11/25/2024 - Leelanau County | Executive Committee Minutes

Summary

The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners Executive Committee meeting on January 13, 2015, included several key decisions and discussions, notably involving public comment on local governance, discussions on the Leland Property sale, updates on Sheriff’s operations, and committee appointments. The board agreed on various motions regarding contracts for hazardous waste collection and related services, as well as budgets and financial authorizations.

Public Comments

Steve Mikowski from Lake Leelanau raised concerns about grant money and its implications on government spending, advocating for limited authority of county governance over private property. He also mentioned his observations of Road Commission meetings. John Popa, a Road Commission member, discussed the urgency of appointing a replacement for a Road Commissioner and expressed his reservations about increasing the number of commissioners due to associated costs.

Infrastructure Projects

During the meeting, the board discussed the Leland Property sale. Commissioner Rushton expressed concern over selling the property for $775,000, suggesting that the marketing approach may not have maximized potential value. The discussion included considerations of the property's potential and the ongoing management of past decisions related to the property.

MOTION BY BUNEK to recommend to the Board of Commissioners to execute a resolution authorizing the sale of the property for $775,000. A counterproposal for $850,000 by Rushton and Lautner was voted down. The board ultimately voted 4-3 in favor of Bunek's motion to accept the sale.

Other Business

Other agenda items included approval for various programs and expenditures, such as: - Acceptance of a $1,000 donation from the Suttons Bay Art Committee for an inmate art project. - Grant applications for the Sheriff's Office and a contract for the Senior Dining Voucher Program. - Appointments to the Peer Review Group for survey and remonumentation. - A contract with ERG Environmental Services for household hazardous waste collections.

Financial Summary

The board recommended approval of claims totaling $156,575.51 and post-audit amounts of $1,481,707.04. An application for Public Act 32 funding for the 911 dispatch was authorized, maintaining ongoing financial support for these critical services.

Action Items

Several action items were raised, including: - Recommending the continued funding and support for the Traverse Narcotics Team. - Finalizing the contract with the Thunderbird Café for the Senior Dining Voucher Program. - Moving forward with appointing candidates for the vacant Road Commission position, with advertisement for additional candidates to occur by February 5, 2015. - Continued exploration of the opportunities to videotape meetings for better transparency, with specific options to be reviewed in future sessions.