CASS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING JANUARY 22, 2009

CASS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING JANUARY 22, 2009 The County Board of Commissioners met in regular session on Thursday, January 22, 2009 in the Commission Chambers. Clerk/Register Barbara Runyon called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. Commissioner Warren gave the invocation; Commissioner Ziliak led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. Clerk/Register Runyon called roll: COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Ed Goodman, Robert Wagel, Cathy Goodenough, Gordon Bickel, Sr., Charles Arnold, Carl Higley, Sr., Ronald Francis, Dixie Ann File, E. Clark Cobb, Minnie Macon Warren, Johnnie Rodebush, Debbie Johnson, Bill Steele and Robert Ziliak. COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: David Taylor. STAFF PRESENT: County Administrator Terry Proctor and Clerk/Register Barbara Runyon. Visitors introduced themselves. INTRODUCTION OF VISITORS APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA Commissioner Goodenough moved, seconded by Commissioner Higley, to approve the January 22, 2009 Cass County Board of Commissioner s Agenda. Commissioner Rodebush moved, seconded by Goodman, to move the election of the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson to the next portion of the Agenda. Motion carried by voice vote. UNFINISHED BUSINESS Election of Chairperson Clerk/Register Runyon opened the floor for the election of Chairperson of the Cass County Board of a Commissioners for a one-year term. The two nominations from the January 8, 2009 meeting were Johnie Rodebush and Robert Wagel. Commissioner Goodman commented on the Chairperson position. Paper ballots were passed out. A paper ballot vote resulted in eight votes for Commissioner Wagel; six votes for Commissioner Rodebush. Commissioner Wagel was elected as Chairperson, and took over chairing the meeting. 1

Election of Vice Chairperson Chairperson Wagel opened the floor to nominations for Vice Chairperson. Commissioner File nominated Commissioner Francis, with a second by Commissioner Arnold. Commissioner Johnson nominated Commissioner Goodman, with a second by Commissioner Steele. The Chair asked the Clerk to take roll: Commissioner Goodenough votes for Commissioner Francis Commissioner Steele votes for Commissioner Goodman Commissioner Bickel votes for Commissioner Francis Commissioner Arnold votes for Commissioner Francis Commissioner Higley votes for Commissioner Francis Commissioner Francis votes for Commissioner Francis Commissioner File votes for Commissioner Francis Commissioner Cobb votes for Commissioner Goodman Commissioner Warren votes for Commissioner Goodman Commissioner Rodebush votes for Commissioner Goodman Commissioner Johnson votes for Commissioner Goodman Commissioner Ziliak votes for Commissioner Francis Commissioner Goodman votes for Commissioner Goodman Commissioner Wagel votes for Commissioner Francis Commissioner Francis received eight voters and Commissioner Goodman received six votes. Commissioner Francis was elected as Vice Chairperson. PRESENTATION Becky More, CPA gave a Financial Update of the Cass County Medical Facility. Merri Torborgh, Director of the Cass County Medical Facility, spoke on what s happening at the Medical Care Facility. Questions and comments followed. PUBLIC COMMENTS Kathy LaPointe from Volinia Township thanked the commissioners for their service and stated that the citizens of Cass County will be watching and holding them responsible. Cass County Road Commissioner Louis Csokosy invited everyone to attend the Road Commission Summit scheduled on March 7 th at 8:30 a.m. at the Cass County Road Commission. He also talked about what they expect to accomplish with the Summit. 2

Cass County Road Commissioner Leroy Kemprec talked about the Road Commission s accomplishments this year and their goals for next year. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Goodman moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodenough, to approve the January 8, 2009 Board of Commissioner Minutes. Commissioner Rodebush moved to have the Minutes amended to add the language Commissioner Wagel replied no, after the sentence Commissioner Rodebush suggested drawing to decide the Chairman position. Motion failed for lack of support. Chairman Wagel asked for a vote on the original motion to approve the January 8, 2009 Board of Commissioner Minutes. Motion carried by voice vote. FINANCIAL REPORT County Administrator Terry Proctor gave the financial report. COMMITTEE REPORTS Commissioners Higley, Ziliak, Goodman, Johnson, Warren, Bickel, Rodebush, Francis, File, Wagel and Administrator Proctor gave committee reports or commented. ADMINISTRATOR S REPORT County Administrator Terry Proctor gave the administrator s report. FURTHER UNFINISHED BUSINESS Interview for Road Commissioner Al Northrop was interviewed as a candidate for the Cass County Road Commissioner. NEW BUSINESS Motion M-5-09 The Board of Commissioners voted to sponsor an Intergovernmental Forum on March 26, 2009 (M-122-08). Southwestern Michigan College has made the Mathews Conference Center available for the forum if the date is changed to March 24, 2009. 3

Commissioner Cobb moved, seconded by Commissioner Rodebush, to change the date of the Intergovernmental Forum to March 24, 2009. Motion carried by voice vote. Motion M-6-09 A motion to renew the administrative agreement with the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency (SMCAA) and to authorize the Chairman to sign the agreement on behalf of the Board. Commissioner Goodman moved, seconded by Commissioner Goodenough, to renew the administrative agreement with the Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency. Motion carried by voice vote. Resolution R-7-09 Commissioner File moved, seconded by Commissioner Arnold, to approve the following resolution: RESOLUTION CASS COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS WHEREAS, the Michigan Municipal League Workers Compensation Fund has agreed to buy five years of service from the Municipal Employees Retirement System of Michigan (MERS) on behalf of Leon Gilliam; and WHEREAS, such purchase is subject to approval by the Board of Commissioners, NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Cass County Board of Commissioners grant the five years of generic service credit to Leon Gilliam upon payment of the total estimated actuarial cost of this additional credited service; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chairman of the Board be authorized to sign the necessary forms on behalf of the Board of Commissioners. Commissioner Steele moved to abstain from voting due to a family conflict, seconded by Commissioner Francis. Motion carried by voice vote. The Chair directed the Clerk to call roll on Resolution R-7-09: 4

Yeas (13): Commissioner Bickel, Arnold, Higley, Francis, File, Cobb, Warren, Rodebush, Johnson, Ziliak, Goodman, Wagel and Goodenough Nays (0): None Absent (1): Commissioner Taylor Abstain (1): Commissioner Steele. R-7-09 carried by roll call vote. Motion M-8-09 County Commission Chairman Bob Wagel appointed the following committee to study the need for an interoperable radio system and to report back to the Board in three months (April 2, 2009): E-911 Director Lt. Douglas Westrick, Chair Emergency Management/Homeland Security Coordinator David Smith County Commissioner Ed Goodman Dowagiac Chief of Police Tom Atkinson Edwardsburg/Ontwa Chief of Police Ken Wray Fire Representative Robert Smith EMS Representative Joe Gossens Dowagiac City Manager Kevin Anderson Sheriff Joseph Underwood Undersheriff Richard Behnke MI State Police Representative County Administrator Terry Proctor At this time County Administrator Terry Proctor requests that he be replaced by a Township representative. Wayne Township Supervisor Frank Butts has agreed to serve. Terry Proctor will assist the committee as needed. Commissioner Arnold moved, seconded by Commissioner Warren, to replace the County Administrator with a Township representative on the interoperable radio system study committee. Motion carried by voice vote. Motion M-9-09 Commissioner Francis moved to appoint David Allen to the Economic Development Corporation Board for a term ending September 30, 2011, seconded by Commissioner Higley. Motion carried by voice vote. 5

Chairman Wagel called a recess and the meeting resumed again as follows: APPOINTMENT OF ROAD COMMISSIONER Chairman Wagel asked the Clerk/Register Runyon to read the names of the Cass County Road Commissioner candidates. Clerk/Register Runyon read the following names: Robert Locke, Clifford Poehlman, James Klett and Al Northrop. Commissioners File and Arnold moved to abstain from voting due to a family conflict, seconded by Commissioner Higley. Motion carried by voice vote. Chairman Wagel stated that seven votes will be required to be appointed Road Commissioner. The Chair asked the Clerk to take a roll call vote: Chairman Wagel votes for Clifford Poehlman Commissioner Goodenough votes for Clifford Poehlman Commissioner Steele votes for James Klett Commissioner Bickel votes for Clifford Poehlman Commissioner Higley votes for Clifford Poehlman Commissioner Francis votes for James Klett Commissioner Cobb votes for James Klett Commissioner Warren votes for James Klett Commissioner Rodebush votes for Clifford Poehlman Commissioner Johnson votes for Clifford Poehlman Commissioner Ziliak votes for Al Northrop Commissioner Goodman votes for Clifford Poehlman Clifford Poehlman received seven votes, James Klett received four votes and Al Northrop received one vote. Clifford Poehlman was announced the winner. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS/ANNOUNCEMENTS Commissioner Ziliak asked Chairman Wagel if County Treasurer Irwin could make a projection of what the interest revenues will be for this year versus when we established our budget. He also requested that an ad hoc committee be formed to study the Veterans Affairs position which is being vacated by Fred Leet in February. Comments followed. Chairman Wagel thanked Commissioner Ziliak and said it would be on the agenda in the near future. There was no other board member comments or announcements. 6

ADJOURNMENT Commission Warren moved to adjourn, seconded by Commissioner Higley. Motion carried by voice vote. The meeting was adjourned at 9:16 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Barbara Runyon Clerk/Register 7

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