[0:14] Bay County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, February 17th, 2026

[0:19] at 4:00 p.m. to order. Madam clerk, roll call, please.

[0:24] » Here, >> here.

[0:26] » Bon >> here.

[0:27] » Rob >> here.

[0:28] » Do

[0:31] » thank you. Please rise for the invocation and the pledge of allegiance.

[0:36] Almighty God, we ask that you will guide and give leadership to every member of

[0:40] this board of commissioners. And we ask that you will give them knowledge and

[0:43] understanding so that the decisions made today and always will benefit every

[0:46] citizen of this community. Amen. >> Amen.

[0:49] » Amen. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the

[0:52] United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation

[0:58] under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

[1:08] I need a motion on the minutes of 129, 1216, and 1226.

[1:13] » Support motion to main support. Is there any discussion, corrections?

[1:18] » See none. All in favor? >> I oppose. Motion carries.

[1:23] Is there any changes to the agenda approval?

[1:26] See none. >> I'll move the agenda. Support.

[1:29] » Any discussion? See none. All in favor? >> I post. See none. Motion carries. At

[1:35] this time is for public input. Is there anyone wishing to address the

[1:38] commission? Please come forward.

[1:43] Going once. Going twice. Public input is closed at

[1:48] this time. Petitions with communications.

[1:52] Number eight. Presentation. Region 7 area agent agent CEO Dana Alum.

[2:00] Did I get that right? Yes, you did. Thank you.

[2:05] » Good afternoon, commissioners. Thank you for having me today. Um, I'm sure that

[2:09] at one point we will get to meet each other more personally, but today's a

[2:12] great start hopefully to um kick off this relationship. So, I'm the new CEO

[2:18] of Region 7 Area Agency on Aging. I'm sure that most of you know what Region 7

[2:22] does, but just to make sure in case you have anyone new who does not, I'd like

[2:25] to give you a brief uh explanation of the agency. We are designated uh

[2:31] federally designated under the older Americans act and we receive state and

[2:36] federal funds to distribute out to our counties that we serve. We serve 10, one

[2:42] of them of course being bay and also to provide services ourselves. Some of

[2:47] those services we provide directly. Our collaboration for aging services is

[2:53] very important as you know and I look forward to working with you on uh

[2:58] finding out what base county needs. I know that you already have a lot of

[3:02] support but I look forward to jumping into that and and taking part and moving

[3:07] the county uh aging services forward uh with the momentum they already have and

[3:12] uh going from there. Also, our joint efforts

[3:18] reduce strains on

[3:22] uh reduce strains on other community resources, right, like law enforcement

[3:27] and health care and emergency services. So, uh it's not just the services we're

[3:32] providing directly to older adults in Bay County. It's also the strain that

[3:38] we're reducing on the other services so that they can operate effectively as

[3:42] well and not be un um overwhelmed by by the need

[3:48] funding. This is not the full ROI that you're used to receiving. We'll do that

[3:53] in a few months. Um but I did want to talk briefly about funding. Region 7

[3:57] distributes approximately $700,000 annually to Bay County for the following

[4:03] services. Senior services, congregate nutrition and home delivered meals, case

[4:08] coordination and support, caregiver case management, homemaking, personal care,

[4:15] respbit care, adult daycare, and caregiver training. Additionally, on

[4:20] average, about $1 million in services and supports is accessed by

[4:26] approximately 300 Bay County older adults

[4:31] through the My Choice Waiver program delivered by Region 7 Area Agency on

[4:35] Aging. Advocacy, one of the many important

[4:40] parts of our our relationship, right? So there are uh many ways that region 7

[4:46] advocates both locally, statewide, and nationally for aging services. So we

[4:53] want to be an extension of what you're already doing. I hope that we can

[4:56] continue to do so.

[5:01] Awareness. I have a little bit of an ask if that's what we will call it anyway.

[5:06] um to serve Bay County most effectively. Region 7 really needs to be one of your

[5:10] best known resources for aging services, not the best kept secret. When I started

[5:15] with region 7, I I've heard a lot of we are the best kept secret secret. We have

[5:19] to do something about this. I agree we have to do something about this. I also

[5:24] would say that as a leader, that is the last thing I want to hear is that we're

[5:28] a secret, right? Especially if we're the best kept one. We need to be the best

[5:32] known resource. And so that does not take away from your department on aging.

[5:37] We support them. We're not a competitor of them. Um we work in conjunction with

[5:42] them. If a referral for services comes to region 7 and it is best served by

[5:48] your department on aging, we just pass it over to them. A warm handoff and vice

[5:53] versa. Right? So I wanted to make sure that was very clear. We are partners in

[5:58] this not competitors. also your state legislators.

[6:04] Obviously, we all we all interact with them. If you have really strong

[6:08] relationships with some of your state legislators, I ask you to invite us to

[6:11] the table for anything that you're when you're talking to them about aging

[6:14] services. We can be your expert and we'd like to be. They can depend on our

[6:19] knowledge and our experience. And those warm introductions fasttrack meaningful

[6:25] conversations to advance funding relevance. It is so important that the

[6:32] seats that Bay County has on region 7's board of directors and advisory council

[6:38] remain occupied. We have Mr. Bon and Mr. McN who have

[6:45] served our boards and our council for a very long time and I I don't expect that

[6:49] they're going anywhere anytime soon. So that is not my concern.

[6:54] Bringing this up now is important because sometimes things change

[6:57] unexpectedly. Maybe they decide to go and live in Aruba. I don't know, right?

[7:02] But the point is if if something changes, it's so important that you get

[7:06] your seats filled as quickly as possible because them

[7:12] being on our board and our council is how the advocacy that we do for your

[7:16] county remains relevant to your county. Surely there are common things across

[7:21] all counties for aging services, but there are also some uniquely different

[7:24] per county, and we want to make sure that we remain relevant in our efforts.

[7:29] The last thing is aging population. You may already know all of these

[7:33] statistics, but I just wanted to point out a few things that that really stand

[7:37] out. Um, almost a quarter of Bay County residents are 65 or older, 23.1%. So, I

[7:46] rounded up just a little. Um, those are current statistics.

[7:51] Of that, the 85 plus population in Bay County is expected to double by the year

[7:57] 2050.

[8:00] During the same time period, the county is expected to lose about 20,000 people

[8:06] in overall census. And so this is this is common throughout

[8:11] Michigan. Uh the Grand Rapids area is actually the only area in between now

[8:15] and 2050 expected to see any amount of significant growth. So it's not that

[8:20] anything terrible is going on in Bay County. It's that we have less births

[8:24] and more deaths. Right? That is the primary reason that we're seeing

[8:28] throughout Michigan. And so given these projections, our

[8:33] collaboration, our work together is more important than ever. I look forward to

[8:36] working with you. That will conclude my presentation for today. and I thank you

[8:41] for your partnership. Any questions?

[8:45] » Any questions from the board?

[8:49] » Thank you. >> Thank you.

[8:52] » Move to receive support. >> Yes.

[8:55] » Uh if I may ask permission to come forward. My name is Pat. Just speak for

[9:00] just a second. >> That's fine.

[9:02] » On region 7, Division on Aging. I'm your >> appointee on the board there. And I come

[9:08] here to toot my horn today. I want to tell you guys how proud I am

[9:13] to be on that board because all other nine counties are jealous of Bay County

[9:17] because we do such a great job with our magazine that Beth Urick has put

[9:22] together and the meals on wheels and the things we do it. I'm I'm telling you

[9:27] this this lady Beth is my hero. You know what I mean? I I want to tell you guys

[9:33] » Yeah. >> I was at the last meeting and we had a

[9:36] citizen go down. They have a system all set up. That person was taken care of

[9:41] right away. The drivers, I see our drivers all over and I wave to them.

[9:46] They know me that deliver the meals on wheels to homes. These people that are

[9:50] getting the meals may only see our driver and they're doing a great job.

[9:56] And the program, you know, I I believe all our programs be in store only runs

[10:01] on the person that's running it. If you have a good leader, good people, it's

[10:07] perfect. So, I just wanted to toot my horn on on Beth Gurick and her people,

[10:12] all of her people that work. They're great. And the other counties know it

[10:16] and they're always asking me, "How do you do it?" Well, you know, uh, Beth

[10:21] came there and showed them how to put a magazine together, how to get all the

[10:25] advertisers to pay for it, and and I don't know if you guys get the magazine

[10:30] that they put out every month and read it, man. I mean, if you want to know

[10:34] what's going on in Bay County, get that magazine. They email it to me and I make

[10:38] copies and give it to my customers and put it up in my store when I have to.

[10:42] So, I just wanted to toot my horn about Bay County. You're doing a great job. We

[10:47] have a great organization. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure

[10:51] that your funding is always there and taken care of. And we are wellunded. So,

[10:55] you don't have to worry if there's a government shutdown.

[10:58] We're going to take care of you. You won't you won't lose any of your

[11:01] funding. We have 90day surplus funds that we're going to make sure you people

[11:05] get the seniors get their money first. So, thank you for allowing me to be on

[11:10] that board. It's a very pleasure and I've been on there a lot of years and

[11:14] I'm watching the money like a hawk. So, thank you very much.

[11:17] » Thank you, Pat. >> Motion was made supported. Any other

[11:20] discussion? See not all in favor? >> I I

[11:24] » Okay. B region commissioner.

[11:29] So the next uh region 7 area agency and aging board of directors uh we received

[11:35] two letters. The letter from region 7 area agency and aging regarding the

[11:40] appointment of Mary Donnelly located on page two was submitted to the board in

[11:44] error. I respectfully request a motion to remove that letter from consideration

[11:49] and to receive only the letter on page one concerning Milman McN.

[11:54] I'd make that that motion. Motion has been made in support. Is

[11:58] there any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor?

[12:01] » I posting none. Motion carries. >> C. City of Bay City application for

[12:07] obsolete property rehabilitation exemption district and certifi

[12:10] certificate 108 to 110 North Lyn Street, Bay City.

[12:16] » Make a motion to receive support.

[12:20] » I guess we don't need >> motion is remain supporter. Is there any

[12:22] discussion questions? See none. All in favor?

[12:27] » I >> oppose. See? None. Motion carries.

[12:30] » Reports, resolutions of committee. A, committee of the whole. That meeting was

[12:34] cancelled, so we'll go to B, committee of the whole, February 10th.

[12:38] Commissioner Creek. >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, under item

[12:42] one, uh, resolution 2026-17, MSU Extension Agreement of Service 2026.

[12:49] I move this resolution support. >> Motion has been made in support. Is

[12:53] there any discussion? Yes. commissioner.

[12:56] » I'd like to thank him for the popcorn and uh I hope they're not trying to

[12:59] bribe us. So I'm sure it didn't cost very much.

[13:04] » All right. >> Thank you, Von. Anyone else?

[13:06] » All in favor? >> I motion carries.

[13:10] » Item two, uh resolution 2026-18 grant applications for Bay County

[13:16] Fairgrounds Infrastructure Improvements 2026. I move this resolution support.

[13:22] » A motion has been made in support. Is there any discussion?

[13:25] See none. All in favor? >> Oppos? Motion carries.

[13:30] » Item three, resolution 2026-19 2026 marine safety grant program. I move

[13:38] this resolution support. >> Motion has been made in support. Is

[13:41] there any discussion? See none. All in favor?

[13:45] » I post not motion carries. Item four, resolution 2026-20,

[13:51] fiscal year 2026, MDHHS medication for opiate use disorder

[13:57] program grant. I move this resolution. >> Support.

[14:01] » Motion has been made in support or is there any discussion?

[14:04] See none. All in favor? >> I opposing none. Motion carries.

[14:09] » Item five, resolution 2026-21, part-time outreach support position. I

[14:16] move this resolution >> support.

[14:19] » Motion has been made in support. Is there any discussion?

[14:23] Seeing none, all in favor? >> I oppos. Seeing none. Motion carries.

[14:28] » Item six, resolution 2026-22, Michigan Association for Local Public

[14:35] Health Employee Well-being Grant. I move this resolution. Support.

[14:40] » Motion has remained supported. Is there any discussion?

[14:44] » See none. All in favor? I >> opposed. Motion carries.

[14:48] » Item seven, resolution 2026-23, agreement with time clock plus and a lad

[14:57] scheduling system. I move this resolution.

[15:01] » Support. >> Motion has been made in support. Is

[15:03] there any discussion? See none. All in favor?

[15:07] » Opposed? Motion carries. Item number eight, resolution 2026-24,

[15:14] budget adjustment for youth placement and housing 2026. I move this resolution

[15:20] support. >> Motion has been made in support or is

[15:23] there any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor?

[15:27] » I oppose. Motion carries. Item nine, uh, resolution 2026-25,

[15:34] A andd Home Healthcare Incorporated, contract renewal 2026. I move this

[15:40] resolution. >> Support. Motion has been made in

[15:44] support. Is there any discussion? See none. All in favor?

[15:48] » Oppos? Motion carries. >> Um, item number 10, resolution 2026-26.

[15:56] 2026 control materials bids. I move this resolution support.

[16:03] » Motion has been made in support. Is there any discussion?

[16:06] » See none. All in favor? >> I oppose. See none. Motion carries.

[16:10] » Item number 11, resolution number 2026-27

[16:17] 2026 light trap data contracts. I move this resolution. Support.

[16:23] » Motion has been made in support. Is there any discussion?

[16:26] See none. All in favor? I >> opposed. Motion carries.

[16:31] » Item number 12, resolution 2026-28,

[16:36] 2026, tire shredding contract with environmental rubber. I move this

[16:42] resolution. >> Support.

[16:44] » Motion has been made support. Is there any discussion?

[16:48] » Seeing none, all in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries. Item 13, uh,

[16:54] resolution number 2026-29, one-time equipment offer agreement with

[17:00] Verizon. I move this resolution support. >> Motion has been made in support. Any

[17:06] discussion? I see none. All in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries.

[17:12] » Item number 14, resolution 2026-30, fe schedule change for Civic Arena 2026.

[17:21] I move this resolution >> support.

[17:23] » Motion has remained supported. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all in

[17:27] favor? I >> opposed. Motion carries.

[17:30] » Item number 15, resolution 2026-31, seasonal technician hiring and wage

[17:37] increase for 2026 treatment season. I move this resolution support.

[17:43] » Motion has been made supported. Is there any discussion?

[17:46] » Seeing none, all in favor? >> Oppos? Motion carries. Item number 16,

[17:51] resolution 2026-32, director of juvenile detention traininee

[17:58] position. I move this resolution. >> Support.

[18:01] » Motion's been made supported. Is there any discussion? See none. All in favor?

[18:05] I oppose. Motion carries. >> Item number 17, resolution 2026-33

[18:13] 2026 golf course fee schedule. I move this resolution support.

[18:20] » Motion has been made and supported. Is there any discussion? Seeing none, all

[18:23] in favor? Oppos? Motion carries. >> Item number 18, resolution 2026-34,

[18:32] Bay County Fairgrounds Infrastructure Improvement. I move this resolution.

[18:37] » Support. >> Motion has been made supported. Is there

[18:40] any discussion? Seeing none, all in favor?

[18:42] » I opposed. Motion carries. Item number 19, resolution 2026-35

[18:50] payables. I move this resolution >> support.

[18:54] » Motion remaining supported. Is there any discussion?

[18:57] » See none. All in favor? >> Posting none. Motion carries.

[19:01] » And lastly, item 20 resolution 2026-36 MIDC grant renewal 2025 and 2026. I move

[19:13] this resolution >> support.

[19:14] » Motion has been made supported. Is there any discussion? See none, all in favor?

[19:18] I >> opposed. Motion carries.

[19:21] » Thank you, Commissioner Cre. C. Board of Commissioners, Commissioner

[19:26] Beick. >> And resolution uh number 2026-37

[19:32] reports of the county executive January 2026. Move that resolution. Support.

[19:37] » Motion's been made. Support. Is there any discussion?

[19:40] » See none. All in favor? I >> oppos motion carries.

[19:44] » Resolution number 2026-38 hiring of community center manager at

[19:50] 4-year rate personnel recreation and facilities. Move that resolution

[19:55] support. >> Motion has been made in support. Is

[19:57] there any discussion? >> Yes, commissioner.

[20:00] » So we're hiring at a higher level. So her duty is going to be a little more

[20:05] involved and it sounds like her background or training is pretty

[20:09] extensive. >> Yeah. So, we um would like to hire a

[20:12] gentleman named Tyler that comes um from has a long history of recreation

[20:17] experience in the Sagena area. He has a recreation um and parks degree. He's

[20:22] worked with pools and day camps and uh youth sports programming and large event

[20:28] coordination and just has a really very extensive background in recreation and

[20:32] it makes sense in this position to hire him at the higher level.

[20:36] » Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else?

[20:40] See all in favor? I motion. The motion carries.

[20:45] » Resolution number 2026-39 fiscal year 2027 state of Michigan

[20:51] county veteran service grant veterans affairs. I move that resolution.

[20:55] » Support. >> Motion has been made. Supporters. Is

[20:58] there any discussion? >> Yes.

[21:00] » Just wondering if we're going to get the full amount this time or have you heard

[21:04] anything uh how they're going to if they have increased the amount. It won't be

[21:08] as much as years past, but um we're going to get the month that we

[21:14] » anticipated. >> Yeah.

[21:15] » So, >> unless they say have some

[21:18] difference, >> legislature. Yeah.

[21:20] » More counties have been applying over the years to what happened. We

[21:24] » Mhm. Yeah. >> We're very grateful for it.

[21:27] » Thank you. Thank anyone else. All in favor?

[21:32] » The motion carries. Resolution number 2026-40

[21:37] expansion of veteran affairs committee board. I move that resolution support.

[21:43] » A motion has been made in support. Is there any discussion?

[21:46] » I would just point out we've had some good candidates apply to that position

[21:50] that we haven't been able to put on because of the you know people coming

[21:54] back and stuff like that. So I think it'd be good to have a couple more

[21:57] people on that board. >> Thank you. Anyone else?

[22:02] Yes. Say, oh, I'm sorry. >> I was just going to concur with that. I

[22:05] think it'll be good, you know, when we have people that want to be involved.

[22:07] That's a good thing. >> Yes, I agree.

[22:09] » And they provide valuable oversight of our veterans department. And five

[22:14] members have had an outstanding track record. And Commissioner Big, thank you

[22:19] for chairing it for so many years, but I think expanding it would would provide

[22:23] more opportunities for input into the overs veterans department. So, be very

[22:28] supportive. >> Thank you, Mr. Porsha.

[22:30] » Okay. All in favor? I >> opposing. Motion carries.

[22:34] » Resolution number 2026-41 purchase of clear gov budgeting and

[22:40] reporting software and budget adjustment to finance. I move that resolution. So

[22:45] » motion has been made in support. Is there any discussion?

[22:49] » Yes, commissioner >> for Scott.

[22:51] » Yes. >> Uh so this one blends in with what we

[22:55] got or it's easy to transfer >> in with our Tyler software that we

[22:58] currently use. It will help us budget multiple years out. Um, it'll help us

[23:02] forecast different scenarios. Um, I know that, you know, I'll get different phone

[23:06] calls and questions. What if we did this? What if we did that? This will be

[23:10] u a little more transparent. Um, and also it'll put out a a budgeting book at

[23:15] the end of the year that's very transparent with graphs and it's a

[23:19] little easier to understand the budget um for the community as a whole.

[23:23] » Thank you. >> Thank you. Anyone else?

[23:27] » Okay. All in favor? I >> opposing none. Motion carries.

[23:31] » Resolution number 2026-42, recision of resolution 2025-32,

[23:38] request for authority to enter into agency agreement with Bay Community

[23:42] Foundation to distribute opioid remediation funds. Move that resolution.

[23:47] » Support. >> A motion has been made in support. Is

[23:49] there any discussion?

[23:53] » Cameron, you want to maybe explain it? >> Sure. Um so we had initially thought

[23:57] that we were going to enter into an agreement with community foundation um

[24:01] to set up an ongoing endowment fund in order to retain their um status pursuant

[24:07] to IRS regulations. They're required with that type of fund to be able to

[24:12] retain and exercise a variance power. Which means if this fund were still in

[24:16] existence, say 20 years from now, and the community foundation made the

[24:21] determination that this was no longer a need of the community, they would

[24:25] exercise that variance and basically reassign a use for those funds for a new

[24:31] community problem that was more pressing because of the nature of the settlement

[24:35] documents that we entered into. uh and we have to follow those state

[24:39] subdivision agreements. We were not able to agree to that particular retention of

[24:44] a variance power. So rather than set up the endowment fund, what we did was we

[24:49] talked to the uh Bay Area Community Foundation. They were uh very

[24:52] understanding of the problem and agreed that we could come up with a different

[24:56] type of agreement where they would simply be the entity as our agent that

[24:59] would distribute these funds for us during the course of time that we were

[25:03] receiving settlement funds for opioid remediation. So basically doing the same

[25:07] job for us. It's just going to have to be a different form of agreement.

[25:11] » Thank you. Anyone else? See none. All in favor?

[25:16] » Motion carries. >> Thank you, Commissioner Beick.

[25:20] Next is reports of the county officials, county executive, Mr. B.

[25:24] » Thank you, Mr. Chair. I don't have a lot. I'll just update the board and the

[25:27] public who are present on progress at the shelter. They're working hard

[25:32] through the bitter cold temperatures and I know Commissioner Jesse goes through

[25:38] or walks by daily and seeing the the progress. Thank you, Commissioner

[25:42] Dockett. But yeah, the workforce out there is doing a tremendous job and we

[25:47] expect that hopefully we'll have an October opening and ribbon cutting. And

[25:50] then also uh I want to mention the progress at our Bay County Health

[25:55] Services uh department is proceeding very very uh quickly and offices are

[26:02] taking shape out there in the interior and also looking forward to hopefully a

[26:06] a late spring opening on on the new facility. Should be a lot of excitement

[26:11] about that. And also just for the I I know most of you have seen the positive

[26:16] comments about the uh new uh community center that will be built uh pool at the

[26:23] community center and a lot of the social media uh response has been very positive

[26:28] very limited negative and uh so we expect a lot of excitement when that

[26:33] pool opens in June of 2027. So that's all I have Mr. Chair.

[26:38] » Thank you Mr. Barsha. Commissioners comments. Has any

[26:42] commissioners got any comments? Okay. Unfinished business. Doesn't look have

[26:47] any new business. This time is for second time's public

[26:51] input. Anyone wishing to address this commission. Let's come forward.

[26:57] Going once. Going twice. Public input is closed.

[27:03] Miscellaneous

[27:06] announcements. We've got some appointments coming up. March. We have

[27:10] Bay Are Behavioral Health Authority, four three-year terms expiring. Chris

[27:14] Gerard, Tim Bonanzac, Kathy Neimic, and Jerry Creek. And region 7 area agent for

[27:20] aging advisory council, two three-year terms expiring. Mary Donnelly, Melvin

[27:24] McN,

[27:27] Amber, is there a need for close session?

[27:31] » Move to adjourn support.

[27:34] » All in favor? I meeting.

Bay County Board of Commissioners Meeting (2/17/26)

Transcript