Commissioners amend chair-term language to run from election to next organizational meeting

Commissioners spent substantial time debating the exact wording of a resolution that defines the chairperson's one-year term. Concerns focused on potentially creating a gap in emergency authority if language ended the chair's term on Dec. 31, and whether the resolution should appear to "elect" the chair rather than the board doing so.

One amendment that passed revised the clause to say the chair's term "shall begin upon election and shall end at the beginning of the following year's organizational meeting or at the end of the commissioner's elected term, whichever is first." The amendment was approved after a combination of amendment and roll-call procedures; the clerk then announced that the amended language would be added to the resolution and the resolution itself passed.

Commissioners repeatedly flagged that board rules and state law (MCL references cited in discussion) also bear on term length and emergency-management authority; several members said those issues should be reviewed by committee to avoid unintended consequences before additional rule changes were proposed.