Meeting Notes 7-27-21

Written By Doug Zylstra
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Meeting Notes from the July 27 Meeting of the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners.

Meeting Packet: https://www.miottawa.org/appImages/Calendar/1627404525695-packet.PDF

Meeting Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxhTvngKm1E&t=2347s

Sentinel Roundup:

Holland Township Water Line Easement: The Board approved the Water Line Easement between Holland Charter Township and Ottawa County on Parcel No. 70-16-16-400-090.

Summary:

Holland Charter Township would like to extend to the west an existing 12" water main that dead ends under Union Street in front of the Children's Advocacy Center. This would enhance reliability of the overall water system while improving fire flows in the area in addition to eliminating two dead-end water mains that would further improve water quality. In order to do this, the Township is requesting a 20-foot-wide easement along the northern boundary of the County-owned parcel in order to construct and maintain this water main.

Agreement to Provide Economic Development Services: The Board approved a three-year Agreement for Economic Development Services with Lakeshore Advantage Corporation at a cost of $130,000.00 per year for a total cost of $390,000.00.

Summary:

Ottawa County has had an agreement with Lakeshore Advantage Corporation to provide economic-development services since the merger with the Ottawa County Economic Development Office in 2014. This request is to renew the Economic Development Services Agreement for another three years.

I was heartened to see that our final Statement of Work included ‘Making Ottawa ‘Where You Belong’ through DEI collaboration’, which will allow the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion office to work with Lakeshore Advantage to better provide Economic Development through an Equity lens.

Ottawa County Classification & Compensation Study: The Board approved the results of the Classification and Compensation Study completed by Municipal Consulting Services. The General Funds costs are budgeted in the 2022 budgets. The total cost of the Classificaiton and Compensation Study is $853,021.

Summary:

In 2020, the Human Resources department contracted with Municipal Consulting Services, to perform a Classification and Compensation Study for Ottawa County. This study involved the development of comparable employers; employee participation by job questionnaires of employees and interviews with department heads; development of a market survey and analysis of positions to determine internal pay equity as well as external pay parity. From this information the consultant developed a comprehensive grade structure for the positions and labor groups that were included in the study. The pay ranges provided a basis for evaluating and modifying the current pay levels of employees included in the study. The study also included a comparative summary analysis of employee benefits. Included is the final report from Municipal Consulting Services that can be used for ongoing pay system administration.

The total cost reported in the Study is $853,021.00. The total cost of annual salary with benefits is $1,182,707.72. The cost to the 2022 budget with benefits included is $900,000, as it is for 9 months due to a start date of January 1, 2022. All groups coverered under bargaining agreements would require letters of understanding for approval of new wage scales.

Family Justice Center Budget: The Board approved 8-1 a budget of $30 million to cover all costs associated with the Family Justice Center project.

Summary:

When the contract was approved the project team was targeting a $25 million budget to cover all costs associated with the proposed Family Justice Center project to construct a new courthouse to house the Juvenile Court and Friend of the Court staff. After numerous planning meetings, it has become apparent that a new building that meets the County's needs cannot be designed and constructed within the $25 million budget. The significant increase in construction costs (labor and materials) has had a major effect on the cost per square footage price on this project. The most recent cost model from Granger Construction shows the total project costs (design, construction and soft costs) at about $29.4 million. We are seeking the Board's approval to increase the total budget to $30 million to reflect the current construction environment and to provide some leeway in the event that costs continue to increase.

I voted no, as I did in 2019 when the cost estimate was between $15 to $23 Million. In 2019, I felt that price tag was too high and that we could accomplish many of the new Courthouse’s goals, especially those related to privacy and safety, through a smaller scale, more strategic build that would also imply reduced annual staffing and maintenance costs. At $30 Million, my opinions have not changed.

Note that in 2016, the preoject was budgeted to come in at $10 Million.

Item:

Surveillance, Invasion of Privacy or Security Ordinance: The Board approved 8-1 the Surveillance, Invasion of Privacy or Security on County Property ordinance.

Summary:

This ordinance, if adopted, would restrict surveillance (including the use of drones) in parks, the Jail and courthouse areas as well as other County-owned property. It would prohibit anyone from unauthorized video taking and audio recording of any work area, person or proceeding inside a County building, except for meetings open to the public or as authorized by the Chief Judge for a court proceeding. It would also prohibit all drone usage within 500 feet of the Jail or Juvenile Detention Center and 20 feet from the courthouses in Grand Haven, Holland and Hudsonville, as well outside above any County-owned property, including County parks.

I voted no because the Ordinance presents both existing law and constitutional issues that I believe need to be resolved prior to any decision by the Board.

Policy on Board Resolutions: The Board approved 8-1 the proposed Policy on Resolutions.

Summary:

The Board of Commissioners receives many requests to adopt resolutions to take positions on issues. At the Planning & Policy Committee's request, Corporation Counsel has drafted a Policy on Resolutions to help the Board of Commissioners determine the types of resolutions that it may wish to consider. The policy states that the Board would only consider resolutions that pertain to specific administrative or legislative authority conferred to the Board by state statute or those honorary resolutions that recognize extraordinary community or county service of particular individuals, officers or employees. The Board would not take action on any other type of resolution.

I voted no because I believe the policy not only impinges on our right to speak, but more importantly, takes away our ability to lead on issues of importance to the Ottawa community, Furthermore, I believe the language that we will only take up Resolutions that ‘pertain to our Statutory Authority’ to be vague and indefinite to the point of not providing any real practical guidance.

Senior Resources Annual Implementation Plan for FY 2022: The Board approved the resolution for the Senior Resources Annual Implementation Plan for FY 2022.

Summary:

It is a requirement of the Aging and Adult Services Agency that area agencies on aging send a copy of their Area Plan and seek a resolution from County Boards by August 2 of this year. The Plan has been approved by Community Spoke.

The request from Senior Resources also includes a $20,000 local match for 2022 to leverage $6,614,880 in federal and state funds. Action on this resolution does not commit the County to that amount, but rather reserves that appropriation decision for the budget cycle later in 2021.

Community Mental Health Stepping Up Resolution: The Board approved the resolution of support for the Stepping Up initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails.

Summary:

Since Stepping Up launched in 2015, over 500 counties have joined the initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails. Counties of all sizes have made progress toward establishing accurate, accessible baseline data on the prevalence of mental illness in their local justice systems, which has led to innovative policies and programs, increased connections to potentially life-saving treatment, and tangible reductions in the prevalence of mental illness.

Office of the Public Defender Personnel Request: The Board approved the request from the Office of the Public Defender to add one, full-time benefited Legal Clerk (Group T, pay grade T-6) at a 1.0 FTE at a cost of $63,995.

Summary:

The Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) has approved funding of a new Legal Clerk position in the Ottawa County Office of the Public Defender (OPD). Ottawa County will incur no additional costs for this position because the County or “local share” of the OPD budget is determined by statute. Any costs above the local share are born by the MIDC.

The Ottawa County OPD currently has four Legal Assistants who provide both technical and administrative support to the department. However, the department has recognized that this staffing level is insufficient and the Legal Assistants are spending the majority of their time on clerical tasks instead of the more complex, legal tasks they were originally hired to perform. As a result, many of the technical tasks the Legal Assistants would typically perform is falling to the attorneys.

The Legal Clerk position will help relieve the clerical workload of the Legal Assistants, allowing them to focus on complex legal matters.

Parks and Recreation Department Personnel Request: The Board approved the request from the Parks and Recreation Department to increase the FTE of the part-time, benefited Secretary position (Group T, pay grade T-7) from .625 FTE to a full-time benefited 1.0 FTE position at an increased cost of $23,960.

Summary:

The Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Department has experienced steady growth in recent years by acquiring additional parks and facilities and by expanding program offerings. This has been accompanied by an increase in the public use of parks, open spaces and trails. As a result, the department has seen an increase in administrative duties related to user questions via phone and email, reservations, cash handling, ticket processing, motor vehicle permits, hunting lotteries, utility payments and other ongoing administrative duties.

This request would expand the hours of the existing part-time, benefited Secretary position from 25 hours per week (.625 FTE) to a full-time benefited position working 40 hours per week (1.0 FTE) at an increased cost of $23,960 per year.

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FY2021 Budget Adjustments: The Board approved the 2021 budget adjustments per the above schedule.

Doug Zylstra
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