From the Jan. 20, 2022 Organizational Session and Regular Meeting of the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners
This meeting of the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners included the rescheduled annual Organizational Session following mechanical issues in the building on Jan.6. At the Jan. 20 meeting, the Board re-elected District 7 Commissioner Gary Tompkins as Vice Chair for 2022. Also, as a special order of business, there was a required public hearing to close out the County’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Grant from 2020-2021.
On the consent agenda, the Board approved at the Request of Western Michigan’s School of Medicine, our contracted Medical Examiner Office, appointments of two new deputy medical examiners to replace two who recently left the organization; the 2022 Board of Commissioners regular meeting schedule; a conflict waiver letter regarding Miller Canfield; support for TPOAM District and Circuit Court Collective Bargaining Agreements; an amendment to the inmate medical contract in the jail with Corizon Health; reappointments to the Solid Waste Management Planning Advisory Committee; authorization to proceed with contracts related to the Marshall Megasite Site Readiness Project; a reappointment to the Calhoun County Economic Development Corporation Board; employee health insurance third party administrator 2022 renewal agreements with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; and the appointment of Commissioner Gary Tompkins to the Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health Substance Use Disorder Policy Oversight Board.
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In new business, the Board approved,
- an MDOT contract for Phase III reconstruction of Union City Road
- an MDOT contract for federal aid bridge projects
- the COAM Collective Bargaining Agreement for 2022-2024
- a contract with Drug & Laboratory Disposal for Household Hazardous Waste Collection Services
- a CCRD bid award for slag material
- a lease renewal with Housing Choices, LLC, in the County's Albion building
- staffing allocation changes for the Road Department
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A message from Calhoun County Administrator/Controller Kelli Scott
Stay Tuned for Weather Alerts!
The County has once again brushed off and updated our winter weather emergency closure procedures so we’re prepared to act quickly to notify employees and the public of any operational disruptions when necessary. The decision to close county and court offices due to inclement weather is ultimately up to the Board Chair of the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners upon my recommendation, which happens after consultation with the Sheriff and Emergency Management, Chief Judge, Road Department and Administrative staff. We try hard to decide what is best for the safety of our employees and those who do business with us.
Please watch for information about county closures due to the weather or other emergency conditions, as follows:
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Check our website homepage at www.calhouncountymi.gov
- Receive Nixle* notifications if you’re subscribed with the County
- Look for announcements on local television and radio stations
- Look for posts on our County Government Facebook Page
- Hear closure messages on our phone system when you call
- Employees will get emails with specific closure information
*A note for the future: We anticipate expanding the use of our Rave Alert notification system by the end of 2022, to replace the use of Nixle for employee and public emergency messaging. For now, we invite the public to continue to sign up for Nixle to receive emergency notifications and weather advisories here, https://nixle.us/calhoun-county-mi-sheriffs-office/
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Highlights from a few boards and committees:
On Thursday, Jan. 6, we held our first bi-weekly elected officials and department heads meeting of the new year. The main discussion was a review by Health Officer Eric Pessell of the recently updated COVID-19 Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines, adopted by our Local Public Health Department in their Procedures for the community. The County’s relevant policy “Temporary Requirements for Protective Safety Measures” is being updated to incorporate these new guidelines, that generally reduce from 10 to 5 days the time off work for employees who test positive for COVID-19 or are a close contact with someone who is positive. This new procedure, along with the County’s new Telecommuting Policy, adopted by the Board of Commissioners in 2021 and implemented effective Jan.1, 2022, is expected to help lessen the operational impacts of the pandemic to County departments and services, as well as lessen the personal impact on employees.
This countywide leadership group also met on Jan.20 as we’ve decided to continue our every two week schedule through at least March in response to COVID-19 communications and support needs. The county’s pandemic response measures continue to include recommended masks for all employees and visitors; encouraged social distancing and virtual internal meetings; vaccine encouragement and time off when needed; employee notifications of positive cases within our buildings; and extra cleaning and sanitizing protocols. We’ve had 50 new employee cases since January 1, and while most of these employees have been able to work remotely, this latest Omicron variant surge has definitely impacted departments to varying extents. According to the Open Meetings Act, all public boards and committees sanctioned by the County, except for those purely advisory in nature, are meeting in person since January 1.
The County Visitors Bureau Board met on Jan. 11, and as part of that meeting Executive Director Linda Freybler shared 2021 Accomplishments of the Calhoun County Visitors Bureau. They were quite impressive! Linda reports that although the CCVB was impacted by lack of travel globally in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several federal government programs were used to offset that lack of revenue and allow the CVB to finish the year very financially solid. And, in fact, Calhoun County seems to have rebounded from a tourism perspective quicker than many other communities within Michigan. Numerous projects were supported by the CCVB in 2021, including the Wagner Ballroom in Marshall, Claude Evans Park Splash Pad, improvements to Binder Park Zoo, and the renovation of the former McCamly Plaza Hotel. Click here for a full overview of CCVB accomplishments in 2021. County Commissioner Kathy-Sue Vette continues to serve as chair of the CCVB, and I as Treasurer.
On Jan. 12, the Veterans Affairs Committee met and discussed County Burial Benefits for Peacetime Veterans and applicants for the committee. Director Aaron Edlefson shared the year-to-date budget, information about the WMU scholarship for Calhoun County veterans, and updates about food vouchers for veterans. The Committee reviewed seven applications for Veteran Relief Funds, and four were approved.
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Update from the Calhoun County Road Department
Operations Update:
- Shoulder work in ongoing countywide
- Boom mowing is taking place in Albion and Pennfield Townships
- Pothole patching is ongoing across the county
- Tree cleanup is taking place county wide
- Crews are performing Winter Maintenance as needed
Engineering Update:
- Federal aid safety grant tree removal work is ongoing
- Preparations are being made for 2022 construction season
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Update from Calhoun County Communications
Since the last Board of Commissioners meeting, a number of press releases have been sent from Calhoun County Offices with various bits of news.
Please join us tomorrow morning for a virtual State of the Community!
Administrator/Controller Kelli Scott will present during a virtual State of the Community presentation at 9 a.m., Friday, Jan. 21 about the successes of 2021 and what's to come in 2022. Alongside representatives from the cities of Albion, Battle Creek, and Springfield, this program will provide highlights of progress in Calhoun County as we continue to work together through the pandemic. This program will stream live on the City of Battle Creek's YouTube channel.
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