County Commissioners - Regular Meeting

for March 25th, 2026 at 9:04 a.m. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Roll call, please. Milbour here. Wolson here. Mley here. So Spencer here. Approval of the agenda.

Madam chair. Any discussion? Roll call. Mley. Yes. Spencer. Yes. Yes. Milbour. Yes. Motion carried. [clears throat]

Approval of the consent agenda. The items within are the meeting minutes from March 11th, 2026 board meeting, correspondences A throughF, a letter from FR Frank Peshik, the MAC legislative updates, letter from the Ruscom County Republican Party housing summit, Mid Michigan Community Health Services, um Roscommen County Animal Shelter, um report and stats, and the administrator controller report. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda? I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda A through D as presented. Second. Roll call, please. Wolfson, yes. Milburn,

yes. Orley, yes. Spencer, yes. Public comment on agenda items only. Is there any public comment on agenda items? Do we have any visitors? Unfinished business. The lake level control structure updates. Um, we have our lake manager, Chase Shepki, here to give us some updates. Uh, what what lake do you want to hear about first?

Let's go with Lake St. Helen. Uh currently two inches over summer lake level draw down before all the rain came and melt. We were actually slightly below winter lake level. So it just shot right up there. Um everything's open right now. What is restricting the flow seems to be the bridge to the other side of the river. go out there and it's about, you can look on the right side, it's about six inches lower than the left side. You can see the rapids kind of going through there. So, in the future, if you want to get rid of more water faster, you got to do something about that bridge. Probably figure out who owns it first. Anybody have any questions regarding Lake St. Helen? Um, Higgins Lake. Um, there was the meeting with Eagle. I don't know if you want to chat about that.

Um, I talked to Tom. I couldn't make it. Rex wasn't there. Darlene, you were there. Um, correct me if I'm wrong. What how Tom understood it is regardless of what you do out there anymore, they're going to kind of want some sort of study and or manual. That was kind of what he understood from them. Mhm. Um he thought that you would have to it wouldn't necessarily take a groundwater study, but you'd have to look at it enough to be able to defend it in front of Eagle saying we we checked all the boxes and looked at everything we could to make sure we know exactly what's going on there.

I don't know what that that will look like. Um, [snorts] beyond that, uh, advisory board, we brought, um, I guess you guys wanted opinions of what they thought should be done based on the group conversation that we had. And it seemed like most people, not all of them, want to see a new structure, but not everyone wants to see new structure. The restrictor plate keeps popping up, but that's My personal opinion is that's just not practical. I don't I don't know what where you want Oh, Higgins Lake is a half inch over Summer Lake level. Oh gosh, let me go back through. I think we've had one gate open since March. Middle of March. No, before then, February.

February.

Yeah, February. And that one gate does between 70 and 80% of the flow because everything gets restricted at the culverts at the road. Same kind of situation as St. Helen, but the restricting factor is downstream instead of upstream. Um, but all three flop gates are open. But after you open the second one, you really don't get any more flow coming through there because of those culverts. Um the other thing that I took away um from the Eagle meeting was that they're not opposed to right now they keep throwing out the 50 cubic feet per second. They're not opposed to having that lowered later in the season, but during spawning season that that's what they would require.

I I went through what I had and I also foyed them kind of see where they're coming up with 50 cubic feet because I could not find anything. M um but to kind of the ideal circumstance to get rid of any future argument about what it is is you have an eagle approved lowflow spillway rap or concrete spillway similar to what

what um you guys are designing at H Hotton Lake. And that way it's that always is flowing. That's what it's supposed to be. And then you can manage gates without trying to guess where you're at with flows. Okay. Is there any other questions?

Yeah. [clears throat] Would it be best to come up with a operational plan utilizing the low flows and get approval from Eagle? And if they do not approve it because of the low flow that we want to use, then take them to task on legal matter. Yeah. I essentially they they're supposed to treat everyone the same. Correct.

So that's Yeah, I I I don't know how all that plays out, but um as far as the low flow, they kick out a chart every year that tells you what it's supposed to be, your 90% exceedence. Higgins Lake, it's 14 CFS, right? And that is what is required across the board. Every lake has one. Every lake level control structure has one. That's what's supposed to go through it. So, so perhaps if we draw up a operational manual, taking that into consideration, correct?

If they do not approve it, then we seek legal counsel. Yeah. With that operational manual, you're it's going to be something like Hotton Lake come up with it's not going to be you can't just write one up real quick. be a process because they're want you to look at groundwater evaporation rain uh the pumps at water grass I mean you're they're going to want you to kind of cover all bases you know channel widths downstream to see what flows it can handle they're going to want you to cover all bases

because of the status quo out there make sure everything's been done right I mean yes and then but that's going to be best case you're talking a two-year process process maybe one and a half go through all that [snorts] and then then you guys say okay now I have this manual on what we can do what can that structure do well that's that's the point is I think we need to establish what do we have to allow down the river yes because we can't even begin to design a structure until we know that and have a commitment from Eagle on that

I I mean, you you design the structure to that's why those charts are there and they're updated every couple years. That's what you design your structures to. Isn't that what we're designing H Hotton Lake and Lake St. Helen to? Every Yes. And and I and I bid projects and every project I've bid in the in the contract is that exact table saying these are what you need to be able to keep flows and everything else. This is what it was designed to. This is what you have to maintain during construction and after. Okay. But in this case, Eagle is at this point demanding different standards.

Yes. Yes. At this point, they're demanding different standards. But the the question is, and that's why I foyed, is why where are you getting these numbers? We'll we'll see what that comes up with because I couldn't find all the old information, all the old permits. I couldn't find anything that says 50 CFS. And what and the study shows that you can't even do 50 CFS on that structure year around, right? And that 50 could have just come from the fisheries report that they were referring to as well.

Okay. Yeah, I think I've looked at that, but I'd have to refresh my mind on the fisheries report. Yeah, there was a fisheries report that had listed that in there. I think, madam chair, sorry. I think that was funded and done by one of the organizations, not by the fisheries department or eagle or were they asked by a group? So, MSU did a study. UFM did one too and then the fisheries wrote a report. I believe it was based on those. Got it. Okay. Anything else on Higgins?

I just have just clarity. So the 50 cubic feet is the piece that's still in question. We hear it, but yet all these tables when you go to do a project Yeah. Anyone can look them up. They just you just type in the it lowflow eagle lakes and you go right down to the cut river and it shows it shows the previous years and the current year of what that table is and most of the flows the max you get per month is 90% of it's under 50. Right. Okay.

And that's based off Eagle doing their calculations on what goes down the river and comes out and everything else. And you mentioned that it's either studies or an operations manual that they're willing to look at in that conversation that they would be regardless. We're going to have to have some sort of a study in order to create the operation. You're going to you're going to have to have to do anything more out there. They're going to require and I wasn't there, but darling, to do anything more out there, they're going to require some sort of a study. Yeah. Do anything more is going to restrict more flow.

Got it. Okay. And so then they're going to want everything looked into to allow anything more. So regardless of whether it's restrictor plate, doing more anything more, they're going to want everything looked at. Everything. Yeah. Do are there enough studies? I mean, I don't know. I know there's been I have binders of people giving me studies since I've come on board. I'm assuming that those have been in the past and they're going to want updated studies. Is that

the LA? the last study and the way the statute is read is it has to be done by a PE a professional well it says professional it doesn't professional engineer but professional but usually it's a professional engineer and the last one that was done by a professional engineer I believe was of in the 50s Oh wow the report in the 50s I do have a copy Kim of the discharge information too if you want to but I can always give you it all together. So, because at some point I [clears throat]

pretty sure we're going to have to make some decisions. Do we keep spending money not know I mean we will have to make some judgment calls here this year and just making sure that I understand the not the rumors or not the this but these are the facts. This is what we can do. This is what we can't do. From the meeting, I gathered that the information that Tom just did based on some information that was previously done that they may be able to come to something. Yeah. But there's also parts where they conflict. Correct.

There are parts where they conflict and that's that's where you need to know because the parts of where they conflict is how the spring and fall is handled. what happens there with inflows and that's the time you need to make sure you understand the most everything else matches. It's your spring and fall that conflict almost exact opposites on how how good to know. So that's that's difference between a PE and um a college coming in with grad students doing it. So there's two different ways and they also came from it they came from it from different angles of looking at it. So

most I'm g I'm just [clears throat] throwing this out might not be popular but you're getting some grad students to do a study. You're trying to prove a theory. You're trying to prove something that you want to be shown. Yeah. Kind of that's what you're seeing. It's coming from an angle of trying to prove what you want. Correct. So if you do a professional engineer, I'm hearing that that takes that equation out of what are we it it just matters on your engineer. They can still everyone can everyone can have an agenda. Okay. And everyone can spin it how they want. Let's I'll be honest with you. The But that's the whole point of Eagle is looking at all the facts. That's your checks and balances of looking at it and saying, "Well, we think this, we think that based on the data." Okay.

But you can you can tell a story two different ways with the same set of facts. True. Thank you. That helps. Yeah. Okay. But they didn't look at those MSU and they didn't look at groundwater. And how they did look at groundwater is not an accurate way to look at groundwater. Okay. This is not it's not how you do it. It's my understanding MSU was hired by a private organization. Once again, I've heard that, but I don't have proof, so I'm not going to spread a rumor that I don't have facts on. But regardless, there's enough contradicting information out there, right,

that it would be worth putting it all in a pile, sifting through it, picking out what's important to understand, and then having it doesn't have to be a study, but pick we want to understand this, this, and this better because uh with you know these three the five reports, I don't know how many there are, these are the things they're contradicting. So, let's look into them deeper. Okay?

And you can always get a second opinion. You could reach out, you know, it doesn't have to be a PE. You could also reach out to a professor at a at a college and say, "We want your opinion, too." And they're usually open to reading through and giving their opinion as well. So, and that's usually a free avenue. So, there's a lot of ways you could work about this, but you you almost got to lay it all out and say, "These are the things that are contradicting. Let's look into these three more and then see what Eagle wants on top of that. I was going to say then the step is of what we know. What does Eagle need? They need what they from what I understood the meeting is those contradicting things are probably going to coincide with what Eagle wants to know more about.

Okay, good to know. Thank you. Also, when it comes to Higgins Lake, we have a professional service agreement that um I want the board's okay to move forward with with Prine and Newhath because their last contract that we had with them is basically up. This is just an hourly rate um until we decide in the future what what avenue we're taking and then they would actually draw one up if if we chose to use them to move forward with things. Look at that. May I backtrack one?

Um so the advisory group that came because they're a group they don't have decision-making authority. You mentioned that some were for a different structure and some were not. Yes. For new structure. Yep. The other the other opinion out there is restrictor play or you can do nothing. So let's say there's three there's three choices, three avenues by which you can go. But the county doing nothing because of not being able to maintain summer better doesn't really seem like an option for the county.

Right. of the group I don't how many total seven or so I don't know you have an idea like five don't want a new structure two say this well I didn't I didn't hear back from everyone okay so I can't sit there and give you I like percentages so I can't give you a percentage okay I just didn't know if like if only one is saying no I'm against whatever else this committee I mean I I can give I can my guess is you're is you're going to be around 75% would like a new structure. That would be my guess. Okay. At this point,

at this point, um I am I would be very much against a temporary fix or a restrictor plate because well, let's let's we can go from from beginning permitting. They're going to require the same study whether you're putting in a little project versus a big project. So, you're spending the same amount of money to accomplish that test. Correct.

Okay. Now, let's go to the project. You got to design a little baby thing, all engineered, all not knowing what's down there. So, your engineering is going to be extreme overkill to compensate with not knowing what's down there. If you can find an engineer to do it, which you probably will be able to not now, you'll probably be able to, but then that's going to be that would probably my guess that would be half the cost of engineering a new structure, maybe a third. So you're saving a little money right there than the construction. It would be substantially cheaper for just a restrictor plate. But now you're not fixing the fact that the sheeting out there is 70 years old. And the sheeting is not just what's visible. It runs the entire length under the structure. It's not just that visible part that's all bent over. It's the entire length of the structure. 70 years old in the water. There's a lot of other things that even if you just take care of that part, you could have an endless maintenance situation for years to come and you're only going to be saving you you're going to be saving you will be saving money. But is it worth doing another add-on

the 70y old structure? I hear to a 70-year-old structure. That helps. Thank you. Yeah, that I mean that's the biggest concern is that sheeting runs the it's not visible but runs the entire length of that structure. That's that's the oldest part. The concrete's newer, but that is the oldest part. Thank you. Mike Lake.

All right. I foyed the DNR. Uh currently not happy about with them. Um Reedsburg is five and a half inches over where they are supposed to be maintaining it. So you can go out there and take a look. Um we are currently I think they're between five and six and we're about five and a half over summer lake level. Everything's been open since January, but it's kind of hard to get rid of water when they're as high as they are because they're nearing I think they're only a couple inches from our winter lake level. So, if you think of it this way, there's water here and you go six miles down river and this water is only two inches lower than your water all the way up here. It's kind of hard to get rid of a lake as big as H Hotton Lake when you only have couple inches to play with.

So, you stack that much water?

Yeah, you can stack that much water over six miles. Yep. Um, so as far as H Hotton Lake, I I went back and raised all the gates even higher a couple weeks ago because I imagined it was going to come up with the rain and ice and everything else so that we were getting the max amount of flow. There wasn't water hitting the bottom of the gates. Um, beyond that, um, it's up to the DNR to kind of get rid of more water, my opinion. But you can you can go out there and they're supposed to hold their level at the top of concrete. But each one of those peers that come up supposed to be below top of concrete. And [clears throat] right now they're oh four or five inches over top of concrete all the way across that structure. But I can also tell you they have not removed a they have not removed a board on that structure since it was redone in 2021. be pretty tough to get the DNR to do their job.

Yeah,

but we should attempt to get them to do their job. Even if we have to have a meeting with Eagle to point that out, then we'll have to have a meeting. So there's an old the old hydro uh the old hydrogeeologic report when both structures put in I think it's back in the 40s stated that that had to be I think it was 1.1 ft lower than Holton Lake so Holton Lake could function properly. Okay,

that was what was come up back then. I don't know if they have an order or a manual on how they operate that or if that's been forgotten. I don't know. But that was what was designed and it was designed so the water would be at or just below the top of that concrete and those are the original concrete peers that were from back then is my understanding. Well, I would think that if they're not going to open and do what they should be doing [snorts] that we should then probably have a meeting with Eagle because if we can't operate according to the way we should be operating because of what they're not doing, that needs to be known.

The person who operates operates it is a biologist. So, so he may not really realize I don't Yeah. what he needs to be doing out there. Yeah. Okay. Is there any management being done by that person at all today or manages the wildlife? The wildlife. Yeah. So, the wildlife division of the DNR is what manages that lake level control structure out at Reedsburg. At Reedsburg or that that's actually a dam that's not like Leo, but manages that dam.

So, and they construction I would support that as you know as soon as you can get another meeting with the group and bring that to the table as well because it goes [snorts] into every decision we have to make that we're being bound to so yeah and if you're going to and if you're going to have that meeting I'd bring up the flats I'd bring up all of it because right now this summer the DNR is having a new project to redo those flats they're putting in new pumps it's Three. Just that one with the gazebo, that little thing. It's like a $3.5 million project.

New pumps for that little that little what? 6 foot 8 foot wide structure there. All new pumps, 19 ft dry wells, everything. And that's so they can better manage their flats. And that's pumping. And that's taking and giving back and forth from Holton Lake without having any without having any restriction [clears throat] or anything. And this goes from not only a lake level standpoint to an improvement board standpoint of all, you know, all the nutrients you're going to be pumping into back and forth. Back and forth, you know, the lake and really cause havoc. Yes. And the pumps there are still operational, but they're just I think they're original.

The new pumps are putting in can really move some water. I would think that we need to get something sooner than later with them. Yes. because that that's supposed to start sometime I would imagine that would start of June that construction on that project. Okay. Did you see 3.5 million? They did pump 3.5 million. What the pump? The cost of that project.

Oh yeah, it was about 3.5 million. Yeah. I think it went to bid last year like three times and then they finally got additional funding and I forgot who got it but it was between 3.3 and 3.5 million was the final bid to just redo the that little control structure there. But how they designed it was like it was just astronaut just for the boards that went in. They want these special aluminum boards and they were like $70,000 just for these aluminum boards they wanted. So it was It was crazy.

I'm going to hate to assume, but since they're their own entity, they probably aren't jumping through the same hoops that we would have to jump through on our structures to do a project that big. Are they doing studies to prove that it needs that much information? Well, so the engineer on that sway trim, I don't I don't know what they did. My guess is no. Um, my guess is no because that's done through DTMBB and they do all their own permitting. They do all they do their own soil erosion. They do everything in house. So essentially that's light on. They don't they don't play by the same rule book. Correct. Okay.

Um, supposedly they're supposed to look at Eagle. I think for the shooting range, I think they talked to Eagle as well on that one because there's that $3 million shooting range going in St. Helen paid for by the DNR that starts in a month. Got it. Thank you. In this case, our most important issue is not being able to get rid of water out of H Hotton Lake because downstream it's held too high. It leaves our citizens in a perilous situation.

And then and then on It's not getting rid of water because right now if you go by the flats where the gazebo is and where they're going to be doing construction, they have boards out so it's draining right now. I think that one's a foot or two lower than the other one that they're not doing construction on. So they're anticipating already drawing it down for construction. So now we're getting water from that whole part of the flats. And then vice versa once that's in there in the summer, they're going to drain Holton Lake in the summer. They're going to they're going to pull water from H Hotton Lake to keep it high. Mhm. For the wildlife over there. Wildlife over there.

Oh, yeah. I think we need a meeting with them sooner than later to discuss how that's all going to work and how it will affect H Hotton Lake in the end because that is the flats is a is a relatively large area. It is. It's huge. Is quite a bit of water. Mhm. Okay. Any other questions on lake levels or comments? Yes.

Um I've given everybody a list of the are on the advisory committee and I'm going to try and schedule a meeting later this month. Yeah. So we can give the engineers some direction on the lake level control structure there. Yeah, I think and then the just remind everyone the big thing with uh Spicer Group, they said they could still get the permit out this this year. Yeah, they they thought we could still get it out for bids by this fall.

Uh the big decision right now is um bottom gates that come up like Higgins Lake or gates that go up and down like uh H Hotton Lake. So, it's there's a cost difference between the two, but there's a um operational um you can save money operationally because it's easier to tell how much water is going over instead of a gate going up and down and getting a feel for the amount of water going under. There's a lot less tweaking with the gate that comes up versus a gate that goes up and down. Self storage is easier with a flop gate. Isn't that correct? self storage

instead of a track that has to hold this way up there. The flop gate is Yeah, self storage is easier with a flap gate. So, it's just, you know, because it's mounted at the base, so you don't have to have the railings and all the the frame coming up to catch your your vertical gates. So, but we were that was the big thing when Rex and I talked to him was getting a price between the two and that that'd be a perfect uh thing to bring to the advisory, whatever you want to call it. All right. Anything else? All right. Thank you, Chase. [clears throat]

Next we have the acceptable use policy. Commissioner Wolson. Um, no update on that yet. Still waiting for the IT to respond. Okay.

Um, the countywide grant writer, Commissioner Wolson. Um, I don't know if I mentioned it last time or not, but what I'm finding is the grant writer for Asco County is not hired. It is a contracted position. Um, also apparently it's considered unethical to contract with a grant writer based on commission. So now I did attend a meeting Monday and some mention was made about some counties perhaps are charging a head tax so to speak a dollar a person to pay for the grant writer. I don't know how that works yet. Um the we're talking about maybe having a person from Masco County give us some insight on that. One county did mention they spent $40,000 on grant writing and received 1.2 million in grants. But at this point it it's like you got to have a bank account to hire one. can't do it on commission. Um if there's a a per part parcel tax you can put on people for this. I don't know. Um that's going to take some research to find out. And then we also have to consider how the public's going to react to such a thing.

[laughter] But by by doing it by par part parcel, the grant writer would work for townships and county. Correct, Madam Chair? Yes. I think at the last meeting, uh, Commissioner Wilson, you were going to talk to was it ISCO, the group, and have them come and present or they've got No, no. I I called over there. They do not hire a person. That's what we were under the assumption. and they hired a person. Okay. And that was not correct. They hired subcontract. I believe it's the same firm that's in Claire, Michigan. And I researched that and that's where I come up with it's unethical to hire one based on commission.

Okay. Um, at the Northern Michigan Counties Association Monday, they talked like maybe having someone from school county present at these meetings about how they did, you know, how it worked out. I'm That is exactly what I heard you say at the last meeting. That's what we were going to see if they would come and present on how they did this. But there's no one person in charge there. Okay. So I'm still How are they going to get somebody from there to come and present to the northern? Well, that person usually attends these other meetings. Well, that would be a potential for that person. That's what I was thinking. If that comes to light, I don't know. Okay.

Um, one of the one of the other members at that meeting said they would contact, it was Terry from Asco County. Okay. Commissioner. Um, they were going to contact him and talk to him about it.

Cool. Um, but the the main question is is, you know, everything I'm hearing is it pays money far exceeds what the cost is that comes back into the county. Um, the the the problem is how do we fund it? Because basically you have to contract with a company and pay them and then they go to work on But some counties are talking millions they get back, you know. What do you propose our next steps are in order to make decisions? What do what do we need to do next?

I think we need to see how we can fund it. Okay. I mean, that's the main object is we can't proceed until we know how we're going to pay for the grant writer. Okay. And in that funding process, I think we ought to need to include the townships so that they can utilize that service also because a lot of these grants are going to townships, not necessarily county, which is still benefits our county, you know. So, I think we need to look into what's our options for funding this without pulling it out of our general fund at this point.

Right. I would agree. And we've already got a budget that's already been approved for this year, this fiscal year. So, to think about that in the upcoming year. Is that something that you would like our controller to think about for the next year's budget? How we could and then start to have the conversations with the township association? In the meantime, I could contact the grant writing company and get some quotes maybe. Yeah, I think we could at least start putting some action steps if it's something we want to consider. I thought it was good that there is one close enough. Oh, good. Yeah. You know, in Clarity close.

Yeah. I'd like to if if we're going down that path, we need to start thinking about it for upcoming year. you know, how would we fund it? Um, I know at one of the RTA meetings that I was at, we were talking about some things from the county. Um, there wasn't a lot of interest in pushing money back on townships to do stuff that the county should be doing was the message. So, I think that conversation with them would be really important to see when we come back and say, "Hey, would you help support this?" just like economic development went back to them and they're like why are we being asked to do this versus the county pushing all their needs on us. That was the message that I heard. So as that as that approach goes to them I think we need to keep that in mind. Well, in this case, if they see that they can utilize a grant writer,

they're probably willing. Probably maybe not all counties need one, right? You know, I know Richfield Township, they pretty much use one person for their grant writing. And maybe they not interested in pursuing other avenues. I don't know.

I'm just sharing it because I was at I know sometimes you're at those meetings, too. I happen to be at the one and that was was a pretty strong conversation if I don't if I recall that let's be sensitive to that mindset of where they're coming from once we figure out what we can do what do we need from that point so it's just a just information and I think let's see if we can figure out what can be done in our if it's something we need

the numbers together for another budget year like like that it would bring in some money. That's for sure from a grant perspective. All right. Um new business. Um we have update on state of emergency um March 16th, 2026. Vanessa, our emergency manager director. All right, good morning. Uh, Vanessa Varner, emergency management director for Escom County. I was asked to provide you guys with an update on the ice storm that we experienced uh weekend and a half ago or weekend. Uh, what I did and I put the slides there for you so that you had them. Uh I put together a lot of the impacts and how our what our response was to the community. Uh there were a lot of organizations that helped out. Uh but for as far as timeline, uh March 13th uh was when the National Weather Service really started forecasting the severe weather that was coming in. Uh it wasn't until midday on March 15th that anything was really mentioned about Roscommen getting hit hard. So just as it was

starting to happen is when they adjusted their uh their forecasting. I know that there were some other entities that had had been looking at it and I was following those as well. Uh but really at the National Weather Service level which the the state recommends that we follow uh that's when their projections changed. uh the the ice storm AC or the ice accumulation really began late afternoon on March 15th and continued through early on March 16th which is what caused a lot of the outages. Our emergency service responders uh began their efforts on March 15th uh in in the afternoon hours uh doing everything from tree removal on the roadways to well-being checks and then on March 16th opening of warming centers. Our recovery efforts are still ongoing at this point, but power restoration was completed on March 20th and the focus right now is the debris cleanup. So, uh, the state of emergency was declared by Chair Spencer on March 16th at 7:15 a.m. That is a document and an order that is valid for 7 days. In the meantime, uh, we also had filed a request for governor's emergency declaration and state assistance. We were the first county in the state to file that request. It was approved by Governor Whitmer late afternoon on March 17th. That uh declaration is valid for 30 days. Our emergency operations center was activated on March 15th in a monitoring and assessing status. We escalated to a full activation on March 16th at 6 a.m. Uh since the power restorations happened, uh we've reduced to a partial activation where we're still monitoring and assessing the status and working with the state requested supports uh to make sure that they come in to help with the life safety measures of getting our roadways properly cleared as well as

working with uh a volunteer organization to see if they will assist with the residential property cleanup since that is such a concern and an issue. Askcom County Central Dispatch was very busy. Uh from March 15th at 6:00 p.m. to uh March 23rd at 10 a.m. they took 2600 calls. Uh Jessica gave me an update that typically they would handle 500 during that time. Uh 797 of them were well-being checks. There were 318 that were for trees down. So about 20% uh lines down uh were 25% of the call volume. We had uh PDAs. Uh we had uh a couple property or sheriff help me.

Personal

personal injury accidents. Thank you. Uh there were eight of those. We had uh three gas leak calls, 17 carbon monoxide calls. our power outages. Uh the peak of the power outage was on March 16th at 9:30 a.m. You'll see up here uh with 24,325 uh customers out. It's important to note that the customer outage might not be reflective of our actual population in that uh that is any smart reader or box that they have. So some properties may have multiple and each one of those gets counted. So that's how they come up with a customer outage. Our most significant change that we saw, you'll see as we go through, uh power was slowly getting restored to a lot of customers. Uh you'll see that there was a jump uh here on March 18th. That was when a transformer blew down in the Prudinville area. I think some of you guys got to experience that firsthand. Uh so our there was there was an increase there. Uh then there was the most significant drop from 13,000 uh down to 5,600 on March 18th and that was with 7,392 customers restored. So I you'll see these are in about three-hour increments. What I asked is that the power power outage us send me uh every three hours so that I could check the status while we were also monitoring it in real time in the EOC. Well, we had significant infrastructure impacts and our and our residents can all tell you their daily life was disrupted. Uh, which is something that we don't ever like to see, but it happens. Our schools and government buildings were closed. Uh, we had communication towers down. Our road

commission actually had to assist in plowing out uh, one of the uh, tower sites so that they could get a generator so that we could get Verizon service back up in the village area. Our transit was unable to operate due to power outage as they had a generator. However, they did not have their communications. So, we sent the Starlink from the emergency operations center over there and got them back up and running. Our medical facilities andies were all closed. Our Home Lake Sewer Authority was running on generator power with their I believe it's 63 if I'm not mistaken, 63 or 68 uh stations. They were going around to keep those charged. So, uh, they were very busy. Uh, in talking to John Hines, they had a lot of guys that were working multiple days on end. Our commission on aging was also unable to provide meals, the meals on wheels program. Again, our infrastructure, you guys all witnessed it, but it was impassible in many places. Uh there were lots of notices going out that different roads were shut down and thousands of residents experienced in extended heating issues, power outages, communications issues, uh and ability to access resources during the storm's aftermath. Being that the ice storm caused such a disruption, we had eight warming centers that were opened. four were operational for 247 uh with a total of 84 hours of straight operational time. Uh Mercy Chefs, which is a uh volunteer organization, came up and provided 3,318 hot meals to the community and then donated an additional 1,268 grocery inventory meals, which are like cold meals that can be heated. And that was over the four days that they were here. and they've logged a total of 284 volunteer hours. Our sheriff's office was very busy. Uh

they conducted 454 well-being checks, responded to 160 tree downs and 37 lines down with the warming centers. Uh one of our sites saw 12 residents stay overnight on March 17th. And again, our community really came together with feeding. Uh there were uh churches and businesses and nonprofits uh from all over the place as well as locally that came together to feed. I know that a couple businesses had food trucks running. Consumers provided 300 hot meals one day. Uh St. John Lutheran Church was who hosted uh Mercy Chefs and that was I think incredibly appreciated by our community members. I think I got all of the agencies that were formally connected and involved across common county emergency management. There's a few over 40. So, uh I can tell you that we couldn't have done this without everybody's support and the collaborative relationships and working together. The key response efforts were that [clears throat] it wasn't just put on a road commission to do the road cleanups. Our first responders assisted in that. And I think that's a big part of how we were able to achieve what we were able to in such a short time with getting our roads cleared and open so quickly. Uh we had over 800 or nearly 800 well-being checks that were completed on our elderly and vulnerable residents. Uh we received a list, it's called empower uh from Michigan Department of Health and Human Services of anybody that uh it's a list of addresses. It's not names of individuals that have medical equipment. So we were able to conduct checks on those individuals. Uh we conducted checks on the individuals that had filed

uh disaster assistance documents with central dispatch and emergency management and also the mills on wheels program. anybody that they were not able to get in touch with, they called and requested a well-being check. During those well-being checks, uh our officers uh were helping with generator support. They were assisting with uh food and water, uh delivering things to people's homes. Uh the community support was truly tremendous and uh everyone did what they could to support each other. If they could give time, they gave time. If they had resources, they gave resources. And I just want to thank you all for your continued support as we get through this recovery process because we're just uh in the beginning of that. Uh there's a lot of debris cleanup. There's our compost sites are going to be very busy and working to get that managed properly. Any questions?

Any questions or comments for Vanessa? Madam Chair? Yes. I'd like to mention that um Richfield Township I think in the first couple days had 75 calls for the fire department which is nearing their yearly average. Um thank you first responders for helping people. Also Consumers Power did an excellent job of getting power back. I know a lot of people were inconvenienced but I thought they did a tremendous job. 5 days for as many individuals as we had out was huge. The high winds. Yes.

And yeah, cuz sometimes with the high winds, it couldn't even work. Um, and then also I'd like to thank consumers for the providing meals that they did. Um, you know, it's just it was a bad situation and we got through it pretty quick, I thought. Yes. And the cleanup is going to be tremendous.

Yes, sir. Um, I want to thank everybody um at 911, the sheriff's department, and you, Vanessa, for everything that you've done and did to bring everybody together. And the board would like to present you a certificate of appreciation. Thank you. [applause]

[applause] Thank you. I love pictures. Thank you guys very much, Madam Chair.

Yes, I don't think I could have said that any better. I mean, watching the deployment happen so fast, I think it's a reminder for people in our community when they passed a millillage to have an emergency management director. Did we learn a lot? Yes. And can we get better? Yes. But I Everyone came together fast. There was no agendas. There was nobody trying to protect their turf or it was true collaboration. And it's, you know, as I reflect back, how sad that sometimes in a disaster is when we really all don't put our turfs. I mean, that's gone. Everybody came together. I don't think that happens a lot with the agencies that we work with. It was I just think in general in our lives, so many people don't do that until there's a disaster. Mhm.

And our group [snorts] by far pulled together in every meeting, every day, finding resources, saying, "Don't worry, I'll take it." That is community. And if we didn't have a director to help us pull that together, I think it would have been harder. So, I I was honored to get to try to learn and be a part of that. Absolutely. and all the organizations that have that were part of it that stepped up that went in my opinion above and beyond during this time when even their resources were short. Absolutely. Proud of our community.

Thank you. on that. Um, I will tell you guys, so showing up at 9:00 in the morning on Monday and Vanessa had already been up for 24 hours um at that point and was planning ahead and working ahead and walking in and finding the um team that she has helped put together for that response. Um, you know, there's only a couple people that can respond to work that emergency operations center because a lot of them are out with chainsaws

um in that. But the choices that were made as far as bringing on the public information officer that was available, um, that's one of the things I told Vanessa, I thought that was a a genius move on her part. Um, but one of the things about Vanessa that I knew when she came five years ago and she wanted this position that she would be great at it. Um, but one of the things that I saw her in action with is the the places and the areas that she thought of that where there were gaps. Um, the people, the residents, the just some of these little things that would have probably slipped through the cracks with other people. Vanessa has a heart that thinks about those things. Um, so was able to help coordinate those. And so I just I appreciated that. That was really nice. Motions and resolutions whenever our clerk is ready. Motion number one, move to adopt resolution number 2026-03-03. Resolution submitting to a vote of the electric, a special [clears throat] millage for continuing sheriff road patrol services. Resolution number 2026-03-03, resolution submitting to a vote of the electorate a special millage for continuing sheriff road patrol services. Whereas Ross Common County has an established and maintained countywide sheriff road patrol system that provides 24-hour road patrol and law enforcement related services to all residents and visitors in Roscommen County. And whereas road patrol and law enforcement related services are providing an increased level of health, welfare, and property related benefits to all citizens of the county of Ross Common. And whereas the requested 1.5 mil of funding was approved by the electorate to operate and maintain 24-hour road

patrol and excuse [clears throat] me, law enforcement related services in August 2022, and that millage authorization expired on December 31st, 2025. Therefore, be it resolved that the following question be submitted to a vote of the electorate of Roscommen County at the primary election to be held August 4th, 2026. Roscommen County Sheriff's Road Patrol and Law Enforcement Services shall the expired previously voted increases in the tax limitation imposed under article 9 section section six of the Michigan Constitution in the county of Ross Common of 1500 mil, $1.50 per $1,000 of taxable value and reduced to 1.453 4533 mills $1.453 cents of $1,000 of taxable value by the required millage roll back roll backs be increased at 1.500 mills $1.50 50 cents per $1,000 of taxable value and levied for a period of four years 2026 through 2029 inclusive to operate and maintain 24hour Ross common county sheriff's road patrol and law enforcement related services raising an estimated 2,827,40048 in the first year of the mill is levied.

So move second.

Any discussion? Yes, [clears throat] we have the um sheriff going for millillage. We have the road commission going for millillage. And I think what we experienced as a county last week shows the need to support them organizations. I'm sure last week's storm really taxed their budgets for the upcoming year. So, it's important that we support these services. I was just going to actually say the same thing, Commissioner Russo, that I hope that people really truly realize how important these services are and hopefully they can get behind these roll call, please. Mley,

yes. Yes. Melbourne, yes. Wolson, yes.

Resolution adopted. Uh on motion number two, we we're going to change that date to effective March 25th, 2026. Okay. Through December 31st. Move to appoint the following employees to the Ross common county wage and salary committee for term beginning March 25th, 2026 through December 31st, 2026. Are you want me to read the departments? Sure. Juvenile Probation Family Court, Will Tarant Animal Control Program. Kim Kersy, prosecutor's office. Shannon Shagena, Sheriff's Office. Ginger Major, Veterans Office. Amanda Turner, 911, and Sarah Briggs, Central Filing.

So moved. Any discussion? Roll call, please. Milurn, yes. Mley, yes. Wolson, yes.

Spencer, yes. Motion carried. Committee reports. Commissioner Mley. Oh, talked so much about um emergency management. I won't delve into that because it was a lot of this past week. Um I did meet on March 11th with Daniel with the spongy moth group because that is one of my new committees or group to to work with and learned a tremendous amount about how they go out and do their jobs. So, um, I'm looking forward to being able to go out and watch how they do that when they head back out again. Muck boots and all. Um, I will say about the emergency management, just another another plug, the 911 dispatch group got every meeting we were at, too. It's like, oh my gosh, thank you. They picked up when we had a little glitch with Commission on Aging. We needed to do well checks. Okay, call them. they'll go get the sheriff's department. They didn't sleep either. They didn't eat. They were just there non-stop. And so, um, another piece to helping us make that whole, um, process work. March 19th, Northern Lakes Community Mental Health. Um, there are some state mandates that are going to be hitting to increase wages of those employees, probably next year, up to 18 an hour. There's no corresponding funding within the departments to help those groups do that. So that will be an issue they'll have to face if that goes through. They are gaining ground on their cash flow which is a really good thing. They're not having to borrow money to make payroll and things like that anymore. So um that's a strong positive for their financial strength as they move forward. We did get a recipient's rights report and the board's going to be going through training on that so that all of us understand what that really is about even though we get the reports just to dive deeper. But what I thought was

interesting is um since in 2023 the number of complaints were over 200 in this report currently 19. I mean in a small amount of time they have really improved how they have addressed concerns from anybody within that program staff or anything. So I that's kudos to them. We average about 30 per month in Ross Common County that are being served by this group. So I just wanted to kind of share that there's some numbers that impact us here too. They did do a climate survey. I talked about that a little bit the last time and they're going to address some of their action items on communication and just consistency within departments. That was the staff's biggest concern like one department gets to do this, their address is this, they don't have to come in, but we have to. It was just a a lot of inconsistencies amongst each of their buildings. So, that's one of the big items they'll be facing. Um, I did go to the MCOG meeting on March 20th. It's the first one I've attended. um since joining and so got our controller their new PO box. Apparently there's a lot of changes going on in their organization. There's a new chair. There's a new interim director. And the message of that meeting was please be patient. We're trying to clean our act up and we will be better. That's all I got.

Okay. Commissioner Melbourne was in Traverse City last Thursday. despite the weather. We talked about Head Start and weatherization were the main topics. That's all, Madam Chair. Thank you, Commissioner Wilson.

Yes, I [snorts] attended the Northern Michigan Counties Association. Um, they mentioned that the state of Michigan is reclassifying some of the dams in their dam safety program. So, that's going to make some changes when they do that. Also, the septic code will probably pass the Senate, but is most likely to die when it goes to the House, and those were the main topics.

Um, my February meetings with Michigan Works and Substance Use Disorder were both cancelled. Um, I was gone um on vacation during the airport meeting and I do have an animal control meeting coming up tomorrow I believe

at 8:30. Um, and that was switched from last Thursday because of the weather. So, and that's all I have. Um, public comment. Do we have any public comment? Come on up, Mr. Bisby. Dave Bisby, Denton Township, Holton Lake. Uh had a couple observations today, some information on the control structure for Holton Lake that's under design and we have a operations manual. I don't believe we've been in compliance legally, at least since the first of the year. And a lot of that has been blamed on issues that we have no control over with that structure, which is the downstream function. But yet they're looking at adding more size to the dam to dispose of more water into a channel that won't accept the water that we're currently exposing it to. Plus the issues with Reeber. So we don't have control over that. Seems strange that we're going ahead with design for that and now we got the pumping system for the flats for the wildlife and everything that DNR has. Was all of that information added to and brought into the picture of the new structure design and and curriculum? And another issue with the operations manual. It was proposed to Judge Bennett that they were going to use a forwardlooking operation on that to look at the forecasting of the weather up to three or four months ahead of time. so

they could adjust the water level to account for major increases that we were looking at. And today we just learned that the National Weather Service didn't even give us a heads up more than a day and a half before this ice storm hit. It doesn't correlate. The information doesn't meet what was proposed or presented to Judge Bennett. And there's a problem there. And I hope it gets resolved for the benefit and safety of everybody and the function to make life easier for you people chase and all of us that live on the lake. Would really be nice if we took another full look at this issue and got all the the pieces put together properly instead of the way it transpired because it's really questionable. And I have another question. I I'm not sure I understand. I really support the funding the police and everything, but on this I think it shows that you're going asking to increase from 1.4533 mills uh dollars per 100,000 to 1.5 per 100,000. You're already increasing our taxable values every year. So you get a increase every year off of that. So what you're going to do is you're going to double ding us. Is that what you're asking to do? Shouldn't be that way because the taxable values go up substantially every year. So they get an automatic increase in income into their budget. I'm not against renewing what we had, but an increase is a double ding, and that's not a proper thing to do. That's

not transparent. That's not not bullying. All of the things that we're all trying to work together to to have happen. So, appreciate your time. Thank you. Thank you.

Any other public comment? Come on up. Uh Craig Cartman, Holden Lake. I I looked on the computer before I came. Holton Lake, I believe, is 6 in over uh legal summer level. probably only about an inch or two over your operations manual, your uh summer increase. I had my information correct. I believe Chase said Reedsburg was uh 2 and 1/2 in below uh our uh summer [snorts] level and it needed to be more than that. Uh, I know I can't ask Chase uh if that's correct or not, but if it's uh if Reedsburg Dam is controlling H Hotton Lake right now and our control structure obviously isn't. Uh uh why can't Reedsburg control H Hotton Lake all the time? It seems to me if you drop Reedsburg Dam down a foot, you could manage H Hotton Lake with Reedsburg Dam. Uh it's just a suggestion. Uh the 6 in over uh summer level, which is 12 in over winter level. We still have ice on the lake. Uh I called Mr. Bisby up the other day about a week ago, and the ice started coming in. We had a real windy day, and uh the ice started coming in. I I called my brother-in-law

up. He has a back hole. Uh uh it's a scary time for us. I got a seven eight miles of fetch. I got seven eight miles of ice and it can end end up in my home and in my front yard. It's a dangerous time for us. Uh the ice started coming in. I called my brother-in-law up. He didn't know if he could help with his backhoe or not, but it did stop. Uh and I was surprised. have never seen it. Once once a lake starts getting blown off, it really never stops. It it it goes here, there, and it becomes a a really scary event. As a matter of fact, Mr. Bisby's home, the home that was there before that, the ice just leveled that home. And uh again, the lake is high. uh we have we don't have as much freeboard. So when the ice comes up, hits our flood wall, uh sometimes it piles there and sometimes it comes up and over and comes into the homes. Uh there's quite a few pictures. If you look at storm damage on H Hotton Lake, you'll see ice damage as well. Again, this is a critical time for me and my family. Uh 6 in uh over summer level. Uh the average uh the average is just about summer level. If you look at the 42-year average uh on the uh USGS uh we're about 6 in over the the normal for this time of year. If you look a little further uh uh uh 12 in 11 1/2 in uh that's peak uh springtime highs. Uh, I believe there's enough data out there that could predict that we're going to have some flooding on H Hotton Lake.

Again, we're at a normally high, 6 in above uh normal for this time of year, and you can expect another 6 in uh from the data, the 42-year data that's on the on the USGS site. Uh again, uh this banking water uh raising the uh winter level like you did with the operations manual is uh putting me and my family at risk. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other public comment? Good morning. I'm Ray Ozinski, supervisor for Richfield Township. Um, I know we just had two gentlemen give us a break from the storm update, so I appreciate that. Um, I just want to give you some shout outs, some congratulations. Uh, Vanessa, Vanessa did a fantastic job. I've got just over 30 years full-time fire experience. I participated on many command post. I was in on 255. I was in on uh 911 command post. All of those sorts of things. Nothing ran smoother. Nothing ran as smooth as this one ran. Everybody pitched in. Just a little bit of background what we did at Richfield Township. Our warming center did service. We had 41 people actually sign in. We had several that stayed overnight. uh businesses. Our businesses just came forward and they just brought all sorts of stuff. We've had citizens come in and volunteer to sit with the people at the warming centers just to sit. Our fire department, uh I know myself, I was involved in fire operations for 72 hours straight. Um there were several people that were beyond that, gave up their families, gave up, you know, they're worried about their own households, but they came and they served. Uh, our dispatch couldn't ask for better. Could not ask for better. It went smooth. It went great. They were right on it. Um, couldn't ask for better. We will be doing a townshipwide debrief in the near future here with everybody that was involved. See if there were any problems, see what we can do better. Um, and we'll be ready for, you know,

hopefully not this again, but the possibility is still going to be there. So, I just want to just congratulate the county and their support. It was nice knowing you somebody had their back and uh was a fun time. That's all I can really say. Thank you.

Thank you. Dave Denvour, Denton Township Supervisor. I'm not going to be able to follow that, Ray. But um you know, I same sentiments. So, I apologize um for coming in late. It seems no matter how much I make mental notes of things that if I don't correct my calendar too, I don't quite get it right. So, I'll try and do better next time. That being said, um, same thing as Ray said, I'll just hit on a couple highlights because I think there's been a lot of wonderful things said about the tenacity of our community and people wanting to help one another when they're in need and and that's really hard to find in today's day and age. So, I'm I'm really proud of us as a whole. Um, I'm also very proud of Denton Township. Obviously, I think our our people did an awesome job along with everyone else. I know that dealing or I should say working with Vanessa um it was an absolute pleasure. Uh she's wonderful at her job. Can't thank her enough for everything she did um and everything she went out of her way to do. Reports of uh law enforcement grabbing chainsaws and going out and cutting trees and clearing brush. And I'm like, well, all right. I do what you got to do. Uh so that was kind of neat. I just I had a uh Michigan State policeman tell me the other day that he kind of piggybacked on that too and jumped into their training gear to be able to use a chainsaw. So I mean it was it was all law enforcement. It was all public service people coming together. I guess that's what I'm trying to say. And I think it's just absolutely awesome. We also had warming areas. We had VSU personnel that were helping out

staff it make sure people were taken care of. Was it all perfect? No, it was not. And and I'll piggyback on what Kim had said that we'll have debriefings. We will do better, but I think we did an awesome job just the same. So, I know I'm going to miss somebody for saying thanks somewhere somehow, but overall just thank you and to the county as well for your support and everything that was done. Appreciate it.

Thank you. Any other public comment board comment? Commissioner Marley first again as I thought about things to update all of us on there was a really great article um in our MAC legislative on a topic that's been going around for years and that is a constitution convention of states. So, um, just as some background, our current Michigan Constitution, you know, was adopted in 1963, and we've had several amendments to it, but every attempt to open up for a convention of states to where you change the Constitution has been rejected like many times, uh, 1978, 1994, and 2010. The chances of this hitting potentially a ballot this year is probably pretty strong. they've been doing a lot of work around it. Um, so there's pros and cons obviously of this. So some of the issues when you open up a convention, I think it's important for everyone to understand whether you agree or disagree. The premise right now is around the push is to say we want term limits. And I most people are going to probably say that's a good thing for our US representatives to have us have that. But what people don't understand as well is when you open up the convention, anything that is currently in our constitution is not held. Everything's on the table. So you can't do a constitution convention with just one topic. It will open up everything. So everything that they want in there and everything they want out as the whole constitution is up for grabs. So it's

just something to think about if that does come before us on a ballot. Um I noticed on our animal control um they had some nice extra donations um this month that probably helped out and I know they were also pretty helpful with the pets. If people were going to a warming center that couldn't take their pets, they were working every avenue they could to find a way especially for animals like lizards and par all those things that other people not just dogs and cats. So, um I'm I'm hopeful those donations were helpful for them during that time. Um other than that, I think all that's all I have for now. Okay, Commissioner Milburn.

This is a letter from Tom Gregory, Dave Livingstone, and myself. It states, "Last week's severe destructive ice, wind, and storm left thousands in our county without power and water. Because of these hazardous conditions, many roads and streets became impassible due to debris and falling trees. On just our street, over 12 trees filled on a little road which could completely paralyze the people living here. The basic ability to even pull our cars out of their driveways, let alone drive down the street. However, within hours of no power and in harsh temperate conditions, the state police along with Roscom County deputies, members of the county road commission, neighbors, and total strangers arrived with chainsaws and muscle to work together in harmony and ensured our street was safely cleared. Our community came together during this national disaster showed us resilience and caring for one another. This is we'd like to thank you. I'd also like to thank Jody and Darlene for their steady and decisive leadership. the department heads and county employees. 911, they are definitely the unsung heroes. EOC, Vanessa, you're a rock star. Uh EMS and first responders, animal control, airport. People don't realize how important an airport is during a national disaster when you have to bring stuff in. Commission and Aging, the fire departments, township police, township officials, uh the power, the sewer authority, consumers power, county road commission, churches and school, and the mercy chefs and the remarkable citizens and volunteers of our great county who work together and in the spirit of kind human kindness and compassion for one another. That's all I have, Madam Chair. Thank you.

Okay, Commissioner Muffson.

Yes. [clears throat] I'd like to mention that probably the road commission is out cleaning up debris and maybe in some cases the trees are not done falling. So I'd like to caution everybody to be careful when they're out there driving and keep your eye open. [clears throat] Um excuse me. Um, I was also going through some of the MAC articles and a couple things caught my eye. One was the House Bill 5452 regarding the sunset deadlines being removed um from the and giving the courts permanent authority to impose costs on on the different criminals. I think we need to keep an eye on that. I don't know if it'll go anywhere, but I think that's something that we need to be. And then the septic code was the other one. Um, and then there was a property tax millage house bill 4583. I know that Jody had sent something out to all of us on that. And that's another one I think we need to keep an eye on, especially as different come before us because if I understand that right, it can only be on then the November ballot and you can only have two. Is it So, we really need to keep an eye on that.

Quick question for clarity and maybe we don't know that yet, but as I read it, too. Does that include any millages or just property tax millage? Well, most millages are property tax millages because that's what they're based on. So that's our road patrol, the ones we're talking road control, the RCRC, every single special millage that a township has goes in.

Yeah. So anything other than an advalorum that's already in place would go in. So every township mill um and there was a really good article um from MTA on this as well. So every township mill and every county mill would be limited then to that November. Um, and I understand like from a strategic standpoint as far as elections management, um, where this might be something that people think this is a great idea. Um, the only problem with that is it's another onus of the state has decided that there are all these extra things that need to be done with elections now. Put that onto our township clerks and onto our county clerk. Uh and now in order to make up for it, they're going to set more local controls from a state level. Um [snorts] which means if if you have residents that really want to see some sort of a millillage be placed because they have a need, they're going to wait to for a November in an election to see that happen. Um it also makes more important if this goes through, which they they kind of made it sound like there was a chance it would

at the meeting that we had on Monday. um bring those fund balances for all those special millages because if you're limited so yeah so it'll be every single voted millillage so [snorts] and you're I think representative Maddock actually introduced this saying well everyone should have a chance to vote so you can only do it in November I think that was his statement at least so from your perspective is this something that could hinder us from hinder counties at least when you're talking about fun balance and monies and not being able to do something for at least once a year and only have two on a ballot,

it will it will affect both your townships and your counties equally. Um you would be looking on obviously you're only going to get it on to November. Um, and oddly because we have so many people that vote absentee, um, saying that you're going to so many snowbirds, I guess I should say, saying you're going to only put something on a November ballot in Ross Common County and in our townships does not allow everybody to vote. August is the time when everybody's here. Um, so it's an it's an interesting concept, but yes, it definitely changes the course of that. Um, I think ballot fatigue is a real thing that nobody thinks of. um not not just for the voters, but for our clerk's office, too, when they're when they're drafting those. So,

but we're safe. I shouldn't say safe. This probably if it doesn't go through, wouldn't take into effect until 2027 or if if even then, depending on when they do that. So, we're okay for now for the groups that are preparing to renew their millages. Correct. We're okay. Correct. Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes. I don't want to hijack your report. So, I'd like to comment on this after you're done. Oh, you can go ahead. You can I don't want to hijack your report. That's okay. I only have a couple more things.

Um, it was mentioned that somebody felt that the sheriff's department was double dipping by asking for 1.5 mil. That's not double dipping. The 1.49 mil was the headley roll back. People don't understand as taxable values in this county go up the taxable rate goes down to achieve the same monetary level. So it was not double dipping. Sorry for hijacking.

No, you're good. Um there was also an article in there that talked about possible grant money. Um there the application obviously it was April 2nd and it was for substance use prevention and the grant was through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Um I don't know if anybody wants to look further into that. I know the timeline is ticking as April 2nd is right around the corner. Um, we also had a letter asking to support the Mid Michigan Community Health Services and just wanted to get a consensus if that's something that we want to pursue as far as doing that letter and the SNAP report and errors that have that were reported for Michigan for 2024 and the possible penalties that Michigan and could face if those continue on. It was quite substantial. It was in the millions of dollars. So, just some areas for food for thought as I was going through there. Um, again, I just really want to thank all of our first responders, emergency management, 911, the sheriff's department, all of our local officials, EMS, everybody for coming together and stepping up this ice storm. took a lot. Um, I live on the back side of White Deer Golf Course and that place right now with all the tall pines looks like a bomb has gone off. That night was quite scary to the point, you know, you could just hear the trees falling and snapping and the point where I didn't sleep in my bedroom. I slept out in the living room because I have some tall pines right next to those areas. But um

again, trees are still falling. We just had one fall the other day. So just be careful. Um with no further comment, this meeting would be adjourned. All in favor say I.

The next meeting will start at 10:45. March 25th, 2026 at 10:49 a.m. First, we have the bid process for the lake level control structure discussion as of the whole. Um, this morning I had given you um the legal opinion that we had gotten from our attorney. I know some of you may not have had a chance to read through it al together, but um thoughts, comments?

Yes. Before we get too concerned about this legal opinion, I think we need to contact the attorney and make sure the legal opinion is specific for what we have occurring here. This is talking about drain commissioners and I think it's assuming the drain commissioner has authority over lake levels in this county and they do not. Most counties the drain commissioner's office handles that. Um so we're kind of different than most counties. Our drain commission office has nothing to do with the lake levels. So I think we need more legal advice on our specific circumstances. thoughts, Madam Chair? I mean, I as we've just kind of started to read this as well. Um, it does say drain commissioner/lake manager. So, I'm not sure when we asked I don't know who asked for should we go back and clarify or were they very clear. Was the attorney clear on our specific situation and this is really what it is? That would probably be the first question. Did

so he um so the attorney was aware that this person holds two hats as a dual role. Um they are understanding of the fact that this was the lake manager who oversees the project and not the drain commissioner. But I certainly don't think that it could hurt to reiterate that you want to make sure that um A and B aren't intertwined. Correct. In that

because I do agree with Commissioner Wolson that if there was any misunder, you know, this is normally the way it is, go with this, you know, recommendation. It might not hurt just to clarify before we dive too far into making those decisions. I would agree. Our county may be unique in its nature. So may not apply. May we may we may be unique. It also says that with respect to which his office would have oversight, right? Neither one of those has oversight on the project. Understand? When it goes for bids.

Okay. Um, any other questions on that? Um, I guess once we have that better clarified, then we can continue on about the bid process and how we'll go out for bids and how that will look and things like that. We have a timeline in which we need to have a answer back and then us discuss before we well on St. Helen, they thought they would have it out for bids this fall. Yeah. Okay. So, yeah, we need to Would this need to go back on to another agenda, work session or

We'll probably put it on another work session just uh once we all need to vote on this once this or is this just f once we know our decision, we're fine. Um I think Well, I go ahead. So, in regards to the total overall bid process and what those bids are going to look like, since you guys wear both hats as the delegated authority and you wear the hats as the board of commissioners, you need to formalize that bid process, the bid packet. That should all be done in a public meeting. It should all be voted on in a public meeting.

Yeah, we we need to have figured out how we're going to proceed. Mhm. So I think a work session is the best way to do that and then whatever we need to vote on would go up um two weeks later in that meeting. I think if that's our timeline that we need to work very next work session then the very next regular meeting for a vote and you know formalize it that way we're not getting too far if they're going to start a bid process we need to have that clarified pretty quick. Yep.

Okay. Um, number two, we have Freshwater Trail Maintenance Fund. Um, Brenda was supposed to have some information. She did email Jodie um late yesterday and the information she doesn't have ready yet. So, for us to make any decisions without that information. So, um, she has to be put on the next okay the next session. Um, how Jody, do we know exactly how much we have left for EDC?

So, we have two little buckets for EDC. Um, okay. When I say that, I want to say it was right about 55, but let me just double check. I think like one was like 46,000, but then there's something. So, EDC also has that um they have their special projects which they were operating out of, but then they also have the um loan. Yep. fund that they were doing. And there's about 21,000 in that as well, which might be a better spot to kind of look at revamping that whole fund into an upkeep type of for that. Okay. Let me double check really quick.

While she's checking, I I think you're right. I think once we get that information that our controller got from Brenda, like here's what we have left, right?

This is everything that's going to come out of that bucket. We had that pretty lengthy conversation at the last meeting. We can better determine what what we can appropriate, what we can't. The revolving loan fund has $27,149 and 28 cents available in it. old lady. [laughter] It's all blurring together. The special project fund has 59,431.37.

Okay. Okay. Thank you. All right. Um, next we have the Northern Michigan Child's Assessment Center millage proposal, Rebecca Yner, the executive director.

Thank you. And also joining I have a board member with me, Jennifer Bogs. Um, so this is a conversation I was hoping to avoid for my tenure here. Um, but as we've been really looking as the center and our board of directors, um, our funding and how our funding, um, just give you a little bit of an update. So we do get federal funds which is the victims of a crime act to support children's advocacy centers and then also in the state budget in the department of health and human services. Our funds are um held with the division of victim services by the state. So, so that's kind of our state and federal funding sources, which when I started in this world back in oh 96. Um, we had I believe seven children's advocacy centers in Michigan. Um, and that's and we weren't even in the state budget at that time. So, we fought to get in the state budget. that happened um in the late 90s that the state recognized children's advocacy centers and important work that we do with law enforcement in the prosecutor's office to allow us you know for that state funding. So there is a MCL number statute that identifies children's advocacy centers. Um we now have 40 in Michigan. Um what has happened is we continue to increase having children's advocacy centers but not our state and federal funding. Um state funding has been stable. Um we you know it always goes with the the cycle and the culture of our governor. Um we've had some good support. Um but we haven't seen increases but we haven't seen decreases at least with state funding. Our concern is our federal fund. Um victims of a crime act. We have now I received a 17% increase or decrease. Um last year they're already predicting for 97 a 14% decrease. Um my allocation at one point

was 312,000. For my 26 budget it was 212. So there was 100 grand that we lost. Um consistently the 10 years that the center's been open, no matter what our budget has been state and federal funding, um we are raising 30% of our budget from the community. So that's our local law enforcement support, our commissioner support, um and then the fundraising, the small grants that we write, you know, our service groups, the rotaries, foundations, that kind um and then the donations that we get. So um as we have continued to grow, you know, and our budget continues to grow when we were at, you know, just maybe 600,000 raising that 30%, you know, we have a $1.2 million budget now. And so raising that that 30% has really um been challenging over the last few years and you know relying on fundraising and you know relying on um just our community to help support the the services that we provide. So that's where um our board then created a sustainability committee um looking at our strategic plan and how can we make sure that we are diversified in our funding um to continue to support and obviously my legacy is to want to see in my next probably five years um that these services can sustain past my tenure um and for future children and families in our community. So that what brings me to um asking just the consideration um I've been all six counties um are aware I've been presenting to I have two more counties to get to um but have had you know obviously everybody supports the center and I know all you guys support the center. The support that we've gotten from you as commissioners in the last 11 years has just been just priceless and crucial and I can't say enough. Um, I

know millages are hard and, you know, not I'm not even sure what is all, you know, on on the ballot for August right now. Um, it is going to be challenging. It's going to be hard. Um, if at all possible that we're able to get on the August ballot, we're asking for that support. Um, I did submit our initial wording. Obviously, you know, it needs to go through attorneys. Um, I know it's being reviewed by the Aasco County attorney right now. I haven't gotten their feedback yet. Um, but you know, we're working with all six counties on that. I did break it down um just to National Children's Alliance is who we're accredited by. They pretty much estimate that it's about $3,000 for every child who comes through the center to receive and that's if they receive all of our services. So, at our center, we do provide all those services. We go from that forensic interview, they can have a medical exam and then all the therapy. Um, that's not true for children's every Children's Advocacy Center. We are very blessed to have the support that we do that we can offer all those under one roof. Um I broke that down and just really said let's focus on making sure those kids can get to the center for that forensic interview. Um we know that bringing kids to a center for that forensic interview is the best practice. It's the best trauma informed, the best environment, and it's going to build the best case for our prosecutors um to be able to hold offenders accountable. So breaking that down just to that 1,500. Um so I took an average of all of our counties. So um you have per per average cases. We average, you know, just shy of a 100 cases, you know, in Ross Common of those kids coming in to the center for forensic interviews. So if we were just to say, okay, I'm going to bill per interview, that's what we would be looking at. So that's at $145,000. um kind of working with uh our I was you know really working with some of our um equalization officers and you know putting together what that proposal

might look like. It was you know probably in everybody's best interest they felt like to go for the same millillage with all six counties the 05 um and that is really just covering that 30% of our budget. You know we still will get state and federal funding. We just never know from year to year, you know, what that's going to look like, what cuts, and then obviously this being a new election year, a new governor. You never know the culture of, you know, any new leadership and what their priorities are. victims of our our federal funding right now. The priority is, you know, safe borders and money is being thrown, you know, into ICE and safe borders and that's causing because they are they're viewing obviously, which is true. Um, of there's a lot of victimizations that's happening, you know, because we don't have safe borders. And so those victims of crimes is also tapping into our federal money because that goes to all victims of a crime. So we're a part of that. Um so that is that's my ask you know um US commissioners and our county has been so supportive of the center and we so appreciate that and you know we all we all can agree how important these services are. Um we just want to really do try to do I guess as the executive director and our board feel it's our responsibility also just to do our due diligence to try to make sure that these services are here for our children and family for years to come. So, I'm sure you have lots of questions. Um, I'm probably hopefully I'm prepared because um now you're my like I think fourth commissioner. So, um

I just have a Oh, go ahead. No, go ahead. Just just one question. When do you expect this proposal to be brought forward? Yes. This this is my office. I I I don't see I don't see in front of me. I haven't I'm sorry. Oh, in August. August. Sorry. Yeah. August. So, I believe May like 11th. I know. We're We're getting tight. It's middle of May that we have to have everything. That's what I'm looking for. Yeah.

Yes. So, so you know, by I did submit, you know, our wording. Um, and I I haven't got back from the attorney. It's IASCO and I was in Ascot yesterday. They're having their attorney review it. Um, you know, I will I can share with Michelle, you know, what other counties are recommending or, you know, tighten up any of the wording that they feel needs to be tightened up. Um, and so that was the goal to have that by that I say May 11th for some reason. Yeah. So, it's right around that's what I was looking for day. Thank you,

Madam Chair. Um, can a private entity ask for millillage?

So, good. I need to clarify that. No. Um, so there would be you as commissioners. So, you would be levying that on our behalf. So, it would um, you know, cause some additional work, you know, for your clerks and for, um, collecting. So, it would be the county collecting the millillage and then um and and I believe and I don't not sure how it's done in Roscommen County, but I know when we were talking to Ogama County, it's similar to what they do with their animal shelter and then they do like a monthly allocation um to the animal shelter. So, it would be Yeah. So, you would be collecting it. You would be, you know, asking on our behalf or asking for the millillage to support these services for our county. Um and then

Ross Common County would have to go to the voters and ask for this knowledge. Oh, I mean and we will take the brunt you know obviously I mean my board and you know we've already talked about what that might look like. Um obviously we would be the one out there promoting it, hitting the pavement. Um you know and then with your support being a multi-county service center

kind of like Kirtland Colleges with their core district doesn't there have to be an agreement intergovernmental agreement between the counties? So this the way this is we would go and that was another discussion um whether or not we wanted to go with multicounty or go individual um and so this was this is going individual with each county. So right now what that would do it would offset like we don't because we get such inkind support from us commissioners. Um my other five counties our commissioners are giving us a financial allocation along with some of our city like here we get we do get an allocation from our sheriff's department from Garish and from um Richfield. So if we were to pass a millillage and would you know each county whatever county passes those millage we would not ask for that al annual allocation from our partners um that are you know so the millillage would replace that because that does that is included in that 30% um of our budget that and so any so the counties that are passing the millillage we would not ask our partners for that support that would offset that if it doesn't pass in a certain county then that's when we would go back to our partners and evaluate um you know reaching out to townships and reaching out to other entities that [clears throat] can help make up that that difference.

Cody, wouldn't we still have to have like a contract like we do with COA? So, that is one of the things um legally in order for the board to do this obviously you have to have a statute that allows you to to perform that. Um I know Tim the old one went with the generalized. That's wrong. He was wrong. Um, but you can utilize like the mental health and you can utilize just the general health code to put those services into place, but the county does have to have a contract with you then to perform certain services for that millillage.

So, and like and we don't have it's a it's a looser contract that we're tightening up for because I've always had a like it's a professional service agreement with our other five counties because we are getting direct funds from them. Um, so you know, we provide for this allocation, we provide this services and Jody's seen because we have it with the sheriff's department. So, it's a very loose one that would have to in um I know ICO County, their attorney is looking I sent them, you know, a copy of it and they're looking at tightening that up so it's really clear on what those services are, what the funds are being used for, um, and ensuring that those funds are used then for that county. Mhm.

Um, so but yes, so we would tighten up that contract. Commissioner Moley, you had some questions.

Well, I think some of them have somewhat already been answered. So, and I pretty much from because we've talked a lot about how that budget and the problems with the state and the feds. Totally get that. Um so be before this you raise about 30% of your budget through community efforts donations sheriff's department fundraisers and stuff like that. So, this would replace that. You're you wouldn't be getting this from the community and the people if this passes. You won't be asking for getting that. Is that

So, it probably it depends. I can't say that for sure. I mean, we probably wouldn't have to do we would have to do as much like fundraising and community support. It definitely would replace our partners' allocations. Okay. you know, any any if we're getting an annual allocation from any police department, from any commissioners, from every any sheriff, that definitely would go away. Absolutely. Right.

Um, we would have to evaluate, you know, as a board from year to year what our budget was, what we know, like because I don't want to say, we wouldn't want to say to the community, we're not going to do a fundraiser or ask for that support because then if you know, if we do get a huge cut state and federal and all of a sudden now I have to raise, you know, 50% of my budget. Um, so it would just depend on yeartoear on and what our state and federal allocations are. That would be our goal. um is that we can sustain these services without going out and asking the community to continue supporting us and and in general by a millillage they are supporting us

and so so that is that showing their support um I mean I made you know I said commissioners meeting yesterday I said you know when you look at it's a 05 you know but people don't look at it just the small amount they look at you know my husband we're business owners we have property and every time we get that tax bill it's like how how many millages are we paying for? You know, and that's what you'll look at. I said it probably be easier for me to go to every household and ask for $10. Um, but you know, the realistic where we're at is those partners with the capital campaign that is also going on. Has that impacted your ability to get not your partners, but your other community donations of people who say, "Hey, here's some money." Because you're also trying to raise a lot of money,

capital, and not operating. is that impacted and why it has a little our annual appeal was down and I think you know was a part of that um but we're also it's really uh targeting populations that is really supporting the capital campaign um and our billing campaign compared to just our our donors that are coming through the door. Um, so this might be a stretch, but um, so let's say only two county, everybody says yes, go out for millillage, right? Only two say yay and gets passed. What is your plan to make sure that let's say Ross Common passes it and three others don't

that those three counties aren't getting the services from the money that our county just gave. Correct. That right. Yeah. I think that will not farewell for people to say, "We're funding and you don't, but yet you're taking people from those counties, bringing them to the center, doing all your work." How do you how do you right manage that? Yeah. Um, you know, and our first and foremost, what we would do is look at those counties that did not pass.

Is there other avenues that we can go about? like we um had I already started reaching out to townships, you know, looking at can townships, you know, so that would be our first is how looking at like what is the goal, you know, so if we're looking, let's say it doesn't pass in OMA County and we're looking at raising $85,000 in OA County. So I would take that amount, look at, okay, what are we getting from our commissioners? What are we getting from the city police department there? Now we're looking at 50,000. You know, what is you know, who can we still go out to to make up that difference? whether it be you know the townships and different entities that might partners that we might be able to reach out to. Um the other part of that is just looking at because we base this on a percentage of services and the families that are coming through that you know we we foresee that there's some years Ross common you look at our tenure some years Ross common you know was the highest county was the highest so that that fluctuates from year to year um so we're still going to provide like so the the services of those kids coming through in Roscommen County we're using Westcom County funds to cover those services because we're really only basing it on those kids coming in from forensic interviews. So then when let's say you know so now we have you know kids coming in from other counties and looking at what those you know what funds are we getting from those other counties and how are they going to cover you know like our services. That's our first approach would be how can we make up that difference. Let's say we can't um you know and then I mean everything that we do when we track everything that we track because we get a lot of grants that it's um you know foundation grants and you know gas cards you know we have to verify it's you being used for um all of our

that's really where my question goes is it's all of this will be a little bit of a different structure if any of these pass I I can't have a crystal ball I don't know if all of them will or not Right. And I would like to make sure that there is some tracking mechanism that if our county says yes and I know they come to your facility here Ross Common

that this isn't state and federal. I mean it's different for you to send in a report and I know we don't want to turn away kids. That's not my point. But I really believe that if our county would approve it, several don't. None of our county money goes to support those counties support. That's my personal take because I don't think that's fair. When we continue to go back and ask townships and other people for more money and then we support the people who said, "Yeah, we don't want that. That that's not our role to pick up that bucket." Correct. That's my take. So, as long I would just want that to be looked at. Mhm.

You're like, "We can we kind of do this, but I think if this goes, you're going to really need to know the money that came in from our county." Yes. Is this only that that's just my take that some kind of tracking, right? And and that is that is, you know, um the conversation we're having with all of our counties is, you know, really tightening up. And that's part of that contract, you know, that I think we can look at is what does that language look like? How is that how does each county want that track? um you know what can we do to make that work right

I think it's very similar to how we handle the commission on aging in a sense you know we're the fiduciary of that money and then they're supposed to come back and explain how that's being used properly so it'd be a little bit different of a reporting structure I think back to us I think we're asking that at least twice a year to come before we do budgets um I do applaud that you're trying to put a sustainable plan together versus a shotgun approach of just continuing to try to go out and ask for money if there's there's a sustainability to this. I I applaud that because I think that's going to be critical for the future of that and and not have to you might get more kids. You might not and then all of a sudden you need to raise that up again. So I think sustainability is good for sure.

I want to emphasize what Kim just said. It's very important that every dollar that we collect from Roscom County goes to Roscom County. I've seen this in other since I've been a commissioner. Uh there's different agencies I've worked with. So, well, you have more money than we do. That's not my fault. The bottom line is we're good stewards of our county. We're not good stewards of other counties. So, if we get a dollar for Roscom County, it needs to go to Roscom County residents. And I know you ensure that, but what Kim said is very, very, very important because we have to have the trust and confidence of the taxpayers of this county to ensure that every dollar that we receive stays within our county. So, thank you, Kim.

I'm sorry. No, big addition because I think we faced this even with our commission on aging. You you can probably attest to this. Then the community goes, you did this. You control the commission on aging. You tell them to do. That needs to be a very clear statement. We don't control you if this millillage goes through. And and people when it comes from us, they assume we're in charge of you. And I think that needs to be a very clear communication. I don't want the people coming up here like we get with the Commission on Aging saying it's our fault. My take, Madam Chair. Yes, I fully support what you do.

I mean, it's needed. It's a wonderful program, but I think the way it is right now presented maybe is sketchy at best without a multi-county agreement. Mhm. I mean, it's, you know, some problems pop up that, you know, and it's like Kim said, you know,

somebody has to have accountability over all this. And if we're the funding mechanism, you know, where's that fall? It's just I don't know. It just seems like if it's a multi-county agreement, it would make the whole process easier and better. I don't know.

I don't know the answer to that one. Um I just know that even if it's multi-county, single county, however it is, the contract has to be really clear so that the residents know that yes, the money being raised is for each individual county. And I think as long as residents realize that I think then we'd be okay. But the contract has to be very explicit. I think

Madam Chair, I also think and I know when you're writing millages that legal ease is so hard. It's very confusing for most people anyway to understand when it's written. If there's some way for that, I don't know because I don't write legal ease, but that people understand that you're if you're approved this, this only supports the services. I I don't know, but it could be something that we really look at. I don't know. I And that is actually so the way that the um commission on aging, which is very similar that there's specific things that you are contracting,

you've raised that millillage to contract with. And so in the millillage language, it just is basically so that basically in a non-legal format, I'm going to say that Ross common county can contract with any agency never specify in case you go under and you have to pay somebody else to perform these services. Okay. Is exactly how. And then we just have an agreement that goes through. Okay. Yeah. I I think we're going to have to rely heavily on someone that's been here long enough to have some experience in this. [laughter] Sorry, [laughter] there's lots of bits and pieces and we have to explore. Yeah.

No, I I completely agree and I agree with all of your concerns and it's, you know, um to to be honest, all counties are have the same. Yeah. So, everybody wants to ensure which we completely 100% support and want to see that happen. Um, so it would be, you know, how how we look at that contract. Did you say Iasco County and at Sego are already reaching out to their attorneys? Is that so? Aasco I know has Okay. Um, I'm meeting with the financial so it's not the full board, but the financial board um next week for ODIO.

Okay. Um, and then OGMA, I talked to them yesterday and I know they were reviewing, you know, the the language and um, and then I just was at Escod yesterday and yeah, so they um, are getting it to their attorney. So there might be some suggestions that they have too that I mean I obviously I will share email out to my counterparts in those counties and just say hey information you share we've got and then once we have some more just bring it back for more discussion and stuff I think so Mrs. Bogs I'd like to thank you for your service. You're very welcome.

Thank you. Nope. That's all I ask is please consideration reviewing it, looking into it on everything that we do and greatly appreciate. Absolutely. Any questions you have for me, darling, just let me know and if you need any additional information um I can keep Michelle in the loop on any other like the language that comes through or All right. Thank you. Thank you. That was the last thing that we had on our work sessions. So with nothing further, this meeting would be adjourned.