9/16/2025 - Leelanau County | Regular Session Minutes

Summary

The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners held a regular session on September 16, 2025, where key outcomes included the approval of the meeting agenda and minutes, the adoption of several resolutions and motions, and discussions on financial matters including a temporary hiring freeze. The meeting addressed public comments, deliberated on multiple action items, and concluded with a closed session regarding labor negotiations.

Public Comments

Jim White spoke during the public comment session, though specific details regarding his comments were not provided in the document. Written comments submitted for this session can be found online.

Action Items

Several significant action items were discussed and voted on: - **Marine Safety Grant Amendment**: Accepting a grant amendment in the amount of $26,550 for the Sheriff's Office was approved without discussion. - **457(b) Retirement Plan**: The plan document was changed to continue the 457(b) retirement plan through Nationwide, passing unanimously. - **D&W Mechanical Service Agreement**: A three-year service agreement for facilities maintenance was approved, despite concerns raised regarding transparency. - **Fall 2025 2% Allocations**: Two allocations were approved for Leelanau Christian Neighbors Food Pantry and Housing North for community planning and housing initiatives with varying support from the board. - **Temporary Hiring Freeze**: A resolution for a temporary hiring freeze until the 2026 budget is approved was adopted, allowing exceptions for essential positions as determined by elected officials and the County Administrator. - **Resolution Opposing MDHHS Competitive Procurement Process**: This resolution was passed with a majority, voicing the board’s opposition to plans that could disrupt local behavioral health services.

Other Business

Other agenda items included updates from the Administrator, discussions about ongoing issues regarding financial positions, particularly in the Finance Department, and the recognition of Steve Stanton for his service on the Veteran’s Affairs Administrative Committee.

Financial Summary

Significant financial decisions included: - Claims and accounts were approved for $261,626.07 and post-audit claims for $6,197,261.70. - Discussion around the management of opioid settlement funds led to amendments requiring accountability reports from recipients of the associated funding.

Action Items

- Administrator Dyer was tasked with further discussing the necessity of certain positions regarding the hiring freeze. - A report detailing the spend of opioid settlement funds was requested by Commissioner Campbell to provide transparency. - Future discussions regarding labor negotiations will continue to be a priority among the commissioners.