Meeting Notes 8-24-21

Written By Doug Zylstra

Health Department Mask Mandate: The Health Department gave the Board a full presentation on the recent pK-6th Mask Mandate here. You can also view a recent webinar featuring local experts the Health Department put together to examine the details behind the mandate here. There was no action action proposed nor taken on the Mask Mandate.

I support the work of the of the Health Department in keeping the Ottawa school environment safe through this mandate, as I wrote when the Order intially was released:

Executive Search Committee: The Board approved the request to contract with GovHR for executive recruitment services in the amount of $22,500 and to appoint a County Administrator search committee consisting of:

  • Chair Bergman, Vice-Chair Fenske and Commissioner Dannenberg

  • Jose Gomez, Jennifer Owens, Michelle Fare and Monica Verplank

I voted yes because I feel we have a very balanced committee that will work to give the best slate of candidates. I do hope the search process is open to public input from the wider Ottawa community both on the front end and at the final selection.

Public Health Personnel Request: The Board voted 7-3 to approve the request from Public Health to add 17 full-time, benefited positions and 25 part-time, non-benefited positions at a total cost of $2,179,153.00 to be paid for with federal and state grant funding.

Summary of Request:

The COVID-19 pandemic has created an immense demand for extra services from the Ottawa County Department of Public Health. This demand necessitates an increase in staffing to respond effectively to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Ottawa County Department of Public Health has recently received over $2,600,000 in state and federal grant funding through the Stage of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). This grant funding will cover the cost of the requested positions in their entirety. The positions will end when the grant funding is eliminated.

Please see the attached page for additional justification regarding the staffing need. Full time, benefited positions:

1. Add 1 Public Health Team Supervisor (Unclassified, pay grade U-6) at a 1.0 FTE at a cost of $102,226. 2. Add 7 Health Educators (Group T, pay grade T-13) at 1.0 FTE's at a cost of $618,488.
3. Add 1 EH Specialist (Group T, pay grade T-11) at a 1.0 FTE at a cost of $87,813.
4. Add 3 Clinic Support positions (Group T, pay grade T-6) at 1.0 FTE's at a cost of $194,405.

5. Add 1 Clinic Support/Health Technician (Group T, paygrade T-8) at a 1.0 FTE at a cost of $76,895.

6. Add 1 Communication Specialist (Unclassified, pay grade U-5A) at a 1.0 FTE at a cost of $98,481.

7. Add 2 Nurses at (Group N, Nurse pay grade) at 1.0 FTE's at a cost of $190,549.
8. Add 1 Epidemiologist (Unclassified, pay grade U-7) at a 1.0 FTE at a cost of $109,939.

Part-time, non-benefited positions:

9. Add 6 Technical Support positions (Non-benefited) at 1000 hours per year at a cost of $118,651.

10. Add 12 Health Educators (Non-benefited) at 1000 hours per year at a cost of $344,985.
11. Add 7 Nurses (Non-benefited) at 1000 hours per year at a cost of $236,715.

I voted yes to continue these positions into their second year because the of the overwhelming demand that the Covid pandemic has placed on the Health Department and believe that these positions are crucial to managing and mitigating the health crisis as well as communicating with Ottawa residents about Covid-19 itself and our actions around it.

2021 Budget Adjustments: The Board approved the 2021 budget adjustments.

FY 2022 Capital Improvement Plan: The Board approved the FY 2022-2027 Capital Improvement Plan.

Tower Management Consulting Services: The Board approved the contract with Tele-Rad, Inc. for Tower Management Consulting Services at a total 3-year cost of $12,500.

Summary:

Ottawa County erected its first wireless communications tower for co-location by private-sector providers in 2001. As part of the County's ongoing effort to collaborate with the private sector for improved wireless coverage countywide, two more towers were built for co-location opportunities in areas of need. At present, tower-related management responsibilities are distributed among several county departments including IT, Facilities, Planning and Fiscal Services. Such management items consist of, but are not limited to, records management, lease and lease amendment negotiations, physical site management, and monitoring and coordination of site access requests by lease holders. Because the County does not have an experienced single point of contact for all its tower-related issues that arise, the County issued a Request For Proposal to solicit proposals from experienced vendors who can provide tower-management and technical-consulting services on behalf of the County.

GCSI Retainer Agreement: The Board approved the Retainer Agreement between Governmental Consultant Services, Inc. and Ottawa County for a cost of $48,000.00 per year.

Summary:

Since 2005, the County has contracted with Governmental Consultant Services, Inc. (GCSI) to provide lobbying services on behalf of the County. For the last seven years, the County has paid $3,633 per month. The proposed Retainer Agreement would increase this fee to $4,000 per month for four years and may be renewed at the same rate for up to three additional 12-month periods.

Community Mental Health Personnel Request: The Board approved the request from CMH to add 14 full-time, benefited positions at a total cost of $985,729.13 to be paid for with SAMSHA and CCBHC Grant funding.

Summary:

Community Mental Health of Ottawa County (CHMOC) has been awarded a grant in the amount of $1,974,304.00 per year for two years for a total of $3,790,904.00 to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC).

Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) provide a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services to vulnerable individuals within the community. These services focus on 24-hour crisis care, care coordination with local primary care facilities and integration with physical health care. By providing these services it creates access for those in need, stabilizes individuals in crisis and provides the necessary care and treatment for our consumers. Becoming a CCBHC will allow CMHOC to improve existing relationships with partnering health care facilities, treat community members as a whole and provide accessible and affordable services.

Interim County Administrator Pay: The Board approved to pay Interim County Administrator John Shay at the Unclassified U15 level, $158,572 from August 30, 2021 to the conclusion of his duties as Interim Administrator.

Resolution in Support of Additional Circuit Court Judgeship: The Board voted 9-1 to approve the Resolution in Support of Additional Circuit Court Judgeship.

Summary: In July 2019, the State Court Administrative Organization published a its biennel Judicial Resource Report that indicated that the 20th Circuit Court needed .85 extra Judgeships, to be shared between the 20th Circuit and Ottawa County probate Courts based on a Weighted Caseload Docket Analysis. In light of this report, the Board voted to approve the Resolution.

I voted no because, while I respect the work done by the SCAO, I think the fact that overall caseloads has decreased to such an extent, that even given additional complexity in cases, there was not a pressing necessity, as the Resolution states.

Ottawa Conservation District Agreement Renewal: The Board voted to approve the agreement between the County and the Ottawa Conservation District (OCD) in the amount of $100,000 per year for a two-year term.

Summary:

The OCD is mandated by and must perform mandates contained in State law. The law requires the State to pay for the OCD and does not allow assimilation of the OCD into Ottawa County. We have been working on those items with GCSI for years. The County funded OCD at $20,000 and then doubled this amount to $40,000 when the State cut back funding for this important function. The Board later increased the funding to $80,000 with $20,000 of this amount targeted for assistance with the groundwater issue. The requested amount in this contract renewal is $100,000. The OCD has successfully obtained over $7 million in grant funding, much of which will directly assist with the groundwater issue. We will continue to advocate the State to either appropriately fund the OCD or to allow the County to welcome it into our organization.

David VanGinhoven Memorial: The Board approved the naming of the paved trail loop through the forest southwest of the Nature Center at Hemlock Crossing County Park in honor of David VanGinhoven including the installation of an appropriate permanent sign.

Summary:

Long-time Parks Commissioner David VanGinhoven passed away on June 9, 2020. David began his service on the Commission in 2009 including four years as President and served until his death. He also was heavily involved in the newly formed Ottawa County Parks Foundation. David’s broad knowledge, curiosity, wisdom, and dedication to the park system were extremely valuable assets as the Parks Commission expanded its efforts over the last decade. The Parks Commission would like to recognize his efforts and accomplishments with a permanent memorial. In consultation with the family, park staff propose that the paved trail loop through the forest southwest of the Nature Center at Hemlock Crossing County Park be named in his honor including the installation of an appropriate permanent sign.

Ottawa County Grand River Collaboration Resolution: The Board approved the Ottawa County Grand River Collaboration Resolution.

Summary:

Much has been accomplished in revitalizing the Grand River on a regional basis over the past several decades, including the work by the Ottawa County Parks and Recreation Commission. Several major river-focused projects are currently underway across West Michigan and seem to be converging. With this convergence, there is a growing recognition among stakeholders that the sum of the various major projects could be greater than the individual projects on their own. Furthermore, there is also an increasing interest in working to maintain the character of the River to ensure that the resource that is making these projects possible is not negatively impacted.

While these projects are often complementary, there is a sense from key stakeholders that they are competing for resources without coordination with related projects. As a result, several stakeholders have been advocating for greater collaboration. At the same time, while the activity focused on the River has been substantial, there are still several additional stakeholders that could potentially be more constructively engaged than they have been in the past.

In working over the past several decades with these stakeholders on the Grand River Greenway and sometimes expending great time and resources in building support for it, staff have observed the need for collaboration and the opportunities for the Greenway that could be realized with greater cooperation. Examples include more River land protection for recreational purposes by local units, enhanced land use policies to preserve River character, and making key public lands available for recreation that are not currently accessible.

In response to the factors listed above, park staff have been reviewing strategies for enhancing and facilitating cooperation across the region - including with several entities based in Kent County. In fact, a meeting had been organized in March 2020 to begin a cross-county discussion with two dozen key stakeholders and funders. However, this meeting was canceled due to the emergence of the pandemic.

This delay allowed for considerable progress to be made along the Grand River Greenway and new concepts to be developed in other areas along the River. In fact, the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority is working to develop a two-tiered cooperative organization (with a non-profit and public recreation authority) which could eventually fund river-focused amenities in Kent County and maintain them long-term.

In light of these developments, staff have had more time to review the current situation and determine how best to move forward. While discussions with Kent County-based entities were worthwhile, Ottawa County Parks was typically the only Ottawa County-based entity participating. Furthermore, while there has been critical support for the Greenway from some local units within Ottawa County, there is a sense that many entities are unaware of the project and don't see themselves as part of the Grand River Greenway in a united way.

As a result, the top priority identified by staff for regional cooperation is to better engage and coordinate with Ottawa County stakeholders, and if an Ottawa County Grand River Partnership could be developed, we would be better positioned to engage on a regional basis. However, before a partnership can be established, work is needed to create consensus on the value of the River and the need to jointly preserve, enhance, and market this resource.

Therefore, staff have developed the "Ottawa County Grand River Collaboration Resolution" as the first step in the process. This resolution has been extensively reviewed by staff and key stakeholders inside Parks, the County, as well as by some partners. Staff is now requesting adoption by the Parks Commission and Board of Commissioners. Once adopted, staff will begin reaching out to stakeholders to promote the resolution and request adoption. Once all key stakeholders have adopted the resolution, a formal partnership could then be developed. Some action items for this group are already under consideration and will be discussed in the near future.

Ottawa County Land Bank Authority Bylaws: The Board approved the amended Bylaws of the Ottawa County Land Bank Authority.

Idema Stearns Bayou Connecter Easement: The Board approved the Riverside Storage LLC easement as required for construction of the Grand River Greenway Idema Explorers Trail in the amount of $1,000.00 from the Parks Millage.

Summary:

Ottawa County Parks has been planning and developing portions of the Idema Explores Trail for over a decade. The Stearns Bayou Connector Segment is a particularly important portion of the system as it will provide the last major link to connect the non-motorized facilities built as part of the M-231 bridge to the Grand Haven area.

Creation of Port Sheldon Closure Planning Committee: The Board approved the creation of a permanent Port Sheldon Closure Planning Committee consisting of representatives of the County, other taxing units, and economic development organizations.

Summary:

The purpose of the Port Sheldon Closure Planning Committee will be to perform ongoing factfinding and to with Consumers Energy to reverse the negative economic impact and revenue loss to taxing units through assisting with planning for the site, economic development activities, and by promoting completion of the Ottawa County Parks Pigeon Creek Greenway as it approaches and connects to Lake Michigan. The membership is proposed to be largely the same as currently exists:
Commissioners from three most impacted districts, currently Commissioners, Garcia; Kuyers and Bergman.
Port Sheldon Township Supervisor
Grand Haven Public Schools Superintendent
Ottawa County ISD Superinendant
County Administrator
Deputy County Administrator
Planning & Performance Director
Parks & Recreation Director
Lakeshore Advantage President
Grand Haven Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director

Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Refunding Bonds: The Board approved the the bonding activity of the Kent County Hospital Finance Authority under the IRS Code Section 147(f) for funding that affects one Mary Free Bed Hospital facility in Ottawa County as well as acceptance of Mary Free Bed’s indemnification of Ottawa County for this action.

Summary:

The IRS Code permits a county in one location to issue tax-exempt bonds for projects in another county, as long as the host county of the project approves. Mary Free Bed Hospital in Grand Rapids is proposing a $70 million bond financing from the Kent County Finance Authority to finance projects throughout Michigan, including one at 3290 N. Wellness Dr in Holland, and, therefore, is asking for the Board of Commissioners' approval. Typical resolutions under this IRS Code provision expressly provide that the host county will not be liable. I added language whereby the resolution also states that Ottawa County is offering no opinion on the credit worthiness of the bonds and also required that MFB agree to defend and indemnify Ottawa County if there is any claim made against it as a result of its approval. MFB has agreed to these provisions.

Accordingly, since the project involves a substantial improvement to nonprofit health facilities in the County with no cost to the County and little risk of liability, I recommend that the Board adopt the resolution and accept the indemnification from Capital Partners as consideration for doing so.

Deferred Compensation (457) Employer Match Cap Removal for Unclassified: The Board approved the restoration of the Unclassified Optional 457 Deferred Compensation Plan Employer Cap to the IRS limits effective January 1, 2022.

Summary:

The Board of Commissioners established an optional 457 plan with payroll deduction to a deferred compensation plan effective January 1, 1988 for Unclassified Employees. In this plan, Ottawa County paid a 25% match of employee contributions to the 457 up to the IRS cap. In the Great Recession, staff recommended and the Board approved reducing the benefit to include a cap of $1,000 for employer contribution match. During this time, we cut over $12 million from the General Fund alone to keep the budget balanced. The 457 cap reduction saved $65,000 towards it. It was intended that once we financially recovered from the Great Recession, the cap to the employer portion would be restored, up to the IRS limits. This is a valuable tool for employees to save for retirement and retirement related expenses such as health care and will continue to be a great recruitment tool to bring new talent into the organization.

This action restores something removed from the Unclassified employees and no other employee group was impacted. Each union negotiated its own participation percentage and cap, and these were unaffected during the Great Recession. Most employees have a current IRS contribution limit in 2021 of $19,500, depending on age and retirement, there are additional catch-up provisions in the IRS rules, that may increase this amount. We currently have 101 Unclassified Employees who are maxing at the $1,000 limit. We anticipate that based on past employee 457 investment behavior this will likely cost approximately $100,000 initially. We will have budget savings in employee health care benefit costs in suplus of this amount therefore, the money is included in the budget.

Doug Zylstra
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