Kalamazoo County - July 1, 2025 Committee of the Whole Meeting

Updated about 5 hours ago

Gavel to gavel coverage of the July 1, 2025 meeting of the Board of Commissioner's Committee of the Whole for the County of Kalamazoo. Stay connected to your local elected officials.

Chapters

Public Comment (00:00:04)
Andrea invites commissioners to the 4-H showcase and provides information about state fairs.

Andrea formally invites the commissioners to the upcoming 4-H showcase event, which is about a month away. She also shares brochures that include information about festivals and fairs in Michigan. Andrea notes that the provided flyers do not have all the updated times for the shows, so attendees are encouraged to check the Kalamazoo County 4-H website for specific showtimes.
Accounts Payable and Payroll Disbursements (00:01:15)
Finance Director Ryan Post reviews accounts payable and payroll disbursements.

Finance Director Ryan Post presents a review of accounts payable and payroll disbursements to the board of commissioners. He provides details about the total amounts and invites questions from the board, but there are no questions at this time.
Household Hazardous Waste Center Feasibility Study (00:02:22)
Health Officer Jim Rutherford and Planning Director Rachel Grover present feasibility study findings.

Health Officer Jim Rutherford and Planning and Development Director Rachel Grover present findings from a feasibility study on the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Center. They discuss the limitations of the current facility, which is over capacity, and the need for a new, larger site. The study recommends finding a property with at least four acres to accommodate current and future needs, including the collection of additional materials like lithium-ion batteries. The presentation includes community survey results, potential future materials for collection, and the importance of improved signage and infrastructure. The commissioners express support for expanding the facility and enhancing advertising to increase participation.
Discussion on Housing Millage Scoring Process (00:30:00)
Director Mary Bama proposes an ad hoc committee to score housing millage project submissions.

Director Mary Bama discusses the open portal for housing millage funding applications, covering multi-family, creative, and supportive services categories. She recommends forming an ad hoc committee of commissioners to score the project submissions during July, with recommendations to be presented in August. The chair is asked to decide on full board participation or forming the committee.
Formation of Ad Hoc Committee (00:31:00)
Discussion on the formation of an ad hoc committee with commissioners expressing interest in participation.

Commissioners discuss the formation of an ad hoc committee. Christian Morales expresses interest in joining, as do Commissioner Wheeler and others. There is a consensus to move forward with forming the ad hoc committee, with several commissioners volunteering to participate.
Affordable Housing Concerns (00:34:34)
Commissioner Morales raises concerns about affordable housing availability for elders and low-income residents.

Commissioner Morales discusses issues faced by elders and low-income residents in accessing affordable housing. There is concern over rising costs and the availability of units for those on disability or with limited income. Morales emphasizes the need for prioritizing affordable housing in future developments.
Discussion on Scoring and Affordability (00:36:47)
Discussion on how scoring matrices should prioritize projects with higher affordability.

A detailed discussion on how scoring matrices for projects should be adjusted to prioritize affordability. Commissioner Morales and others discuss the importance of having more affordable units and how current scoring does not sufficiently prioritize this. There is an emphasis on ensuring that projects with truly affordable units are given higher scores.
Director's Final Remarks (00:40:20)
Director thanks the commissioners for their discussions and deliberations.

The director thanks the commissioners for their thoughtful discussions and deliberations throughout the meeting, and acknowledges the feedback provided during the discussions on housing and affordability.
Closed Session Announcement and Adjournment (00:40:38)
Announcement of no closed session and adjournment of the meeting.

The chair announces that there will be no closed session this evening, and without objection, the meeting is adjourned.