Benzie County adopts FY2015–16 budget and makes multiple appropriations actions

The Benzie County Board of Commissioners adopted the FY2015–16 budget on Sept. 22 after several related motions and amendments.

Key actions included adoption of the Sept. 17 Budget Consent Calendar items 1 and 2; rescission of an earlier budget-hearing consent motion; amendment of the 2015–16 budget to add $51,003 (motion by Tucker, seconded by Carland); and formal adoption of the FY2015–16 budget. The board then handled the Appropriations Act in a sequence of motions—adopting the Appropriations Act as presented, rescinding that adoption, and adopting a revised Benzie County General Appropriations Act to include a Commission on Aging (COA) millage rate adjusted from 0.6536 to 0.6600 and add a TNT of 0.1000. Commissioners authorized the chairman to sign the documents and adopted a corrected L-4029 reflecting the COA change.

The board also adopted Resolution 2015-021 upholding a FOIA denial; approved Amendment #7 to the Railroad Point Natural Area expansion with the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund; voted Jan Mick (Republican) and William Ward (Democrat) to the Board of Canvassers; and authorized a settlement agreement and mutual release regarding a BC/BS case, authorizing the chairman to sign. The motions were approved by roll call; the minutes record unanimous ayes among present commissioners with Commissioner Griner excused.

Separately, the board approved payment of bills for Sept. 9–18, 2015 totaling $360,071.87 and authorized the FY2016 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) work agreement with MSP Homeland Security, authorizing the chairman to sign both documents.

The board scheduled a special meeting for Sept. 29 to address HR/administrator search matters; no further appropriations tied directly to that referral were made at the Sept. 22 meeting.