Chippewa County Board of Commissioners Regular Meeting Report

April 11, 2024 430:pm

Commissioners present:

Scott Shackleton, Jim Martin, Damon Lieurance, James Traynor, Robert Savoie.

Commissioners Absent:

None

Correspondence and Informational Items

The committee reviewed the treasurers investment reports, the visa billing travel requests, and the home health and hospice report. 

Public Comment:

Mike Mccarthy
Chippewa Luce and Mackinac counties Conservation District report.

Cindy Armstrong, Terry Noles, Joanne Saunders, Justiene moss
With Cindy Armstrong as the spokesperson, the group lodged grievances on the abrupt closure of the home health and hospice program. They had expected to continue working in the program for the remainder of the year. They also feel that the severance package that they were given was not adequate, (paying out whatever sick time they had remaining and a 500$ bonus contingent on staying till closure date). 

Lori Miller
Lodged complaints on the new reduced Neebish Island ferry schedule. She brought up that there is already a decrease in services. Residents are finding it difficult to get phones repaired in less than a week. She also added that the Health Department excludes Neebish Island from their operations because of the ferry schedule. She added the reduced schedule could hurt all the local small businesses that are already struggling in the area.

Phyllis Reed
Phyllis identified herself as a member of the Neebish Island Improvement Association and made a plea to the commissioners to do something to improve the ferry schedule to the island. She mentioned that double to triple runs in the summertime, with the restricted schedule, makes it even harder to make appointments as you’re stuck sometimes waiting in line for potentially over an hour. With the 6pm curfew, resorts and restaurants business could suffer.

Simon Langler
He doesn’t trust the EUPTA chairpersons’ position on the Neebish Island ferry schedule, and thinks that the chairperson isn’t doing a good enough job finding or managing the money that they have.

John Model
Has a family member currently in hospice home health care. He mentioned 4 doctors leaving in the next few months. 

Marta Lalonde
Voiced concerns over the lack of microphones in the meeting, resulting in the audience being unable to hear the proceedings. 

Dave Ulrey 
Spoke about his concerns about a land title not being cleared up.

New Business

• Resolution 2024-08, approval of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

• Resolution 2024-07, approval of a resolution opposition to the Governor’s recommended yearly budget. 

• Resolution 2024-09, Reinstatement of Governmental 457 b retirement plan, approved.

• Resolution 2024-10, Help Reinstatement of Governmental 457 b retirement plan, approved.

Finance, Claims, and Accounts:

• Approval on a june 30th closure date for the Home Health and Hospice program. Due to reduced reimbursements, and staffing inability to maintain services expectations. Home Health and Hospice full-time employees receive a payout of sick time, plus an additional $500.00 if they stay until June 30, 2024 closure.

• Approval of Office of Emergency Services Soo Tower Space lease agreement. A twenty year renewal of annual rent, $4,470.15. 

• Approval of Rave Emergency Notification System, for an annual fee of $4,000.00 and a one-time $1,000.00 for set-up/migration.

• Approval of $1,500.00 county expenditure for a Pager Talk Group for Kinross EMS; to be reimbursed by Kinross EMS.

• Approval of the Prosecutor’s Office is transitioning from utilizing Hyland OnBase to PACC/PAAM case-tracking and workflow application.. PACC/PAAM is providing funding to cover the migration and billing costs until September 30, 2026. Following the annual maintenance is expected to be around $4,000; with limits on the increases. This will be a savings of $24,000.00 per year.

• Approval of a technology specialist Anthony Zakic, to approve a Cyber Incident Response Plan for the County, to provide key framework on how we respond to a cyber incident.

• Approval of Information Systems Policy 505 (update), Provided Telephones/Laptops/Tablets, to clarify to employees when equipment can be asked to produce or return.

• Approval of Information Systems policy 507 (new),  policy regarding Computer and Network Authentication and following the best-practice standards, and Password Policy.

• Approval of Information systems request for proposals, building security control systems and camera systems in sheriff building, animal shelter, county building, and courthouse.

• Approval of Sheriff’s Office establishing a K-9 fund, wages for a Deputy who is assigned as a dog handler; with the base wage being increased by 20-25%.

• Approval to accept the Stonegarden Funding, Sheriff’s Office wages and fringe of $57,500.00; SSM City Police wages and fringes of $16,500.00; fuel of $8,100.00; mileage of $4,550.00; License Plate Reader maintenance of $3,600.00; marina slip of $1,900.00; patrol vehicle maintenance of $1,750.00; Thermal monocular of$6,000.00; OPS units $3,000.00; mobile 800mhs $14,400.00, portable 800mhs $ I9,200.00 and State management and administrative $3,500.00. for a total of $ I36,500.00 as the M&A is already expended.

• Approval of Animal Controls purchase of eight gates (four new and four replacement) price of $3,960.00.

• Approval of signature for the 5-year renewal of the Title Check LLC contract with the County Treasurer, as presented with per-parcel rates of $62.88 for administrative fees; $55.25 for full searches and $21.25 for repeat searches.

• Approval of CLM Community Action Agency Senior Services and Programs Millage Renewal, which will generate approximately $989,000.00 annually.

• Approval of bids for new copier machines from National Office Products. $4,779.75 for the Public Defender’s Office and $5,132.59 for the Clerk’s Office.

• Approval of March County bills and payroll: general claims $315,456.10, other fund claims $1,542,192.14, payroll $602,813.86, and Health Department claims $353,517.50 and payroll $205,602.67 total claims $3,019,582.27.

Commissioner Comments:

Chairman Martin spoke about Home Health and Hospice, and how heartbreaking it is for CCHD and the staff about closing the program; noting that the County kept it going as long as possible.  He thanked the staff, saying that the Commissioners did the best that they could do, and that it is very disappointing, but that it was not from lack of trying to keep the program.

Commissioner Savoie reiterated that it is a sad, tough day to take the lead on making the program closure motion, and that he did not see the program as a failure. He pointed out that we are the last county in the State of Michigan to be able to continue to provide the services; but that it is certainly a sad day for the staff and citizens.

Resolution 2024-07, approval of a resolution opposition to the Governor’s recommended yearly budget. 

• Resolution 2024-08, approval of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

• Resolution 2024-09, Reinstatement of Governmental 457 b retirement plan, approved.

• Resolution 2024-10, Help Reinstatement of Governmental 457 b retirement plan, approved.

Finance, Claims, and Accounts:

• Approval on a june 30th closure date for the Home Health and Hospice program. Due to reduced reimbursements, and staffing inability to maintain services expectations. Home Health and Hospice full-time employees receive a payout of sick time, plus an additional $500.00 if they stay until June 30, 2024 closure.

• Approval of Office of Emergency Services Soo Tower Space lease agreement. A twenty year renewal of annual rent, $4,470.15. 

• Approval of Rave Emergency Notification System, for an annual fee of $4,000.00 and a one-time $1,000.00 for set-up/migration.

• Approval of $1,500.00 county expenditure for a Pager Talk Group for Kinross EMS; to be reimbursed by Kinross EMS.

• Approval of the Prosecutor’s Office is transitioning from utilizing Hyland OnBase to PACC/PAAM case-tracking and workflow application.. PACC/PAAM is providing funding to cover the migration and billing costs until September 30, 2026. Following the annual maintenance is expected to be around $4,000; with limits on the increases. This will be a savings of $24,000.00 per year.

• Approval of a technology specialist Anthony Zakic, to approve a Cyber Incident Response Plan for the County, to provide key framework on how we respond to a cyber incident.

• Approval of Information Systems Policy 505 (update), Provided Telephones/Laptops/Tablets, to clarify to employees when equipment can be asked to produce or return.

• Approval of Information Systems policy 507 (new),  policy regarding Computer and Network Authentication and following the best-practice standards, and Password Policy.

• Approval of Information systems request for proposals, building security control systems and camera systems in sheriff building, animal shelter, county building, and courthouse.

• Approval of Sheriff’s Office establishing a K-9 fund, wages for a Deputy who is assigned as a dog handler; with the base wage being increased by 20-25%.

• Approval to accept the Stonegarden Funding, Sheriff’s Office wages and fringe of $57,500.00; SSM City Police wages and fringes of $16,500.00; fuel of $8,100.00; mileage of $4,550.00; License Plate Reader maintenance of $3,600.00; marina slip of $1,900.00; patrol vehicle maintenance of $1,750.00; Thermal monocular of$6,000.00; OPS units $3,000.00; mobile 800mhs $14,400.00, portable 800mhs $ I9,200.00 and State management and administrative $3,500.00. for a total of $ I36,500.00 as the M&A is already expended.

• Approval of Animal Controls purchase of eight gates (four new and four replacement) price of $3,960.00.

• Approval of signature for the 5-year renewal of the Title Check LLC contract with the County Treasurer, as presented with per-parcel rates of $62.88 for administrative fees; $55.25 for full searches and $21.25 for repeat searches.

• Approval of CLM Community Action Agency Senior Services and Programs Millage Renewal, which will generate approximately $989,000.00 annually.

• Approval of bids for new copier machines from National Office Products. $4,779.75 for the Public Defender’s Office and $5,132.59 for the Clerk’s Office.

• Approval of March County bills and payroll: general claims $315,456.10, other fund claims $1,542,192.14, payroll $602,813.86, and Health Department claims $353,517.50 and payroll $205,602.67 total claims $3,019,582.27.

Commissioner Comments:

Chairman Martin spoke about Home Health and Hospice, and how heartbreaking it is for CCHD and the staff about closing the program; noting that the County kept it going as long as possible.  He thanked the staff, saying that the Commissioners did the best that they could do, and that it is very disappointing, but that it was not from lack of trying to keep the program.

Commissioner Savoie reiterated that it is a sad, tough day to take the lead on making the program closure motion, and that he did not see the program as a failure. He pointed out that we are the last county in the State of Michigan to be able to continue to provide the services; but that it is certainly a sad day for the staff and citizens.