Board roundup: contracts, hazardous-waste pact, vehicle disposals and pay adjustments approved

The Marion County Board of Commissioners approved a package of routine contracts, personnel actions and service agreements during its April 27 meeting.

Contracts and appointments: Commissioners approved annual remonumentation and surveyor agreements required by the state, appointed members to the county’s peer-review survey board and authorized 2026 monumentation survey agreements. A presenter noted the per-surveyor compensation dropped from about $63.50 last year to $56.50 this year due to a change in the annual grant funding.

Hazardous-waste agreement and event: The board approved a one‑year agreement with Kent County’s Byron Center SafeChem program covering April 1–March 31 and up to $7,800 of hazardous-waste disposal (about $39 per household equivalent for up to 200 households). County staff (Rachel) said the site will be open limited Monday hours for drop-off and that a county hazardous-waste collection event is scheduled Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; the county will use a voucher system and accept electronics, tires and certain foams. "We're using a voucher system for that," Rachel said, and staff noted a Padnos grant will eliminate electronics fees at a separate local location.

Fleet and insurance items: The board accepted a $12,500 insurance settlement from MMRMA for a totaled 2016 Chevy Tahoe and directed staff to sell the vehicle for salvage and purchase a replacement through the state purchasing program, with equipment costs covered from the vehicle fund. Commissioners also authorized disposal (sale or scrap) of a 2016 Ford Taurus used by the family-division court unit.

Compensation and pay scale changes: With concluded union negotiations, commissioners approved 2026 pay levels for three chief‑deputy positions set at 75% of the corresponding elected official's salary, retroactive to Jan. 1, 2026. The board also approved a 2026 nonrepresentative (nonunion) employee pay scale with an illustrative 3% adjustment to keep nonunion salaries aligned with negotiated union increases.

Other actions: The board approved claims in the amount of $47,604.84, accepted a transfer of fiduciary responsibility for the Berry Community Resource Network to the Berry Community Foundation, and dissolved a steering committee overseeing a county facility project after a staff report that the committee’s work was complete.

Procedural notes: All items above passed by majority vote; where roll-call results were recorded, the clerk documented ayes and absences. Several commissioners asked staff for follow-up details on budgets, insurance exposure and timelines; staff committed to returning with necessary documents for audit and implementation.