Board Presents Budget, Honors Donna Kipp

Commissioners Recognize Employee of the Quarter Donna Kipp

Board Presents Budget, Honors Donna Kipp
​By Ken DeLaat
​
The Newaygo County Board of Commissioners held the required public hearing on the proposed 2016-17 budget for the county as presented by Administrator Chris Wren at their regular meeting on Wednesday September 14th.
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Mr. Wren went over the key elements of the budget as he had done in last week’s finance committee meeting and the hearing was opened to public comment. After a period of about five minutes... 

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...with no one approaching the board with comment the hearing was closed. Later in the meeting the board approved the budget for the upcoming year.

The board approved the West Michigan Forensic Pathology Services Authority inter-local agreement with Mecosta County. This agreement involves the collaboration between the two counties in the creation of a morgue located in Big Rapids.
Administrator Wren explained that with no services of this type available closer than Kalamazoo other counties, particularly those to the north of us, may want to access the services of this shared initiative between Newaygo and Mecosta.

“This is a great project, a modern state of the art facility and a real dollar saver,” said Mr. Wren.

Commissioners heard from DNR Regional Prosperity Coordinator Mark Sargent who described some of his duties and spoke to local initiatives undertaken via the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Commissioner Larry Lethorn asked Mr. Sargent about the trust fund and inquired as to whether there might be funding available for the Hardy Pond Trail initiative.

Commissioner Chris Ortwein gave Mr. Sargent a brief description of the project and Commissioner Lethorn asked if the county would qualify. Mr. Sargent stated that as long as it was on county land it would qualify. Commissioners expressed an interest in pursuing this further with Mr. Sargent after the meeting to gather more details.

The board voted to accept the grant from the Bissell Pet Foundation to support Empty The Shelter Day an event that allows sheltered animals to be adopted free of charge. The Newaygo County Animal Shelter will be holding this on October 22 according to Commissioner Phil Deur.