Committee approves budget calendar, strategic plan RFP and directs cost-of-service metrics

The Ottawa County Finance & Administration Committee on Feb. 6 approved a package of administrative items including the 2025 budget calendar and a request to issue a request for proposals (RFP) of up to $100,000 to obtain vendor options for the county strategic plan. The committee also approved routine spending and contract items and directed staff to produce cost-of-service metrics.

The committee approved general claims totaling $17,740,481.57 for Dec. 22, 2023–Jan. 25, 2024. It also approved forwarding a parks request to modify seasonal employee pay rates (annual adjustments tied to cost-of-living), a sheriff's office vehicle-uplifting contract, and several other items to the full Board of Commissioners.

On the strategic plan RFP, the chair said the county will forward vendor review and approval to the strategic planning committee; Commissioner Moss thanked staff for including comparables to other counties. The committee approved an RFP for up to $100,000 with review to occur in the strategic planning committee.

The committee directed administration to work with department heads to develop cost-of-service metrics — such as number of FTEs (full-time equivalents) budgeted and hired, program volumes and program purpose — and submit information to the chair by March 5, 2024. County administrator Gibbs described developing metrics as "a paradigm shift" that will require coordination across fiscal, HR and department staff and said not all metrics will be finalized by March 5.

The committee also approved a request from public health to increase a community health nurse position from 0.5 FTE to 0.6 FTE at an annual cost of $9,130 and approved FY2024 budget adjustments. During discussion of budget adjustments, a member asked about a listed grant from 'MOUTH'; Chris Conrad said there is no grant agreement this year and the entry represents funding that came in.

The committee took these votes as part of routine business; no additional formal policy changes were enacted beyond forwarding items to the full Board of Commissioners or setting internal deadlines for reports.