

[41:19] » Yes.

[41:20] Uh the mission on aging is near and dear

[41:24] to their heart

[41:26] that

[41:27] » Yep. Yes.

[41:30] We all are. Any other any questions or

[41:32] comments? Okay, we'll move that to next

[41:35] week's

[41:37] uh agenda. Thank you.

[41:41] And item 12. Commissioner Marino, you

[41:43] want to take item?

[41:45] » We're on 12, aren't we?

[41:46] » Yeah. Okay.

[41:51] Review and assess the semianual 2%

[41:54] application from the Isabella 911

[41:57] Emergency Management Department

[41:59] requesting $47,500,000

[42:02] for emergency management hazard

[42:05] mitigation plan.

[42:09] And so this plan um you guys remember in

[42:13] 2017 you have to have a hazard

[42:15] mitigation plan uh registered through

[42:17] the state of Michigan and through the

[42:18] federal government to receive funding

[42:20] from a disaster. Uh and it's specific

[42:24] earmarked funds that if there's a

[42:26] presidential uh declaration, they

[42:28] earmark hazard mitigation fundings to

[42:31] litigate that project and hopefully

[42:33] communities can receive that money. Um

[42:38] there was about in 2017 we had quite a

[42:41] few since we had the plan in place at

[42:43] the ear marks funds quite a few like

[42:46] Mount Pleasant Community Memorial

[42:47] Stadium was one of them. CMU utilize

[42:50] some money for their baseball stadium

[42:51] and stuff like that. So currently our

[42:54] plan is set to expire January [snorts]

[42:56] 28 and the city of Mount Pleasant uh

[43:00] informed me that the state of Michigan

[43:02] has some hazard mitigation funding

[43:03] available. So they put in an application

[43:06] for it and they're set to receive that

[43:08] money. However, they have to have a

[43:11] balon hazard mitigation plan that is

[43:13] approved by FEMA in the state of

[43:14] Michigan. Ours is set to expire in 2028.

[43:17] I'm pretty confident that this project

[43:19] is going to last more than 2028. So

[43:21] therefore, I'm requesting the I have

[43:24] short-term notice and this I figured a

[43:26] great way to apply for the funding to

[43:28] pay for the for the plant be done

[43:31] through 2% request.

[43:36] pretty important thing to have. Yeah.

[43:40] » Any questions? Yes, sir.

[43:41] » I just want to thank the city of Mount

[43:42] Pleasant for helping out. That's a

[43:44] really good collaboration between this.

[43:46] » Yeah. Jason Moore and myself have been

[43:48] having a lot of conversations about

[43:50] this. So, we'll be in contact

[43:55] very regularly when this project goes.

[44:01] Okay. Any any further discussion on item

[44:05] 12?

[44:07] Okay. We'll move this to next week's

[44:09] meeting. Thanks.

[44:11] » Uh and item 13, Commissioner Jones.

[44:13] That's

[44:14] » Review and assess the semianual 2%

[44:17] application from the Humane Animal

[44:19] Treatment Society requesting $50,000 for

[44:22] shelter improvements.

[44:24] So their request for the 50,000 is

[44:27] broken down into uh some categories. The

[44:30] first one is uh supporting the spray

[44:33] neuter services 10,000.

[44:37] The second one is uh supporting

[44:39] medically complex dogs through the

[44:41] Holton fund, $10,000.

[44:44] Disease prevention and sanitation,

[44:46] $7,500

[44:49] replacement shelter grade beds, $7,500.

[44:54] outdoor play, enrichment, adoption

[44:56] space, $15,000.

[44:59] So, it's a kind of a broad improvement

[45:03] for the facilities there and the care of

[45:04] the animals that's are trusted to hats.

[45:08] » Thank you. And we do have someone from

[45:10] hats online.

[45:12] » Oh, I'm sorry.

[45:13] » Hello.

[45:14] » Oh, you did fine. Hi, Taz.

[45:16] » Hi. How are you?

[45:18] » Good.

[45:19] » Uh, yeah. So, this is um a it's a broad

[45:22] request. Uh but all of these pieces help

[45:25] care for the animals from the start of

[45:27] their journey to when they ultimately

[45:29] find a home within our clinic. We have

[45:31] had quite a difficult season when it

[45:33] comes to disease prevention. So, a lot

[45:35] of our budget supplies that have been

[45:36] allocated to um things like rescue have

[45:40] been um expensed far sooner than we

[45:42] anticipated and we know that this would

[45:43] help take care of that. Some of the

[45:46] other pieces that we're asking for in

[45:47] this request are ultimately improvements

[45:51] that um take care of things that we have

[45:54] utilized for some things over a decade.

[45:57] So, for example, supporting spayneuter

[45:59] services. We have an autoclave that

[46:01] we've used for numerous years. That

[46:03] autoclave is the heart of what we do. It

[46:05] sterilizes all of our equipment. Uh we

[46:07] have spayed and neutered over a thousand

[46:09] animals so far this year. without that

[46:12] autoclave being replaced soon that could

[46:14] shut our clinic down for an unknown

[46:16] amount of time as that piece of

[46:17] equipment alone is about $15,000.

[46:20] Uh so uh these are just like I said

[46:22] pieces our our beds those ultimately

[46:25] impact the health of the animals and

[46:27] keep some of our vet costs down and

[46:30] those have not been replaced in numerous

[46:31] years as well. So all of these again

[46:34] just from start to finish of their

[46:35] journey impacts the the whole journey of

[46:37] the animals in our shelter.

[46:42] Okay.

[46:45] Any questions, comments?

[46:48] Done a thousand spay and neuters already

[46:51] this year.

[46:52] » Correct.

[46:53] » That's amazing.

[46:55] » We're pretty proud of that.

[46:57] » Yes. As you should be. Yep. That's good

[46:59] work you're doing.

[47:00] » Thank you.

[47:01] » Thank you. Well, stay online because

[47:04] we're going to have one more uh topic

[47:05] and then we'll bring your contract

[47:07] extension back up. So just

[47:09] » Absolutely.

[47:11] » Okay. Thank you. Uh and any other

[47:14] discussion on that item? Hearing none,

[47:16] we'll move that to next week's meeting.

[47:19] And brings us to item 14. And I think

[47:23] we're over to Commissioner Mareno.

[47:26] » Sweeny Sweeney. Sorry.

[47:28] » Yeah. uh review and assess the

[47:30] semiannual 2% application from Isabella

[47:33] County requesting $53,500

[47:37] for the county coupla restoration

[47:39] project.

[47:42] » Sure.

[47:43] » Sure.

[47:44] » Uh

[47:47] I've been getting uh rough estimations

[47:49] as far as uh restoring the Klo currently

[47:54] sits at the courthouse. Uh that

[47:57] structure was built in 1876.

[48:00] Uh currently it is in dire condition. Uh

[48:04] there is a lot of rot uh to the historic

[48:09] coup and it's basically just sitting

[48:11] there falling down. uh you're trying to

[48:15] um put together uh funding for for

[48:19] restoration, keeping it in the

[48:21] historical significance

[48:24] and as well as putting a fence around it

[48:28] to protect it for future use. So,

[48:36] um

[48:37] I'm I'm glad to see that you're doing

[48:42] the thing is in rough shape in need of

[48:45] restoration. Have you uh reached out to

[48:48] the historical society folks at all?

[48:50] » They just actually reached out to me

[48:51] this morning.

[48:52] » Okay.

[48:52] » So, I'll be

[48:54] » Yep. They've been they've had a

[48:56] committee together and plans to do this

[48:59] for quite some time. So hopefully we can

[49:01] work with them and uh get this thing

[49:05] done.

[49:06] » Absolutely.

[49:07] » Cool. Any questions, comments?

[49:12] 2% request. Okay, we'll move that to

[49:16] next week's meeting

[49:19] and item 15. And I think we're up to

[49:23] Commissioner Weber.

[49:25] » Consider approving the addendum to

[49:26] agreement for animal shelter services

[49:28] with the Humane Animal Treatment Society

[49:31] and authorized board chairs person to

[49:33] sign the same.

[49:37] » So again, we have Tessa online. There's

[49:40] been some changeover at hats and the

[49:42] contract is up on September 30th and so

[49:46] we're still negotiating and in an effort

[49:50] to get Tessa kind of, you know, her feet

[49:53] wet and everything that she's doing even

[49:54] though you're on the board and stuff, I

[49:55] want to make sure that we had a chance

[49:57] to to sit down and negotiate

[50:00] um the contract. And so what we're going

[50:02] to be doing is that asking for a 60-day

[50:04] extension, but at the same time, Tessa

[50:06] and the board will be coming in front of

[50:08] H to do a presentation

[50:10] uh either at the end of this month or

[50:11] early October um for the board uh to

[50:17] kind of look over their upcoming

[50:19] contract on what they're asking for. And

[50:22] so I want to make sure that they have an

[50:24] ample opportunity to come up and kind of

[50:26] give their uh update and their uh reason

[50:30] why uh they feel uh their request is uh

[50:35] appropriate. So is that in a nutshell,

[50:38] Tessa?

[50:39] » Yep. Absolutely.

[50:42] » Sounds like a sensible plan. Any uh any

[50:45] questions on that?

[50:49] Okay, then we will move that to next

[50:51] week's meeting.

[50:52] » Thank you.

[50:53] » Thank you.

[50:56] » Brings us to item 16. Chairman, you want

[50:59] to pick that up?

[51:01] » Sure. Um, budget amendment 2026-34

[51:08] BC for the general fund.

[51:11] » Hi, good morning.

[51:12] » Hi, good morning.

[51:14] So, these are most of our uh year-end

[51:18] budgets that we look at. Anything that's

[51:20] uh uh $25,000 or over for equipment

[51:23] needs to come before you. And uh

[51:25] anything $50,000 or over uh needs to

[51:28] come before you. So, these are those

[51:30] amendments.

[51:32] Um for the general fund, you'll see most

[51:35] of those are for the sheriff's

[51:37] department is different departments. Uh

[51:41] the uh main one being um under the

[51:45] expenditures is going to be just moving

[51:47] those uh two deputies that we budgeted

[51:49] for. We had a sheriff's contingency and

[51:50] we moved them up. So I just wanted to

[51:53] give you a heads up about that. We'll

[51:54] start up at the top under uh revenue or

[51:56] fund balance. Uh the first one is for

[51:59] third party contribution uh for special

[52:01] tax litigation. This dollar amount is

[52:04] the amount that um the county was unable

[52:06] to receive thirdparty contributions to

[52:08] help us out from from other

[52:10] municipalities. So, this is the amount

[52:12] that uh general fund has paid on behalf

[52:14] of DTR. Um and you'll see on the next

[52:16] budget amendment, you're going to see a

[52:18] transfer in from DTR to to help us uh

[52:21] recover that $19.

[52:24] Uh the next one in is a a transfer in um

[52:27] other funds. It's coming in from uh

[52:29] Sheriff's Commissary. uh he just spoke

[52:32] to you about those vehicles, assuming

[52:34] that you folks will approve his uh

[52:36] request for those vehicles. The budget

[52:38] amendments are here so that we can bring

[52:40] in uh the the amount that's coming in

[52:42] from commissary is uh some money that

[52:45] come in from MMRA and and went to his

[52:47] commissary account. So, he'll transfer

[52:49] that in to help purchase that vehicle.

[52:52] Um the next two you'll see are um one

[52:55] sale of fixed assets, one's an insurance

[52:56] settlement that's already um that we're

[52:59] we're doing a budget amendment. show

[53:00] that money coming in from MMRA

[53:03] um and the sale of the fixed asset that

[53:05] sheriff intends to uh intends to get

[53:08] when he sells the car. So, those are the

[53:10] um the ones he needed to make those

[53:12] purchases they just talked to you about.

[53:14] Uh the other one, we're bumping up the

[53:16] local revenue for Village of Lake

[53:18] Isabella. We now have a signed contract

[53:19] on that. So, you'll also see down in the

[53:21] expenditures, you're going to see

[53:22] expenditures booked for that too now

[53:24] that we're creating a budget.

[53:27] Um any questions on those revenues on

[53:30] the top part?

[53:32] Okay, we'll move on down to

[53:33] expenditures.

[53:35] Um again, I just mentioned, you know,

[53:37] when we uh budgeted originally in our

[53:39] budget for the um the two deputies, we

[53:42] had it sitting in uh sheriff's

[53:44] contingency. We're now moving that out

[53:46] of there. Once the budget was adopted,

[53:48] we're able to put that up where it goes.

[53:49] Um that touches so many of his lineups.

[53:53] So, that's why you're seeing a lot of

[53:54] the all of those line items touched

[53:56] there. Um, you'll also see under new

[54:00] vehicles, uh, we've bumped that up by

[54:02] that 46,000 that that Sheriff just spoke

[54:04] to you about. Um, we had some overtime,

[54:08] uh, that we were able to decrease.

[54:10] That's a great thing.

[54:14] When you come down a little bit, um, 301

[54:17] is the main, uh, department for sheriff.

[54:20] And then we come down to to department

[54:22] 309

[54:23] and the department 311. Those two are um

[54:29] for the uh SRO officer, the school

[54:32] resource officer. We moved some monies

[54:35] out of their uh where that employee was

[54:39] budgeted and and moved it over to the

[54:41] Lake Pellet contract. That employee over

[54:43] the summertime wasn't at out at the

[54:45] school. So just moving those around to

[54:47] put them where they belong. no no extra

[54:49] money spent by by sheriff. He's

[54:51] completely within his budget. Um so

[54:53] that's a great thing there. Uh the last

[54:56] one, uh just a few um changes to

[54:59] department 351. That's your uh that's

[55:02] the jail, that's the corrections

[55:03] department. Um we are decreasing medical

[55:07] services. Um we had come before the

[55:10] board earlier where we were hoping to to

[55:12] save some money with Welf. So, we've

[55:14] decreased that and then um had to

[55:17] increase inmate prescriptions obviously.

[55:19] Um sheriff had some unknown building

[55:21] repairs and maintenance come up that

[55:23] that we're working on right now. So,

[55:24] that'll cover those. So, any specific

[55:28] questions on any particular line item

[55:32] by chance or anything I can expand on

[55:35] more help you understand those ones?

[55:38] » No.

[55:40] » Overall, we did really really good this

[55:42] year. See, there's a $10,000 decrease of

[55:44] food. So, because in May

[55:48] housing being down,

[55:50] » I don't think so. I think actually

[55:52] » I pull a question, sir.

[55:54] » Oh, there's a reduction in the budget

[55:56] for food with 10,000

[55:58] fraction. Is that because of inmate

[56:01] housing numbers down?

[56:03] » Yeah, the ADPs are are down right now.

[56:04] They're about 130 to 145, which right

[56:07] now has been we were running around 150

[56:10] 155. That'll decrease it.

[56:16] » Yeah. Thank for helping me out.

[56:22] » Okay. Any questions, comments

[56:25] [clears throat] on that one? If not,

[56:26] we'll move uh that to next week's

[56:28] meeting and we'll go to item 17, budget

[56:30] amendment 2026-35

[56:33] BOC.

[56:37] » Okay. This one is for the other funds

[56:39] other than general fund. Um, starting up

[56:42] the top under revenue or fund balance,

[56:45] you'll see the one we just talked about

[56:46] about DTR transferring in to help cover

[56:49] that that case that went to the uh,

[56:51] state supreme court or excuse me, our

[56:55] Supreme Court. Uh, there's that $197

[56:58] $197,000

[57:00] coming in. Um, that'll come into general

[57:02] fund. Obviously, we just talked about

[57:03] that's going to go hit that revenue line

[57:05] item. Um you see the transfer out uh for

[57:09] that insurance settlement we're

[57:11] increasing incre I'm sorry it's the

[57:14] increase in to buff up the revenue light

[57:17] item first to recognize the MMRMA

[57:20] uh insurance settlement. So that comes

[57:23] in

[57:24] under unreserved fund balance for uh

[57:27] fund 264 and 265

[57:31] those those are two of sheriff's funds.

[57:33] Uh, one of them is the sheriff's escrow.

[57:36] The other one is a training fund. We

[57:39] decreased those because sheriff was able

[57:41] to save us some money. Um, we're using

[57:44] we're decreasing fund balance. He was

[57:45] able to run um some of his training that

[57:48] normally general fund would have to pay

[57:49] for. He was able to utilize those funds

[57:51] and we didn't plan on that ahead of

[57:53] time. So, uh, we're able to just reduce

[57:55] the fund balance. The cash is already

[57:56] there to to cover all of that and has

[57:59] been covered.

[58:00] Um we have a little bit of use of fund

[58:03] balance in uh fund 290 that is um to

[58:08] cover the uh Michigan county social

[58:10] services dues uh for that particular

[58:13] fund.

[58:15] Just a little bit goes there. Uh front

[58:17] of the court um I think I budgeted a

[58:20] little too conservatively on our

[58:22] transfer out fund um to them to to cover

[58:25] them for the year and it made me a

[58:26] little nervous when I looked at like

[58:27] what we may have coming back in. So, I

[58:29] wanted to um I I think I thought we

[58:32] better uh use a little fund balance

[58:34] there. 9,000. Hopefully, we don't have

[58:36] to use all of that, but if we do, I I

[58:38] just want to make sure it's already

[58:39] there so that we don't have a fund come

[58:41] in and having a negative fund balance.

[58:44] Um and the other one was community

[58:46] corrections. Um that's fund 259. Um that

[58:50] one we're going to use 11,000 um a fund

[58:53] balance also because we had to increase

[58:55] some uh tether payments um and some

[58:58] health insurance for the NAP fund.

[59:01] Uh so those ones are the revenue and or

[59:03] use of fund balance expenditures. You'll

[59:06] see the offset of these down here. Uh

[59:10] first one's your transfer out of commas

[59:12] or out of DTR. Um, that's money is going

[59:14] into general fund. Sheriff's uh transfer

[59:17] out of the uh insurance settlement money

[59:21] going in. It's going to go into general

[59:22] fund for his cars. Um,

[59:27] the

[59:28] uh adjustments to the um is it Sharon?

[59:32] What is it called? Vocal area

[59:35] training. Is that what the one is

[59:36] called?

[59:38] » Yes.

[59:38] » Uh so that fund thank you again for

[59:41] helping me out. and his escrow there.

[59:43] We're booking some um expenditures there

[59:45] because again that's where we uh he

[59:47] helped us out by paying in some of the

[59:49] uh training out of those two funds. Uh

[59:52] the next one is fund 290 or seeing that

[59:54] expenditure control for the dues to the

[59:57] Michigan county social services.

[1:00:00] Um for front of the court fund 215 the

[1:00:04] next two line items you can see an

[1:00:05] adjustment to health insurance and work

[1:00:07] comp. Um I think those are going to come

[1:00:09] in over a budget. So, I want to make

[1:00:10] sure I bump those up.

[1:00:13] And then, um, and that would be I just

[1:00:15] want to preface that that that would be,

[1:00:17] uh, no reflection on the courts

[1:00:20] whatsoever on their management of that.

[1:00:22] That would be either changes in

[1:00:23] personnel that we didn't didn't plan for

[1:00:26] or I very well might have just

[1:00:27] underbudgeted those two on accident um

[1:00:30] or or by mistake not not put enough in

[1:00:34] those two. So, just want to make sure

[1:00:35] that you folks that that's nothing that

[1:00:37] the courts is mismanaging by all means.

[1:00:39] Um, and then we talked about community

[1:00:41] corrections. That's fund 259 at the end.

[1:00:44] Uh, bumped up health insurance and

[1:00:46] feathers.

[1:00:49] Any questions on those?

[1:00:55] Okay. Thank you. Hearing no questions,

[1:00:58] we will move that item to next week's

[1:01:01] meeting. And that completes the business

[1:01:05] items

[1:01:06] for today. We have no intergovernmental

[1:01:08] affairs, no administrator controller

[1:01:11] issues, no unfinished business, any new

[1:01:13] business. They're just down to general

[1:01:15] public comments. Anyone for general

[1:01:19] public comments?

[1:01:28] Okay, seeing no one for general public

[1:01:31] comments. Uh announcements,

[1:01:33] commissioners, any announcements? Yes,

[1:01:35] as I stated earlier, we we'd open up the

[1:01:39] discussion on on the insurance. So, um I

[1:01:42] do have some uh spent pretty much all

[1:01:45] weekend going over some numbers. Um I do

[1:01:48] have some uh cleanups I want to do a

[1:01:50] little bit. I feel as chairman I some of

[1:01:55] these need to be addressed a little bit

[1:01:58] uh more into the numbers a little bit

[1:02:01] more.

[1:02:02] Um, I'll start [clears throat] out a

[1:02:04] little bit story. First, we had our

[1:02:06] class reunion. We're talking about the

[1:02:09] things that we always got in trouble.

[1:02:11] And I know you guys think that I'm

[1:02:14] perfect. I never got in trouble as a

[1:02:16] teenager, but

[1:02:19] my sisters always said I never got

[1:02:20] grounded, which I never did, but my dad

[1:02:23] had a special punishment and put on and

[1:02:27] we actually had something that we that

[1:02:29] was actually a void.

[1:02:32] And it was dark. One exit spilled. These

[1:02:37] guys get up to 200 pounds in their

[1:02:38] beans. So, in the rare instance I got in

[1:02:42] trouble and I was in in there, I had to

[1:02:44] clean that out. And it was pretty much

[1:02:46] an all day job. Hot, sticky.

[1:02:49] I hate that job worse than I did picking

[1:02:51] stones.

[1:02:53] So,

[1:02:55] um, excuse my language a little bit. So

[1:02:58] when I tell you that I know is,

[1:03:00] I kind of know what is. So So

[1:03:03] there's some BS that I want to go

[1:03:05] through on here that that I really have

[1:03:07] to address as chairman that can't go

[1:03:09] through there. We're going to go through

[1:03:10] the numbers in here. So um one of the

[1:03:13] first ones I want to is is address is

[1:03:16] that somehow this board is balancing the

[1:03:20] budget on the back of the employees.

[1:03:24] So what I did is I asked the uh

[1:03:28] HR department and then and then our

[1:03:31] finance director to put up some numbers

[1:03:33] on there. So started out um I kind of

[1:03:37] used the 465 as a baseline which is kind

[1:03:40] of the the average. Um then you do the

[1:03:45] that's included the 2% cola marker rate

[1:03:48] adjustment would put it up to 47 uh 546.

[1:03:52] So that is where I started at the

[1:03:55] baseline. So a lot of these percentages

[1:03:58] will actually the lower you go the

[1:04:01] percentage will be the wage scale

[1:04:04] there'll be more. The higher you go on

[1:04:07] the wage scale it'll actually be less.

[1:04:09] So,

[1:04:10] and this is an idea I came going through

[1:04:13] here and I probably it's not legal or

[1:04:15] something, but too bad we can't prouate

[1:04:18] them to the amount that the base salary

[1:04:20] is, how much insurance you're paying,

[1:04:22] but I'm not sure if that's legal.

[1:04:24] Something for the insurance committee to

[1:04:26] consider because it does seem fair that

[1:04:28] people on the lower end of the pay scale

[1:04:31] is actually paying the same rate as the

[1:04:33] people on the top rate. So, I'm not sure

[1:04:36] if that's a tough thing. That's not my

[1:04:39] purview to do that. That's the insurance

[1:04:41] committee.

[1:04:42] So, let's dig into some of the numbers

[1:04:44] that we got here. Um,

[1:04:47] little bit uh let me tell you a little

[1:04:50] bit about myself a little bit on here.

[1:04:52] Some of you, but I am a simple farmer,

[1:04:55] but I've had a lot of different hats.

[1:04:56] So, I've served uh 17 years on a

[1:04:59] financial uh

[1:05:02] institution uh way back and I'm not

[1:05:06] going to say what year it is because

[1:05:07] it's a long time ago.

[1:05:09] The some of the financial institutions

[1:05:11] got in trouble with their book work. So,

[1:05:13] Sarbain Oxley was created law created by

[1:05:17] Congress to actually

[1:05:20] do better work. Um, I was tasked at that

[1:05:24] time

[1:05:26] to create an audit committee.

[1:05:30] Boy, it's going to feel good that much,

[1:05:32] Jim.

[1:05:35] So I was created to actually create the

[1:05:37] audit committee, set up the bylaws, hire

[1:05:41] the uh independent auditor, which could

[1:05:43] operate on a separate budget, separate

[1:05:45] on there, and then I was chairman of

[1:05:48] that for about five years until they

[1:05:52] kicked me around to an executive

[1:05:53] [clears throat] committee and then vice

[1:05:55] chair and eventually chairman. So

[1:05:58] [snorts]

[1:06:00] I do understand that some people don't

[1:06:02] like numbers but sometimes that's just

[1:06:04] kind of what I do. So anyway so what I

[1:06:07] did we took the base salary which is

[1:06:09] basically the middle

[1:06:12] people higher and less and this is about

[1:06:14] the average in there. So and then I also

[1:06:17] looked and I did look at some other

[1:06:18] plans but I don't want to take that much

[1:06:20] time for you guys. So what we did is we

[1:06:22] looked at the very the family plan which

[1:06:25] is the most and then I went through

[1:06:28] everyone

[1:06:29] um every plan. So I'll go briefly

[1:06:32] through them and so let's base salary

[1:06:38] 47547.

[1:06:40] Um so we're looking at the total

[1:06:43] compensation. Now this is just the total

[1:06:47] of healthc care compensation. it doesn't

[1:06:50] figure in the 401ks or the defined

[1:06:53] benefits which is another would be added

[1:06:56] to the numbers that I had here and I did

[1:06:58] not want to go there because it's

[1:07:01] probably another two or three days of

[1:07:03] going through the numbers. So

[1:07:05] any say so and I understand that what

[1:07:08] we're asking for is a reduction in the

[1:07:10] net take-home pay

[1:07:13] but we're looking at what the county

[1:07:15] offers and the total compensation

[1:07:19] package. So um like I said 21%. So going

[1:07:25] back to the base salary plan a family

[1:07:29] plan.

[1:07:31] So last year we were sitting at 81 total

[1:07:34] compensation package 81,750.

[1:07:38] Uh that was for fiscal year uh 26. This

[1:07:42] year we're looking at 38

[1:07:44] 97 or 970

[1:07:48] which if you figure it in it's about a

[1:07:50] total 6% in the total package

[1:07:54] increase. I understand that the debt is

[1:07:57] down, but we are offering a 6% increase

[1:07:59] in the total package. So, and these

[1:08:03] numbers kind of correlate up and down

[1:08:05] the things. So, they are they are

[1:08:06] different because they're a little

[1:08:07] different. And of course, the top plan

[1:08:10] is is a 5% they're asking for the county

[1:08:13] to do it and some of the other plans are

[1:08:14] 3%. So, they do go up. So, so I'm

[1:08:18] saying, well, maybe the top plan isn't

[1:08:21] the one. So, we went through all these.

[1:08:23] So,

[1:08:25] so plan B family, same things using the

[1:08:28] same baseline 475 46

[1:08:33] uh total compensation, you know, you

[1:08:35] look at they're all going to be the

[1:08:37] same. Uh, which is I said maybe not be

[1:08:40] fair, but that's the way the system is

[1:08:42] set up where the total compensation last

[1:08:44] year was 81,994.

[1:08:47] I'm just going to drop the pennies

[1:08:49] because I'm not going to do that. Uh

[1:08:51] this year the what the county is

[1:08:53] actually paying is 86,818.

[1:08:58] Um no less on this plan this plan you're

[1:09:01] talking about a 5.8%

[1:09:03] increase in your total compensation

[1:09:05] package

[1:09:08] not including the benefit package. So

[1:09:12] plan C, let's go. Uh same baseline,

[1:09:16] same numbers. Now this gets because it's

[1:09:18] a lower plan a different percentage.

[1:09:21] This is an increase of 5.2%.

[1:09:25] So um you know less less involved in the

[1:09:30] plan but it is less uh impact.

[1:09:34] I think that's the last I think that's

[1:09:36] all I did is

[1:09:39] yeah three top uh plans on there. So um

[1:09:49] so anyways so then I'm getting a general

[1:09:52] feel the the percentages are kind of

[1:09:55] tracking along between now plans. So so

[1:09:58] then I started to look at let's look at

[1:10:00] the comp to comparison. So um so we got

[1:10:05] comparisons between five other local

[1:10:07] units of how they pay their healthcare

[1:10:10] and as you can see I kind of spilled

[1:10:12] some coffee so

[1:10:16] and then we also looked at there are a

[1:10:19] lot of our surrounding counties

[1:10:22] and that's the other thing I looked into

[1:10:23] too. I asked what what's does the other

[1:10:26] municipalities in the state do and a

[1:10:29] majority are on an 8020 plan

[1:10:33] so um which three of the comparisons are

[1:10:37] on an 8020 plan um

[1:10:41] and then there brash playercasta macab

[1:10:44] Midland they all have hard caps

[1:10:47] um

[1:10:49] I think the highest cap was 22,000

[1:10:53] which means means that's the most that

[1:10:55] we can spend on insurance. So, um I

[1:10:58] think we're at 32,000 is what we're

[1:11:01] spending on there. So, there was one of

[1:11:04] them that had hard cap at 8,000. I don't

[1:11:06] know what kind of insurance you get on

[1:11:08] that. So, um [clears throat] I don't

[1:11:11] know if you want to go through these,

[1:11:13] but if you you look at Isabella counties

[1:11:15] and what and I do commend the insurance

[1:11:18] committee for the amount of work they

[1:11:20] they go into this because it was ton ton

[1:11:24] um you look at our plans uh you know the

[1:11:28] out of pocket costs the deductibles the

[1:11:33] co insurance costs our plan beats every

[1:11:36] plan out there I

[1:11:38] really want to go into the numbers.

[1:11:40] These are available and um and HR can go

[1:11:44] through you can actually

[1:11:47] my notes will be available if somebody

[1:11:49] wants to look at it. So,

[1:11:51] you know, as far as costs in here, we

[1:11:54] look at employer number one,

[1:11:58] uh, you know, they their plan one is a

[1:12:02] 20% plan,

[1:12:05] 5% network out of network 20%.

[1:12:08] Uh,

[1:12:10] lawyer number two, they pay 100%.

[1:12:13] Their deductible is very high. Lawyer

[1:12:16] number three, it's another 20% plan.

[1:12:20] um to you get their their number one

[1:12:22] plan. So I really we I know the

[1:12:26] insurance committee tried to keep the

[1:12:28] same level insurance on the plans. Um

[1:12:32] try to keep it. So I know looking

[1:12:35] personally looking at the plans the

[1:12:37] difference between if you're on an A

[1:12:39] plan now and uh you probably need to sit

[1:12:42] down with some HR because I think the B

[1:12:45] plan could get you pretty close to what

[1:12:47] you want.

[1:12:49] As a farmer, we do crop insurance and we

[1:12:51] have like a hundred different options.

[1:12:53] We have actually a computer program to

[1:12:56] go through them. So, some of the options

[1:12:58] need to be looked at. So, um I'm just

[1:13:01] pushing back. We are not balancing this

[1:13:03] budget on the back of our employees.

[1:13:06] We do not,

[1:13:08] you know, this board is responsible for

[1:13:11] the employees of the county, but we

[1:13:12] also, there is

[1:13:15] thousands of other people out there that

[1:13:16] we have to talk to and as I meet with

[1:13:19] different businessmen and every one of

[1:13:20] them are complaining about health

[1:13:22] insurance and everything and they're

[1:13:25] always ask me about the budget and so I

[1:13:27] have to justify

[1:13:29] where the money where we're going to

[1:13:30] spend the money at and uh you know I

[1:13:34] don't like it either with all the opt

[1:13:36] option we have are terrible ones.

[1:13:39] Whatever option you chose to go to,

[1:13:41] there's going to be downsides to it. So,

[1:13:45] anyways, I got these uh if you have it.

[1:13:50] Um, the other thing we we also have is

[1:13:54] that and I did there was an article

[1:13:56] going around with uh

[1:13:59] uh the Wall Street Journal about the

[1:14:01] cost for next year on the insurance and

[1:14:03] so where do we go and we try to keep

[1:14:06] this um pretty well level as we can. Um,

[1:14:12] but I'm going to push back because I do

[1:14:13] not think this board deserves

[1:14:16] being told that we're balancing this

[1:14:18] budget or not because it is it is an

[1:14:21] increase. It's not a good thing. I mean,

[1:14:24] we're asking to pay a little bit more,

[1:14:26] but but the insurance policy and

[1:14:29] everybody we'll go into that a little

[1:14:31] bit later about the policy. Um, but

[1:14:34] anyways, I just wanted to bring that up.

[1:14:36] Spent a lot of time on I could go a lot

[1:14:38] deeper into it. Um, any commissioners

[1:14:41] have anything, I could go there. Um, if

[1:14:45] the employees have something that's not

[1:14:48] my department that are their

[1:14:51] administrator's department, um, we try

[1:14:54] to keep those lines a little bit

[1:14:55] separate at times.

[1:14:58] So, anyways,

[1:15:00] I don't want to take too much of the

[1:15:01] time. So,

[1:15:03] h my other BS I'm going to call and I I

[1:15:07] really do call it this is what irritates

[1:15:09] me after all the work we've done and

[1:15:10] it's the transparency man where we're

[1:15:13] not transparent

[1:15:16] and you know if you can say it enough

[1:15:18] times and you think people are going to

[1:15:20] believe it. Well, maybe it is, but it's

[1:15:22] not. But I really think all the work

[1:15:25] we've done here that I really think

[1:15:27] that's a cheap shot to the board.

[1:15:30] There's a there's a term that I've used

[1:15:32] and I know

[1:15:35] you can see I'm kind of a little bit I

[1:15:37] probably should have brought some of

[1:15:38] this up at the time but you know these I

[1:15:41] actually have a term for it and I call

[1:15:43] it um

[1:15:45] drive by public comment but people will

[1:15:48] make comments here and they've never

[1:15:50] talked to me never talked to another

[1:15:53] commissioners they may make a comment

[1:15:56] and they're gone and I'm always

[1:15:58] available to talk things through and

[1:15:59] everything. Um, so let's look what we

[1:16:02] haven't done for this. Um, we tried and

[1:16:06] unfortunately our it is not very good

[1:16:10] but uh that's not a requirement to put

[1:16:12] everything on there. So we tried to put

[1:16:13] everything on so everybody can see if

[1:16:15] they can't make meeting. So what else

[1:16:18] did we do for transparency? But we got

[1:16:21] rid of all these subcommittees and we

[1:16:24] brought them all together here so that

[1:16:28] everybody here knows

[1:16:30] everybody our department heads can know

[1:16:32] and they can listen to the thing where

[1:16:33] before you'd have to go to this

[1:16:34] committee, you had to go to this

[1:16:36] committee, you had to go to the other

[1:16:38] committee. So this is all in one spot.

[1:16:43] The other thing we did is that we moved

[1:16:45] our meetings to five o'clock. So you're

[1:16:48] getting out of work, you can come and

[1:16:50] watch the meetings.

[1:16:52] And I've always said that,

[1:16:55] you know,

[1:16:57] it all is public comment, but if you

[1:16:58] have a question or something, pick up

[1:17:01] the phone. I said, we all have our phone

[1:17:03] numbers and things in there, and I get

[1:17:05] frustrated when people say stuff, and

[1:17:07] you know, we'll get complaints about the

[1:17:09] roads and everything, and we'll allow,

[1:17:11] but there's some stuff that that,

[1:17:13] you know, probably should be addressed.

[1:17:15] So, um, like I said, I've been on this

[1:17:19] board for 10 years, and I think it's the

[1:17:23] most transparent we ever been. I've set

[1:17:26] up emails and text messages and

[1:17:29] everything that the administrator knows

[1:17:32] that I know and then you guys get to

[1:17:35] know that. So, and it's and

[1:17:37] unfortunately, I've called you guys on a

[1:17:39] Saturday and sometimes in the morning,

[1:17:41] and I feel bad having to do that. And

[1:17:45] there are sometimes when I have to

[1:17:48] listen to lawyers, I can't release stuff

[1:17:50] right away, but pretty much whenever I

[1:17:51] can, unless I have to listen to legal

[1:17:54] advice, which is rare, but sometimes

[1:17:56] that happens, or something that is not

[1:17:59] complete.

[1:18:00] But, uh, as far as

[1:18:04] some of the earlier when I first got on

[1:18:07] the board, um, I know I didn't get I

[1:18:11] wasn't in involved in a lot of the

[1:18:13] stuff. a nutsh.

[1:18:17] Um,

[1:18:19] so if you're going to say we're not

[1:18:21] transparent, then say why. What can we

[1:18:24] do to be better with it?

[1:18:27] So, I really don't understand

[1:18:28] transparency. I said, you know, I had

[1:18:33] I had somebody that uh did a foyer

[1:18:36] request

[1:18:37] and they wanted foyer my conversations.

[1:18:41] we were talking about the building

[1:18:45] and it's like first of all that's

[1:18:47] ridiculous because I can't remember half

[1:18:48] time what I said yesterday.

[1:18:51] The other thing is is that when I talk

[1:18:53] to a constituents

[1:18:55] unless they give me the okay I'm not

[1:18:56] going to blab that to everybody and

[1:18:58] that's how I find out information. So,

[1:19:01] and I'm not sure are we supposed to wear

[1:19:04] cameras? Maybe we ought to get body

[1:19:06] cameras so we can fall. And I'm serious.

[1:19:08] I'm not sure when I hear this, it just

[1:19:10] irritates me

[1:19:12] because I've worked really hard to bring

[1:19:14] transparency to this board. And uh I

[1:19:18] think we've come a long way. This

[1:19:19] board's been a great board to work with.

[1:19:21] We've been a lot through a lot. We

[1:19:24] disagree as you can see the beginning of

[1:19:26] the meeting. We disagree, but I respect

[1:19:28] everybody on this board at this point to

[1:19:30] do this. Um,

[1:19:33] so and maybe I need to be a little more

[1:19:36] aggressive is when misinformation comes

[1:19:39] on because once that gets rolling, it

[1:19:42] gets rolling. So um

[1:19:47] so you know um last thing you know

[1:19:50] another history I said I've been

[1:19:54] fortunately I've been doing this too

[1:19:55] long but I've had work with five CEOs uh

[1:20:00] four different administrators not

[1:20:02] counting here dozen of state and last

[1:20:06] national legislators

[1:20:09] and through all that time I've worked

[1:20:10] with a lot of them uh don't always agree

[1:20:13] out of them and everything, but I have

[1:20:14] to say

[1:20:16] that I found our administrator, Brian

[1:20:18] Smith, to be completely trustworthy and

[1:20:22] he has my backing 100%.

[1:20:25] And um so I'm not,

[1:20:29] like I said, I've had a lot of

[1:20:30] experience, worked on a lot of them.

[1:20:32] There's always going to be

[1:20:33] disagreements. And if there wasn't, I

[1:20:35] will be nervous because we should never,

[1:20:38] our roles are so much different.

[1:20:40] I deal with the board and the public and

[1:20:42] he deals with operating the county. So

[1:20:45] we try to keep those lines separate is

[1:20:48] very difficult and

[1:20:51] we have a lot of conversations that are

[1:20:54] we not trending into each other's path.

[1:20:56] So um okay one more then we can get I'll

[1:21:00] open up the discussions. Um,

[1:21:04] this one I debated on a little bit, but

[1:21:07] it's one of those things that kind of

[1:21:10] kind of sat in my draw and doesn't seem

[1:21:12] to go away.

[1:21:14] So, there's been comments before and

[1:21:18] recently that commissioners don't

[1:21:22] deserve health care.

[1:21:25] I mean, we did not set up the system.

[1:21:27] Amy, it's been that way for 20 years.

[1:21:29] Um,

[1:21:31] you know, no commissioners on this board

[1:21:34] has ever voted to increase their

[1:21:36] salaries.

[1:21:38] Uh, even the ones currently, James, I

[1:21:41] think served the longest. Um, when I

[1:21:44] came on in 2016,

[1:21:48] you know, for

[1:21:50] a dollar. Today, you'd have to spend a$1

[1:21:53] 136. It's lost 28% purchasing power.

[1:21:59] We never asked for it. Everybody thinks

[1:22:00] this job is easy. We don't spend any

[1:22:02] money here or we don't deserve it or

[1:22:05] doesn't.

[1:22:08] We This is the official part. This is

[1:22:10] where we show up

[1:22:12] where our actually job is is out among

[1:22:15] the public.

[1:22:17] It's meeting with people. Um,

[1:22:21] you know, I was really felt bad

[1:22:25] because I had two commissioners wanted

[1:22:27] to go to the MAC conference

[1:22:30] and I had to scrap

[1:22:34] find money for one to go. And I I

[1:22:36] apologize, but there is no money in the

[1:22:38] budget for extra stuff.

[1:22:42] You know, I've been around to seven

[1:22:44] different counties outside the county,

[1:22:45] probably put a thousand miles on my car

[1:22:48] easy.

[1:22:49] Um, can't tell you how many coffees and

[1:22:51] breakfastes I had, but I have never

[1:22:54] turned in an expense account.

[1:22:58] Um, because county can't afford it and

[1:23:02] I feel that I can and that my other

[1:23:04] fellow commissioners can use that.

[1:23:07] Like I said, we did manage to send one,

[1:23:08] but it's such an opportunity that we're

[1:23:11] missing because the educational availing

[1:23:16] available.

[1:23:18] I mean, you can see because some of my

[1:23:21] previous things that I were able to

[1:23:23] network with some of the commissioners

[1:23:25] of the other counties when we were doing

[1:23:27] the MMP plan, put that heartland, but

[1:23:30] without some of that trust in there and

[1:23:32] those

[1:23:34] um so and like I said,

[1:23:40] you know, and you have offer, you know,

[1:23:43] why you know, why are we on there?

[1:23:44] because it's it's a swear it's a dang

[1:23:48] good plan

[1:23:50] and I've checked and I'll look at the

[1:23:52] portal and I kind of did a little bit

[1:23:54] portal. I did the comparisons here and

[1:23:56] and I'll probably stay with it because

[1:23:57] you know what I'm not I'm not an idiot.

[1:24:00] If it's a good plan I'm going to take

[1:24:02] it. I mean I got I'm a business guy

[1:24:03] farming stuff. I said we often got to do

[1:24:06] whatever we can. So it's you know

[1:24:11] so

[1:24:12] so that

[1:24:14] it's kind of you know it's kind of a

[1:24:17] thing uh I a lot of us got this letters

[1:24:20] you know it's wants us to do the survey

[1:24:22] about uh because this job is is you know

[1:24:25] so easy about survey about violence

[1:24:29] increases and you know I've been

[1:24:32] threatened a few times I said I'm don't

[1:24:35] have an office I go I'm out in public

[1:24:37] and I've been

[1:24:39] parking lot. I'm out there. Guys will

[1:24:40] come in there. Usually I can talk them

[1:24:42] through everything and everything and

[1:24:43] everything's good. But it's it's we talk

[1:24:46] about the new building and how important

[1:24:48] security is. So um this is a tough job.

[1:24:51] Anybody sat in the seat and say we're

[1:24:53] doing it for insurance

[1:24:55] BS. That's all I'm going to say because

[1:24:57] it's not. People doing this job is very

[1:25:00] dedicated to do the best for this

[1:25:03] county.

[1:25:05] and the assumption on it, but there is a

[1:25:08] lot of money to be saved.

[1:25:11] Uh, but commissioners, you know what?

[1:25:13] We're elected officials.

[1:25:16] So, we need to behave it, tweet it all.

[1:25:19] So, I'm going to raise my hand. I'll

[1:25:21] give up my health insurance. We got a

[1:25:23] lot of elected officials in there.

[1:25:26] Who wants to give up their health

[1:25:27] insurance?

[1:25:31] Got that

[1:25:33] » A clerk on your idea.

[1:25:34] » I'm a full employee.

[1:25:36] » I'm talking. Well, you're an L official

[1:25:38] also.

[1:25:38] » Also a full-time employee.

[1:25:42] » Why are you different?

[1:25:44] » Why Why are you

[1:25:45] » Can we not engage?

[1:25:47] » Yes, you're right. You're right. I'm

[1:25:49] sorry. I broke the rules. Sorry. I'm

[1:25:51] just asking for a straw vote. And if

[1:25:54] it's good for the goose, it's got to be

[1:25:55] good for the gander. And I'm willing to

[1:25:57] give it up. I don't bluff and I don't

[1:25:59] make excuses because I don't do this for

[1:26:03] certainly don't do this for the money or

[1:26:06] the insurance. So that's one of the

[1:26:07] things. But if there's a straw pull and

[1:26:10] we get a majority of people, I'll be the

[1:26:12] first ones to give that up. I don't

[1:26:13] think it's a good idea.

[1:26:15] Um but I'm willing to do it. The idea

[1:26:18] was thrown out there. We're trying to

[1:26:19] save money. I'll throw the idea out

[1:26:22] there.

[1:26:23] Okay, we're we're just about done. I'll

[1:26:26] get to the the insurance debate final.

[1:26:28] Oh, sorry. Thank you. Um,

[1:26:32] so there's a process here

[1:26:36] and it was kind of brought up. Um, we do

[1:26:39] want to make changes.

[1:26:42] Um, the way I can see it, there's only

[1:26:44] really two ways to do it because there

[1:26:47] is a policy vote down there. So, you

[1:26:50] either have to uh

[1:26:52] vote to amend the previous motion,

[1:26:56] which I believe would be uh I don't know

[1:26:59] if we could do it because the changes

[1:27:01] that are being

[1:27:03] asked for are so much different than

[1:27:05] what we're actually looking for. So, I

[1:27:07] think we'd be here for a whole day and

[1:27:09] we still would get it straight.

[1:27:12] So the other option is to basically vote

[1:27:15] to res re resend the previous motion

[1:27:19] which basically erases the motion the

[1:27:23] motion completely because we do have a

[1:27:24] motion. We did vote on a six to1 deal.

[1:27:27] So those are the two options that we

[1:27:30] have that we want to change. We're

[1:27:31] having a discussion. Um,

[1:27:36] so let me go through a little bit on the

[1:27:39] process and how we got to this point.

[1:27:43] So

[1:27:45] call care has been going up

[1:27:48] for a while now and it's been a problem

[1:27:51] and we've been seeing this. So

[1:27:54] our administration

[1:27:56] thought that he would get more input. So

[1:27:58] he developed the work group

[1:28:02] and it's kind of similar to an advisory

[1:28:05] committee. The board doesn't appoint it

[1:28:08] boards. It's not an approved uh thing.

[1:28:11] It's something that he created to inform

[1:28:14] him

[1:28:15] to

[1:28:18] find out give him input on how to solve

[1:28:21] those

[1:28:23] problem that we have. uh it's actually

[1:28:28] probably more transparent the previous

[1:28:30] system. So let's bring more people in to

[1:28:33] do this. So um just like our advisory

[1:28:37] committees uh the work group does not

[1:28:39] get a vote

[1:28:41] only the board but maybe some people

[1:28:43] don't that matters.

[1:28:47] So they discuss it with him try to

[1:28:50] convince them pros and cons just like it

[1:28:53] this

[1:28:54] work this board we don't always always

[1:28:57] agree. Um

[1:29:00] but the difference with them is that

[1:29:01] that they have to convince him through

[1:29:03] the strength of the argument to do.

[1:29:07] He then actually takes it to us and he

[1:29:09] makes his recommendation

[1:29:12] and he doesn't get a vote either and we

[1:29:15] can on his strength of his argument

[1:29:18] we can accept

[1:29:21] or not accept anything he puts forward

[1:29:23] on there because

[1:29:25] we are the ones that have the strength

[1:29:27] of the vote. we've been through the

[1:29:29] process through election and so it's a

[1:29:33] big responsibility and uh that's where

[1:29:36] it goes. So he'll make his

[1:29:37] recommendation to the board and if you

[1:29:40] remember it was there was a lot of

[1:29:42] things thrown right. It wasn't unanimous

[1:29:45] vote. It was six to one. So we discussed

[1:29:47] it

[1:29:49] and it went through the process

[1:29:53] and now what was that? Now we're back at

[1:29:57] it again.

[1:30:01] So

[1:30:04] we're asking to to look into a change

[1:30:06] again

[1:30:09] and

[1:30:10] I do believe that we have to be flexible

[1:30:15] um for to change it. But and that's

[1:30:19] another note that unless there's a major

[1:30:21] change

[1:30:23] in

[1:30:25] the situation or or there's a

[1:30:27] whistleblower account

[1:30:30] and I was always going to check on our

[1:30:32] bylaws on whistleblowers

[1:30:34] u

[1:30:36] how that's handled. I know we have one

[1:30:38] just one of those things I never never

[1:30:40] really got to. So, um,

[1:30:44] so anyways, we have a policy in here. I

[1:30:46] told you how we could do it. Um,

[1:30:54] so, and now I want to talk about my

[1:30:57] chairmanship a little bit.

[1:31:01] You know, I've been

[1:31:03] probably on 30 different boards,

[1:31:07] uh, advisory committees. I think about

[1:31:11] 15 of them I ended up being chairman. I

[1:31:13] don't know they like doing that to me

[1:31:14] but I always end up there. Um every

[1:31:18] child or chairman has a different style

[1:31:22] and I've developed my style over the

[1:31:24] years. It's a lot different how

[1:31:26] vice chairman hope operates and for some

[1:31:30] boards it works some situation it works.

[1:31:35] I kind of got Dre kicking and screaming

[1:31:38] this the first time because we have a

[1:31:40] lot of lot of issues and uh the only

[1:31:44] good thing is we think I we made a lot

[1:31:46] of um positive change

[1:31:52] but with all that

[1:31:56] you know and I've been through some very

[1:32:00] tough board decisions

[1:32:02] I was on a board where we had to resign

[1:32:04] There's 40 of us. We all have resigned

[1:32:07] to get down 10 and restart.

[1:32:10] Some of the people voted against it. But

[1:32:13] the at the end it doesn't matter 70 vote

[1:32:18] 61 vote if it's 43 vote

[1:32:22] majority rules. That's the policy. Um,

[1:32:28] I'm sorry. I just my style chairman is

[1:32:33] that the vote is very important and

[1:32:37] we can't keep brief bringing up issues.

[1:32:40] Got to honor the vote. You got to honor

[1:32:42] your commitment. Um, I said this board's

[1:32:46] been through a lot. Um,

[1:32:50] I had to kind of My wife actually uh

[1:32:53] kind of made me change my closing

[1:32:55] remarks because she thought it was a

[1:32:57] little bit too harsh.

[1:33:02] But, you know, I'm sitting here and um,

[1:33:08] you know, I can accept a lot of stuff,

[1:33:13] but I always believe that when you're on

[1:33:16] the opposite side of a vote, when the

[1:33:19] board votes,

[1:33:22] that's the board decision.

[1:33:27] So, we can keep bringing this up.

[1:33:31] I'm only one vote

[1:33:34] and uh we can keep voting on it.

[1:33:37] It will lead to splitting the board.

[1:33:42] Um kind of seen that a little bit

[1:33:44] earlier. I've tried really hard to make

[1:33:46] sure this board stayed united, but I've

[1:33:48] been on boards where they go through

[1:33:49] there. So,

[1:33:51] but I cannot

[1:33:55] and will not be the conductor

[1:33:58] on a

[1:34:00] on a train wreck

[1:34:03] and I think if we cannot stick to our

[1:34:05] guns on decisions we made previously

[1:34:07] that's where we're going to go. So

[1:34:11] been a long thing Mr. Vice Chairman I

[1:34:13] will seed the floor back to the to the

[1:34:17] group.

[1:34:19] » Thank you.

[1:34:22] » Anyone else for announcement? Yes sir.

[1:34:24] » Yeah. Um, so what uh Angler is alluding

[1:34:28] to is that I only want to present to you

[1:34:31] a proposal uh that's off works off the

[1:34:35] back of the current 2027 plan that we

[1:34:38] have approved and it would basically

[1:34:42] save the county $152,000.

[1:34:46] So I don't think it's inappropriate

[1:34:49] to revisit the topic if we're saving

[1:34:51] money, right? Um and so Basically, the

[1:34:56] first page here is a proposed plan,

[1:34:59] right? Um, and the second page for

[1:35:03] reference. I got one for you, too. Um,

[1:35:06] is uh basically just the current plan.

[1:35:09] And then, uh, the at the bottom is the

[1:35:12] 2027 plan that we approved right here.

[1:35:15] That's the approved five plan. And then

[1:35:18] the post

[1:35:20] um

[1:35:22] essentially

[1:35:23] um used

[1:35:26] all of the notes uh all of the numbers

[1:35:30] from the proposed 127 plan.

[1:35:42] So uh so all the numbers are taken from

[1:35:44] the assumptions that were taken for the

[1:35:47] 2027 plan. So and where

[1:35:52] uh since you can see that the proposed

[1:35:54] plan has uh three options instead of

[1:35:59] five. Uh you can see that it's

[1:36:01] different. So things have to shuffle

[1:36:03] down. The assumptions that are made are

[1:36:06] the bottom left corner notes of where

[1:36:09] people moving from say plan A um in the

[1:36:15] 2027 plan to uh plan A basically um in

[1:36:21] the new proposed plan that I um have on

[1:36:23] the board. Basically what we have here

[1:36:27] is

[1:36:28] removing

[1:36:30] plan A where there's um

[1:36:34] no uh deductible

[1:36:37] and uh making plan B in the in the 2027

[1:36:43] plan our new current plan A. So, there

[1:36:48] would be, if you look at the proposed

[1:36:50] plan, a $200 deductible, and then the

[1:36:53] maximum co insurance is

[1:36:56] uh $1,000,

[1:36:58] which is the same as plan B in what we

[1:37:01] have currently. And then plan B is would

[1:37:06] be the plan C that was that we have in

[1:37:08] our current 2027 plan. And plan C comes

[1:37:13] from our plan D. So all the deductibles

[1:37:16] are the same as those plans

[1:37:20] that we have currently approved

[1:37:24] um in BC and D. And what we do is we are

[1:37:30] just simplifying the the three plans for

[1:37:34] our employees.

[1:37:37] We're plan A which now has a deductible

[1:37:42] at the start um

[1:37:45] would be a 15%

[1:37:47] employee co-pay and then plan B would be

[1:37:51] a 7 and 12%

[1:37:53] um for the employee and then plan C

[1:37:56] would open up again an option and leave

[1:37:59] that option for employees to have a 0%

[1:38:05] plan and that obviously has the highest

[1:38:08] deductible which is the same as plan D

[1:38:11] in the 2027.

[1:38:13] So we maintain a a free plan for our

[1:38:16] employees that need it. I'm not making

[1:38:18] changes in numbers of people from uh

[1:38:22] what was presented before. So we're

[1:38:25] using the same numbers for where people

[1:38:27] would go for the assumption for the

[1:38:29] numbers for the savings. Um, and then

[1:38:34] if you do it this way, um, just from the

[1:38:38] minor adjustment to the plan that we

[1:38:42] approved, we're going to save 152,000

[1:38:46] using the same assumptions. The

[1:38:49] employees save 107 and 45,464

[1:38:55] savings for the county. So, I'm not

[1:38:58] saying we're saving it from 2026

[1:39:02] numbers. I'm saying we're saving it from

[1:39:04] the plan that we approved.

[1:39:08] So, I think that um it's a good

[1:39:11] compromise. Our employees are still

[1:39:13] paying more money

[1:39:16] and

[1:39:18] but we're the county's paying $45,000

[1:39:21] less and the employees are paying

[1:39:23] $100,000 less. So I I think we should

[1:39:27] [snorts] give it a hard look.

[1:39:30] Um

[1:39:32] the numbers should be right on with the

[1:39:35] same assumptions that the administration

[1:39:38] plan has that we approved. So I uh thank

[1:39:43] the administration for the plan because

[1:39:46] I jumped off of we jumped off of all

[1:39:49] that work to kind of find a way to save

[1:39:54] money.

[1:39:56] If um if the board is willing to uh

[1:40:00] revisit the vote and adjust the plans, I

[1:40:03] think it's worth it. Um

[1:40:06] if um

[1:40:08] we can get, you know, maybe the U

[1:40:12] Chris Whitmer, director of finance, to

[1:40:14] look at the numbers and and say, "Yeah,

[1:40:18] we can save some money. you should uh

[1:40:21] definitely uh

[1:40:24] visit this before open enrollment.

[1:40:29] So the

[1:40:32] » I'm sorry.

[1:40:33] » Go ahead.

[1:40:34] » So the total savings is 152,000.

[1:40:38] The employee

[1:40:40] save 107,000 and the county saves

[1:40:44] 45,000. Correct. Is that right?

[1:40:46] » That's right.

[1:40:46] » Okay.

[1:40:49] And that's and that's with setting those

[1:40:52] three plans at plan A 15% 7 and a half%

[1:40:56] pay and and 0% option

[1:41:03] to speak on.

[1:41:07] » Yeah, unless you got something.

[1:41:08] » No, go ahead. I'm just answering

[1:41:09] questions.

[1:41:10] just a simple thing and we've looked at

[1:41:13] looked at that but uh

[1:41:16] people have the option to go to plan B

[1:41:19] now and we don't know the exact numbers

[1:41:21] so the numbers are if I might be correct

[1:41:24] on this when the open enrollment's done

[1:41:28] they have the option to go from A to B

[1:41:30] so these numbers could actually reflect

[1:41:32] what you're doing but there are some we

[1:41:35] try not change as much on here but some

[1:41:38] people like Cadillac plan. I mean, I

[1:41:41] looked at B and I, if I'm going to stay

[1:41:44] on there, I'm really looking at B. There

[1:41:45] are some more options on there, but

[1:41:48] maybe

[1:41:50] with these numbers hold up, there will

[1:41:52] be a lot more people going to B. And

[1:41:54] then these numbers, these are just kind

[1:41:56] of the estimates of how we am I correct

[1:41:59] on what I'm progressing on here?

[1:42:02] » I think so. And like one of the things I

[1:42:04] had that we always uh think about in in

[1:42:08] caution is that um we don't these are

[1:42:11] projections, right? We don't know where

[1:42:13] they're going to fall. Um so come open

[1:42:16] enrollment assumptions were made like on

[1:42:18] the spreadsheets that we use the

[1:42:20] insurance advisory committee used and

[1:42:22] these ones I'm sure that swing used as

[1:42:24] well same assumptions. So um the thing

[1:42:26] is is we don't really know what actual

[1:42:28] is till open enrollment closes. So come

[1:42:30] January 1, we'll know whether we make

[1:42:34] any changes or not to what what the

[1:42:35] board already approved or whether we

[1:42:38] need to change. We'll find out whether

[1:42:40] we really saved money. Did we actually

[1:42:42] did it actually cost us more money

[1:42:44] depending on where the employees

[1:42:46] actually moved. Did they move different

[1:42:49] than what the assumptions were? We never

[1:42:51] know the answer to that until January

[1:42:54] one.

[1:42:56] And then one other thing, if I could

[1:42:58] just add this for everyone to keep in

[1:42:59] mind too as well, is that um the new

[1:43:02] cost shares don't go in effect until

[1:43:04] January one. Right now, employees are

[1:43:07] still going to continue to play pay what

[1:43:09] they what they're paying right now today

[1:43:10] for their insurance. the county eats

[1:43:13] that first three months of the

[1:43:15] difference in premiums which countywide

[1:43:18] is $98,000 for the first three months of

[1:43:21] fiscal year

[1:43:23] 27 the total is 98,000

[1:43:28] beats you know that we covered that's

[1:43:30] the difference between the cost from

[1:43:33] what it is right now to what it'll

[1:43:34] become January

[1:43:37] this was a background to keep in mind

[1:43:39] from a budgetary standpoint I honestly

[1:43:41] either until over and crunch those

[1:43:45] numbers again.

[1:43:49] » Personally, I like his plan that I'm

[1:43:51] sure swings presented. I think five

[1:43:54] plans gets

[1:43:56] gets a little too complicated. I don't

[1:43:59] really understand plan E. I don't know

[1:44:01] what the what the advantage to the

[1:44:04] putting a plan E on there is. at plan A.

[1:44:08] We've been trying to get people to

[1:44:09] migrate from that plan A because it's

[1:44:11] very expensive.

[1:44:13] This this kind of does that. It brings

[1:44:16] us the savings. And I know we've already

[1:44:19] got open enrollment information out,

[1:44:23] but um I think there's still time to

[1:44:26] reconsider this. Um

[1:44:30] I don't think it hurts to consider new

[1:44:32] information. I don't think we have to

[1:44:36] uh

[1:44:40] you know we we had a budget proposal

[1:44:42] that we voted on but we've got

[1:44:47] presented with new information right

[1:44:49] here. I don't I don't think it hurts to

[1:44:52] to consider that. [clears throat] Um

[1:44:55] that's my opinion on it.

[1:44:58] Um,

[1:44:59] I was I do want to piggyback on a couple

[1:45:02] things that Commissioner Angler said. I

[1:45:04] I I appreciate your uh leadership as

[1:45:07] chairman. I think you've done a great

[1:45:09] job. Uh we went through some very

[1:45:11] difficult years and I think we have made

[1:45:14] improvements.

[1:45:15] um the transparency

[1:45:19] I think there is a perception that we're

[1:45:21] not being transparent and I think that

[1:45:23] comes from and I think especially in the

[1:45:27] the regular session there's very little

[1:45:29] discussion we kind of hashed it out here

[1:45:32] in the committee of the whole we get to

[1:45:34] the regular session it's kind of boom

[1:45:36] boom boom kind of move through it I

[1:45:38] think that creates a perception of uh

[1:45:41] non-transparency I think maybe we all

[1:45:44] need to work on the discussion part and

[1:45:47] bring the discussion out for the public.

[1:45:52] Um, we all we all understand that, but I

[1:45:57] don't know as we're explaining stuff

[1:46:00] well enough to the public. I think we

[1:46:01] could do a little better about that. I

[1:46:03] don't think we've uh

[1:46:06] tried to not be transparent, but I think

[1:46:09] we have created a little bit of a

[1:46:11] perception of of that. Uh, and I think

[1:46:15] we can work on that. I think uh, next

[1:46:17] year for 2028, we need to, and

[1:46:20] Commissioner Jensky mentioned this

[1:46:21] earlier, I think we need to plan for

[1:46:25] getting hit with another 20% increase to

[1:46:27] healthcare. Um, need to start thinking

[1:46:30] about that now, how we're going to cover

[1:46:32] that and a cola for 2028.

[1:46:36] Um,

[1:46:39] I do really like this new structure at

[1:46:43] committee of the whole. Um, I think it

[1:46:46] gets all the commissioners up to speed

[1:46:48] on all the issues instead of breaking

[1:46:50] them down by by committee. I think this

[1:46:53] works much better. This was

[1:46:56] administrator Smith's idea when he came

[1:46:58] on.

[1:47:00] Excellent idea. I think it worked very

[1:47:01] well. Um, and I do feel that

[1:47:05] Administrator Smith has done a great job

[1:47:08] uh working with the board.

[1:47:13] As far as the insurance and the the

[1:47:16] commissioners getting insurance, uh, we

[1:47:18] haven't looked at our compensation in

[1:47:21] several years. I know that we can't

[1:47:23] change our compensation in this term.

[1:47:27] We can change it for the next term if we

[1:47:31] do it before

[1:47:33] um the deadline to um

[1:47:39] the elections

[1:47:41] » Before the election, but you have to do

[1:47:42] it before that. You have to do it before

[1:47:44] the before you sign to run a global

[1:47:46] board. Um

[1:47:50] so if we do want to look at that, we

[1:47:52] need to do it before that that time

[1:47:54] frame.

[1:47:55] Um, I would not ask full-time elected

[1:47:58] officials to give up their health care.

[1:48:01] If the board wants to look at that, we

[1:48:04] need to be aware of that uh deadline to

[1:48:07] do it for the next four-year term coming

[1:48:10] up. And if we're going to look at that,

[1:48:12] we should also look at the compensation.

[1:48:19] Um, I think that's all I have.

[1:48:25] Just as a clarification, I'm not

[1:48:27] advocating for getting rid of the

[1:48:29] healthc care for the elected officials.

[1:48:32] I was just using a comparison that that

[1:48:34] the commissioner's job is not any less

[1:48:37] important than the other elected

[1:48:39] officials.

[1:48:43] So just because sometimes we get the

[1:48:46] impression that this is not important to

[1:48:49] us.

[1:48:52] I would never vote for that. That's the

[1:48:54] majority.

[1:48:56] I'd vote against it.

[1:49:00] » Uh I think I saw

[1:49:02] » Marino's hand up. Thank you.

[1:49:05] » You know, I've been on here the longest.

[1:49:07] I've seen a lot of changes.

[1:49:10] I've seen a lot of challenges.

[1:49:12] And with this particular board, we've

[1:49:16] been through the biggest challenges and

[1:49:18] the biggest um unexpected events and

[1:49:22] also kind of a dashing of some of our

[1:49:24] ideas. You know, with the Johnson

[1:49:27] Control thing, we were going to get

[1:49:28] solar arrays all over and save money and

[1:49:31] that certain kind of credit you get for

[1:49:33] uh not spending so much on energy.

[1:49:38] But and and uh and I I want to commend

[1:49:40] this board. Every one of us,

[1:49:43] we stepped up. We didn't know what was

[1:49:46] going to happen. We still don't, but I

[1:49:50] say we work together.

[1:49:52] And um and I I think I can say that

[1:49:55] we've really improved the way that

[1:49:59] [clears throat] county commission board

[1:50:00] operates. And I really want to thank

[1:50:02] you, Brian, for coming up with this idea

[1:50:04] about the structure that we have now. I

[1:50:07] remember the whole structure and we were

[1:50:09] kind of isolated and it was kind of hard

[1:50:11] for public to really you know give us

[1:50:14] feedback

[1:50:16] and u

[1:50:19] as far as going into the future

[1:50:22] so tricky so tricky things changing so

[1:50:26] fast and

[1:50:28] I think we do the best we can

[1:50:32] and I've always been open and I know we

[1:50:34] all are open

[1:50:36] feedback and ideas from our

[1:50:39] constituents.

[1:50:43] » That's it.

[1:50:46] » Yes, sir.

[1:50:47] » I don't know if Mack has any information

[1:50:50] on compensation for boards of

[1:50:52] commissions, but if they don't,

[1:50:55] something I think we need to look into.

[1:50:57] I've been an employee of number of

[1:50:59] counties and I know some counties have I

[1:51:03] think Ratchet pays 20,000 plus for the

[1:51:07] payroll but then they don't have the

[1:51:09] health insurance. Some counties get a

[1:51:12] payroll and then a stipen for each

[1:51:13] meeting. So it gets really complicated.

[1:51:16] need to find out what's what's out there

[1:51:18] and and what is fair because it's not

[1:51:21] only fair for the current but it's also

[1:51:23] there are you going to attract good

[1:51:25] people the future to fill these

[1:51:27] positions

[1:51:33] any other comments

[1:51:36] announcements

[1:51:39] going once

[1:51:41] twice all right we'll move along

[1:51:45] is there a motion to adjurnn.

[1:51:47] » So move support.

10:00 a.m. Finance Committee/Committee of the Whole Meeting

Transcript