ITHACA — The Gratiot County Board of Commissioners posted its Oct. 6 agenda with seven resolutions under new business. Three of them authorize agreements with outside organizations, and they are in different states of completion. None has been voted on yet, and drafts can be filled in before a meeting.
Extension services: a number and no contract
Resolution 26-466 would approve an agreement with Michigan State University Extension for fiscal year 2027 “at a total cost not to exceed $176,202.00.” The resolution says county voters approved an extra-voted millage for Extension services. It refers to “the attached Agreement for Extension Services,” but the attachment posted with the agenda is the two-page resolution alone; the agreement itself is not in it.
Conservation District: services and price both blank
Resolution 26-467 concerns the Gratiot Conservation District. It says the district’s staff and funding limits cause it to “pass up valuable state and federal funding,” and that its long-range plan matches the county master plan on water remediation and safety, agricultural resilience and blight mitigation. The operative paragraphs read: the board “wishes to engage the Gratiot Conservation District to provide _____ services,” and “authorizes development of an agreement with Gratiot Conservation District for _____ services at a total cost not to exceed $_______.” The resolution also requires quarterly activity reports to the board.
Court clinical services: provider named, price blank
Resolution 26-469 says the 65B District Court “relies on clinical service providers to evaluate persons who appear before the Court” and that Brain and Behavioral Health of Traverse City “has demonstrated an ability to reliably provide clinic services to the satisfaction of the Court.” It would authorize development of an agreement for clinical services “at a total cost not to exceed $_______,” with reports as the court requests. The packet does not say what services are covered, how the provider was selected, whether other providers were considered, or what the court paid in the past.
Why it matters
Other items on the same agenda carry full dollar figures, such as $128,740 for the Commission on Aging parking lot (Resolution 26-464, which this publication reported when bids were requested) and $203,683.02 for the Drain No. 050 loan. Where the amount is blank, the public cannot see the board’s spending limit before the meeting. The board’s Purchasing Policy, cited in the parking-lot resolution, sets competitive-bid steps for larger purchases; whether it applies to these agreements is not stated. The county may supply the missing figures at or before Tuesday’s meeting, and the minutes will show what was adopted. Gratiot County, the Conservation District and Brain and Behavioral Health have not been asked to comment for this report. Either is welcome to respond at contactus@gcwhistleblower.com, and any response will be published in full.