From the March 17 Calhoun County Board of Commissioners Meeting
At this meeting of the Board of Commissioners, Sheriff Steve Hinkley and representatives from Summit Pointe gave a presentation about a new County ARPA-funded partnership providing mental health services for inmates, linking them with resources outside of the jail to reduce recidivism and provide ongoing support. The Board approved a proclamation celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Meals on Wheels program for older adults in Calhoun County. There was also a public hearing for the approval of an MDNR Trust Fund Grant Application related to the Ott Preserve. On the consent agenda, commissioners approved appointments to the Senior Millage Allocation Committee, the Solid Waste Management Planning Advisory Committee, and the Planning Commission; as well as the annual 2021 Road Mileage Certification for the Calhoun County Road Department. Click here for the meeting agenda
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In new business, the Board approved,
- Senior Millage supplemental funding to Community Action for the Minor Home Repair Program
- a Road Department purchase agreement for a new loader
- Road Department grant applications for bridge improvements
- a Road Department bid award for hot mix asphalt
- a Road Department bid award for sodium chloride
- a Facilities bid award for concrete repairs at the Justice Center
- a bid award for two-way radios used by the Building Emergency Safety Team
- acceptance of the Medical Marijuana Operation and Oversight grant for the Health Department
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A message from Calhoun County Administrator/Controller Kelli Scott
I was invited to participate in a recent edition of Be Scene On Air on Battle Creek’s AccessVision recognizing "Women in Business." The best part was participating alongside other impressive women from our community—Dr. Adrien Bennings, President of Kellogg Community College and Kathy George, CEO of FireKeepers Casino Hotel. We discussed how our backgrounds have prepared us to be professional leaders and gave advice to those exploring similar career choices. Click here to watch that hour-long special hosted by Sherii Sherban, Executive Editor of Scene Publications.
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Highlights from a few boards, committees, and events:
On Friday, March 4, a Senior Millage Allocation Committee meeting was held. The committee interviewed four applicants for one open position on the committee, ultimately voting to recommend Bobbie Smith to the Board of Commissioners. Additionally Senior Services Specialist Kate Turner gave a presentation on the 2021 annual report.
The Calhoun County Veterans Affairs Committee met on Wednesday, March 9. At this meeting, the Committee discussed the current year budget, and deliberated over five applications for the Veterans Relief Fund, of which two were approved.
The Calhoun County Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee met on Thursday, March 10. The committee discussed its mission and vision, and made plans to host Lunch and Learns later this year, in partnership with the Wellness Committee. A survey will go out to employees in the next internal newsletter about what topics they are interested in. The potential for additional, non-mandatory trainings was also discussed.
Regarding COVID-19 response, a Joint Information Center briefing was held on March 16. At this public briefing, Health Officer Eric Pessell provided an update on the decreasing transmission rates of COVID-19 in Calhoun County. For instance, at the time of the briefing, only two people were in county hospitals with COVID-19 and Calhoun has reached "low community level" as distinguished by the CDC, which is a significantly better scenario than we experienced just two months ago. Pandemic protocols have lessened in the past few weeks due to lower transmission rates, and individuals are now advised to consider their personal risk levels when making decisions about protective measures such as masking and testing. Click here to watch the Joint Information Center briefing.
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Update from the Calhoun County Road Department
The Road Department's engineering staff is preparing for the 2022 Road Construction season. We have updated the Current Construction webpage with a list of federal aid projects that are planned for this summer. This webpage will be updated in the upcoming months with additional road projects as they are approved by the townships and CCRD staff.
Operations update:
- Pothole patching has been the main focus the last couple of weeks countywide
- Shoulder work has taken place countywide
- Crews have performed winter maintenance as necessary
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Update from Calhoun County Friend of the Court
On Thursday, March 10, 2022, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel visited Battle Creek to meet with a team from Calhoun County Friend of the Court (FOC) and Michigan Works! Southwest Michigan to learn about the successful implementation of a grant to provide supportive pre-employment services to child support payers who experience barriers to employment.
Since the program's inception in Spring 2021, Calhoun County FOC has generated more than 75% of the referrals to the Learn, Earn, and Provide (LEAP) Program, which covers a four-county region. Director Hertel and the Director of the Michigan Office of Child Support, Erin Frisch, visited Calhoun County to learn more about what was behind the success of this county’s design of the program and how Calhoun FOC has been able to collaborate with Michigan Works! to enroll child support payers in the program through a combination of voluntary enrollment and court ordered participation. Once enrolled, unemployed or under-employed child support payers are provided with services to access transportation, expunge criminal records, obtain missing driver licenses or other identification, learn soft skills, and do a successful job search.
Congratulations to the staff of Friend of the Court for being recognized by MDHHS Director Elizabeth Hertel for making connections that ultimately serve Calhoun County children and families.
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