GRATIOT COUNTY — The packet for the Oct. 20 Board of Commissioners meeting includes an email in which a court official says the county administrator’s request for monthly court reports would take “a large amount of additional work,” a labor update showing four bargaining units in negotiations, and a notice that county employees move to MESSA for benefits on Jan. 1. The documents are posted on BoardBook; the figures below are from them unless noted.
Courts on monthly reports
An Oct. 9 email from Jennifer Wood to the county administrator says that, after speaking with Chief Judge Lisa Sullivan, the courts “like to be good partners with the County funding unit,” but that monthly reports from all of the courts “would require a large amount of additional work.” She wrote that the courts already file quarterly and annual reports with the State Court Administrative Office, linked public statistics for the county, and invited the administrator to say what specific information he wants. The email is posted as the packet’s court reports attachment.
Labor and benefits
The Human Resources report lists the Command Officers Association of Michigan and three Capital City Labor Program units (road patrol and corrections, central dispatch, and bailiffs and security) as in negotiations. The Governmental Employees Labor Council and the Technical, Professional and Officeworkers Association of Michigan agreements are effective through Sept. 30, 2027. County employees will enroll with MESSA for benefits beginning Jan. 1, 2027, with open enrollment starting Nov. 9, 2026. Open positions posted until Oct. 23 include an information technology specialist, a corrections officer and road patrol; central dispatch applicants were being evaluated. The county hired an assistant prosecuting attorney expected to start Oct. 19, and two full-time and one part-time corrections officers. The report also lists sexual harassment training facilitated by the law firm Cohl, Stoker & Toskey and a flu shot clinic on Oct. 15 with 19 staff signed up.
Code enforcement
The Community Development report for September says the townships, county administration and department staff are working on changes to the blight ordinance and program and on a job description for a full-time code enforcement position, following the retirement of current staff. The department issued 16 building permits in September and received 15 applications, which it called low for the time of year.
Information technology
The Information Management report for September counts 152 help-desk tickets and one unplanned outage tied to a firewall changeover that affected seven departments. It says most problems were fixed within a week by the vendor, VC3, “which is slower than is acceptable.” The report says staff are writing a request for proposals for software to replace what VC3 provides, and that an IT support specialist was promoted to a new systems and network administrator position, leaving that position posted until Oct. 23.
Parks and disaster aid
The parks director reports that the overlook at Reed Park was removed as a liability and the beach area enlarged, that splash pad parts have been delivered to the City of Alma, and that camping reservations brought in about $2,745 more than last year. The consent calendar also includes the federal notice for disaster declaration FEMA-4925-DR, issued June 30, 2026 for storms, tornadoes and flooding April 10–21, 2026, which lists Gratiot County among the counties designated for both Individual Assistance and Public Assistance.
Money
A finance staff member presenting the claims said a new cash summary in the packet totals $35,583,863.72 across all county funds, including road commission and delinquent tax money (1:03:55). The check register for Oct. 1–15 totals $3,057,231.85 across all funds; the staff member said about $2.3 million of that was state education tax passed through after summer collections (1:04:28). The invoice register for approval totals $174,947.46. The treasurer’s September investment summary lists $8,372,902.20 in investments with $24,104.81 in interest collected. The treasurer told the board that two properties on the foreclosure re-offer list sold and one remains, to sell at a minimum bid below the taxes owed (1:02:46); the treasurer’s annual foreclosure report, no longer required by the state, was provided anyway.
What the record does not show
The packet does not say whether the county will keep asking the courts for monthly reports, what the bargaining proposals are, or what the MESSA move costs. The check and invoice registers are labeled for a meeting of Oct. 21, one day after the meeting.
Questions that remain
- Will the county name the specific information it wants from the courts, as the email invites?
- What does the move to MESSA change in cost and coverage for employees and the county?
- When will the full-time code enforcement position be posted, and who will fund it?
Corrections and responses are welcome.