Meeting Notes 5-25-21
Meeting Notes from the May 25 Meeting of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners.
Meeting Packet: https://www.miottawa.org/appImages/Calendar/1621870885879-packet.PDF
Meeting Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1Y4WbgIIcs
Sentinel Roundup: https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/news/coronavirus/2021/05/26/ottawa-county-coronavirus-emergency-declaration-expires/7431073002/
Public Health Roundup: County Health Department personnel gave the Board an update on current Covid conditions in Ottawa County, which is summarized in the above slide.
COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act Advisory Committee: This item was pulled from the agenda pending further discussion.
Summary:
Ottawa County is slated to receive nearly $57 million in federal funding via the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The US Treasury Department website includes four primary purposes for use of the funds:
1) Support urgent COVID-19 response efforts to continue to decrease spread of the virus and bring the pandemic under control;
2) Replace lost revenue for eligible state, local, territorial, and tribal governments to strengthen support for vital public services and help retain jobs;
3) Support immediate economic stabilization for households and businesses; and
4) Address systemic public health and economic challenges that have contributed to the inequal impact of the pandemic.
Ottawa is considering five main investment categories: County Organization – COVID-19 Operational; County Organization – Infrastructure; Community – Social-Human Needs; Community – Business/Economic Development; Community – Infrastructure
Termination of State of Emergency Order: The Board voted 9-2 to officially terminate the State of Emergency (SOE) that had been in place since March 2020. I voted no because I believe that a tailored SOE to include just the ability to hold virtual meetings would have been useful for Ottawa County, as well as a number of jurisdictions and school boards that may still wish to meet virtually< As of 5:00 pm today, all jurisdictions and school boards must meet in person.
2021 Budget Adjustments: The Board approved monthly budget adjustments per the attached schedule above.
Idema Explorer Trail Easements: The Board approved a series of easements to help connect the paths along the along the Grand River Greenway that will help complete the Idema Explorers Trail. More here.
Allocation of 2020 Unassigned Fund Balance: The Board approved the transfer $2,726,083 of the 2020 General Fund unassigned fund balance to the Capital Project Fund.
Summary:
The Fund Balance Policy establishes the General Fund unassigned fund balance of 20-25% and as September 30, 2020 the balance was $20,262,605 or 28.89%.
In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the recommendation is a have the 25% maximum allowable fund balance or $17,536,522 to maintain operational flexibility in the current year.
FY2022 Michigan Department of Corrections Plan and Application: The Board approved the FY2022 Michigan Department of Corrections Plan and Application.
Summary:
The funding application includes a request in the amount of $265,704.80 to provide local services for individuals in the criminal justice system with the goal of reducing the occurrence of repeat criminal offenses that result in a term of incarceration or detention in jail or prison.
Property Assessed Clean Energy Program Establishment: The Board approved a Resolution of Intent to Establish a Property Assessed Clean Energy Program and set a Public Hearing for June 8, 2021.
Summary:
Establishing a county wide Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program in accordance with Public Act 270 of 2010 will have the effect of economic development and enhanced environmental sustainability by allowing the use of PACE for private and not for profit owners of commercial, industrial, and certain multi unit residential property to install energy efficient/renewable energy improvements. The PACE mechanism allows the owner to access funding that is secured by a special assessment on the property benefiting from the defined energy efficient improvements. The special assessment runs with the property, not the owner, making it a low risk investment for the commercial lender.
A non-profit entity, Lean and Green Michigan (LAGM), will be engaged to administer the program, at no cost to the County. This means that the staff time needed to offer this program to property owners will be minimal. LAGM gets paid by the program applicant at closing. The County is not under contract with LAGM, and can choose to disengage with them at any time.
Included with this action request: Resolution of Intent to Establish a PACE program and Call a Public Hearing, Draft Resolution to Establish a PACE program, and a Draft PACE Program Report, which provides terms, conditions, and documents necessary to offer the PACE program.
Resolution of Intent to increase the 2021 Millage Rates for County Operations and the E-911, Parks, Road Commission and CMH special millages and to set a Public Hearing for June 8, 2021: The Board voted to approve the resolution to establish the Board of Commissioner's intent to increase the 2021 millage rate and set a public hearing for June 8, 2021 for purposes of receiving testimony and discussing the levy.
Summary:
In determining if Ottawa County has a tax increase, State law looks at revenue growth (taxable value x millage rates) as opposed to millage rates alone.
State law requires that the County advertise a tax increase when tax revenues increase from the previous year (excluding tax revenues generated from new construction). For this calculation, millage rates are reduced to a level that will generate the same amount of tax revenues as the previous year (excluding the tax revenues generated from new construction).
At the same time, the “Headlee Calculation” determines the maximum allowable millage rate. Tax revenues cannot grow more than the rate of inflation (not to exceed 5%) plus new construction. If taxable values exceed the allowable growth, the millage rate must be permanently (or until a vote of the people) rolled back to limit tax revenue growth from the previous year to the revenues generated from new construction and inflation. In 2021, like many years, Ottawa County’s taxable values exceeded the maximum allowable growth, so the 2021 maximum allowable millage rates were adjusted to 0.9896 of 2020 millage rates.
In order for the County to keep the tax revenues generated from inflationary growth (up to 5%), the County is required under Truth in Taxation to advertise a tax increase even though the millage rates, in this case, are being reduced. The “increase” in taxes contained in the Truth in Taxation public hearing notice is the difference between the millage rate that would allow no inflationary increase in tax revenues from the previous year and the millage rate that would allow inflationary growth in tax revenues from the previous year.
Crockery Township Wastewater Treatment System 2021 Improvements: The Board approved the resolution to approve the Crockery Township Wastewater Treatment System 2021 Improvements bonds.
Summary:
Crockery Township would like the County to sell Act 342 bonds to finance the construction of a force main and gravity sewer in portions of Crockery and Township and Spring Lake Township. The total project is $3.055 million.
Renew lease with the City of Holland for Tunnel Park: The Board voted to approve the Park Commission's management of property adjacent to Tunnel Park for a 20-year period at a cost of $500.00.
Summary:
In March of 1989, the Ottawa County Parks Commission (the Commission) and the City of Holland Board of Public Works (HBPW) executed a 20-year lease agreement to enable public park access to 200 feet of Lake Michigan frontage and the grassy open area extending to Lakeshore Drive, owned by HBPW north of Tunnel Park, as well as an area east of Lakeshore Drive used for overflow parking. The agreement has been renewed once for 10 years.
This agreement has worked extremely well in helping the Commission provide important access to Lake Michigan for Ottawa County residents and visitors. Not only is the beach frontage popular, but the additional space for picnicking, volleyball, and related recreational activities has been well used and enjoyed by park visitors. We greatly value the foresight of HBPW and the City Council in embracing this partnership at no annual cost.
Staff, in conjunction with HBPW, have evaluated the lease and updated the proposed agreement with similar terms to allow us to continue this valuable service. The agreement has been reviewed and approved by the County's Corporation Council.
We continue to see growing demand for access to Lake Michigan, making this agreement very important to maximize public benefit.
Although there is no annual rent, the agreement does stipulate that we will cover HBPW's legal fees in the preparation of the agreement, which will not exceed Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00)
