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Kalamazoo County - March 18, 2025 Board of Commissioners Meeting

Updated 1 day ago

The Board approves several key proclamations including Black Maternal Health Week and honors Catherine Pro and Rebecca Corey for their dedicated service to the county. The meeting also involves discussion on foreclosure prevention funding, with the Board agreeing to allocate funds and explore the effectiveness of the program. The meeting welcomes Sharon Brown as the new HR director, highlighting her experience in HR and DEI initiatives. The Board also prepares for an upcoming public hearing related to the Pavilion Investors LLC Brownfield Plan and discusses the parking garage project, emphasizing next steps and strategies for construction management. The meeting concludes with public comments and acknowledgments of the contributions of local government employees and officials.

Chapters

Call to Order (00:00:20)
Meeting called to order by the chair of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners.

The chair of the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners officially calls the regular business meeting to order.
Invocation and Reflection (00:00:30)
Commissioner Wheeler delivers a personal statement instead of a prayer.

Commissioner Wheeler begins with a personal reflection, emphasizing the importance of the gathering and the need to create a space where everyone feels valued and heard.
Pledge of Allegiance (00:01:10)
Recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

The attendees recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
Roll Call (00:01:40)
Roll call of commissioners is conducted.

The roll call is conducted to confirm the presence of the commissioners, with confirmations from Commissioner Morales and Commissioner Ray.
Proclamation Approval: Black Maternal Health Week (00:02:01)
Approval of the proclamation declaring Black Maternal Health Week in Kalamazoo County.

The board discusses and approves a proclamation to recognize and support Black Maternal Health Week in Kalamazoo County, led by Vice Chair Pro Tem Heppler.
Proclamation Approval: Honoring Catherine Pro (00:02:37)
Approval of proclamation honoring Catherine Pro for her service.

The board approves a proclamation to honor Catherine Pro for her dedicated service to the residents of Kalamazoo County in various legal roles.
Proclamation Approval: Honoring Rebecca Corey (00:05:04)
Approval of proclamation honoring Rebecca Corey for her service.

The board approves a proclamation to honor Rebecca Corey for her years of service as a judicial aid and her dedication to the residents of the county.
Approval of Minutes (00:08:09)
Approval of the minutes from previous meetings.

The board approves the minutes from the previous meetings, including both the committee of the whole and regular meeting minutes.
Approval of Agenda (00:08:36)
Approval of the meeting agenda with amendments.

The meeting agenda is approved, with amendments to move certain items from the consent agenda to the regular agenda for further discussion.
Public Comment (00:11:09)
Opportunity for public comment on any topic.

Members of the public are invited to address the board on any topic, with comments from students and representatives from the YWCA thanking the board for their support.
Consent Agenda Approval (00:15:44)
Approval of items listed in the consent agenda.

The board approves the consent agenda after removing an item related to the public hearing for Pavilion Investors, LLC Brownfield Plan for separate discussion.
Closed Session (00:16:51)
Board enters closed session for collective bargaining and legal matters.

The board enters a closed session to discuss the proposed collective bargaining agreement with the Sheriff's Supervisors Association and other legal matters.
Return to Open Session (00:20:08)
Board returns from closed session to regular session.

The board reconvenes in open session after completing discussions in closed session.
Unfinished Business: Event Center Financing (00:25:30)
Discussion on event center financing and assessment district ordinance.

The board discusses the ongoing topic of the event center financing program and the assessment district ordinance, with plans for a future public hearing.
New Business: Foreclosure Prevention Funds (00:30:30)
Discussion and approval of foreclosure prevention funds allocation.

The board discusses the allocation of funds for foreclosure prevention, with an emphasis on evaluating the program's effectiveness and potential future support.
Approval of Earned Sick Time Act Policy (00:39:03)
Approval of policy to comply with the Michigan Earned Sick Time Act.

The board approves a policy to comply with the Michigan Earned Sick Time Act, affecting temporary and part-time employees' sick time accruals.
Committee Appointments: Intergovernmental Round Table (00:45:00)
Appointment of commissioners to the Intergovernmental Round Table ad hoc committee.

Commissioner Chair STRs and Vice Chair Taylor are appointed to serve on the Intergovernmental Round Table ad hoc committee.
Second Public Comment Opportunity (00:45:40)
Second opportunity for public comment on any topic.

A second opportunity for the public to address the board, with comments from the undersheriff thanking the board for their approvals.
Welcome and Acknowledgements (00:47:26)
The chair recognizes the contributions of commissioners, administrative staff, and local government employees in providing services to the community.

The chair acknowledges the hard work and dedication of the board of commissioners, administrative staff, and all local government employees both at the county level and in municipal units. This work is about providing essential services to the community and recognizing the threats facing the country and the need for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights.
Encouragement of Civic Engagement (00:47:41)
Citizens are encouraged to recognize national threats, exercise rights, and advocate to local, state, and federal officials for community concerns.

The chair encourages citizens to recognize the threats facing the country, exercise their constitutional rights, and advocate to elected officials at all levels—local, state, and federal. Citizens should express their concerns to local township boards and encourage officials to communicate these concerns to higher levels of government. The chair highlights the importance of civic engagement and continuous communication with representatives.
Recognition of New HR Director (00:51:22)
The new HR director is welcomed to the team, highlighting the importance of the role in the county's operations.

The vice chair welcomes the new HR director to the team, emphasizing the critical importance of this role in the functioning of Kalamazoo County. The HR director's responsibilities include managing human resources and contributing to the county's overall success.
Housing Development Initiatives (00:51:38)
Discussion on increasing housing stock in Kalamazoo County through new initiatives and brownfield development.

The meeting discusses the importance of increasing housing stock in Kalamazoo County, including potential new housing units. There is a focus on brownfield development playing a role not just in economic development but also in housing. The goal is to use millage dollars to support the most vulnerable income groups by creating new housing stock with additional funds.
Approval of Bargaining Agreements (00:52:49)
Approval of bargaining agreements with sheriff's deputies unions, focusing on improving employee benefit packages.

The meeting covers the approval of bargaining agreements with the sheriff's deputies unions. The focus is on enhancing employee benefits packages, including healthcare, childcare, and copays, to make Kalamazoo County a more attractive place to work and to build a strong governmental team.
Mock Trial and Community Engagement (00:56:41)
Highlight of the mock trial effort spearheaded by Judge Beckett Jones and community engagement by department heads.

The meeting highlights the success of the mock trial initiative led by Judge Beckett Jones, showcasing the importance of advocacy and community involvement. Additionally, department heads are recognized for their contributions to the community, including providing training and teaching opportunities.
Reports on DEI and Community Outreach (01:00:02)
DEI director and finance director engage in community outreach to promote diversity and local government work.

Reports highlight the DEI director's efforts in providing diversity training to police recruits and the finance director's engagement with WMU Accounting Club to interest young people in local government careers. These efforts aim to build a diverse and future-ready workforce for Kalamazoo County.
Parking Garage and Pension Discussion (01:01:05)
Updates on the parking garage project, including schematics and management discussions, and pension adjustment talks.

The meeting provides updates on the parking garage project, with final schematics expected soon. Discussions continue on whether to proceed with a construction manager or owner's representative model. There is also mention of forthcoming pension adjustment discussions to be scheduled with the board.
Adjournment (01:08:55)
The meeting adjourns after a final discussion on community engagement and future initiatives.

The meeting concludes with a final discussion on the importance of community engagement and future initiatives to improve Kalamazoo County. The adjournment marks the end of a session focused on civic responsibility and local government operations.