BERRIEN COUNTY COMMISSION UPDATE

By DEBRA HAIGHT

ST. JOSEPH – The new 2022 fiscal year budget will include money for Berrien County projects, Berrien County Administrator Brian Dissette said last week.

Dissette reported that State Senator Kim LaSata’s office reported that $5 million has been secured to make 800 MHz improvements to communication towers in the county. County officials have been talking about these projects for several months to improve signal coverage for first responders both in the Watervliet and south county areas.

“This new tower will help will provide additional support to law enforcement and other first responders across Berrien County,” LaSata said.

Berrien County Administrator Brian Dissette applauded LaSata for securing these critical public safety funds.

“On behalf of Berrien County leadership, I’m pleased to note that Sen. LaSata, and her team, have been very helpful in securing funding for a new tower to assist with Berrien County 911 communications,” Dissette said. “Sen. LaSata has been a strong supporter of public safety and that’s why we went to her with this important request.”

“We thought it was a long shot, but she delivered and secured significant funding for a new tower that will greatly help to fill signal gaps across Berrien County,” he added. “These efforts will ensure local first responders are able to carry out their duties and keep residents safe.”

LaSata also was able to secure funding to complete a permanent police and fire location at the Berrien County Youth Fairgrounds. The building would be used as a permanent base to house police, fire and EMS personnel during special events at the fairgrounds.

The facility could also be utilized during non-event times, for the purposes of training or meetings for any of the public safety agencies throughout Berrien County, as it is a central location.

Corey Burks, president of the Berrien County Youth Fair Board and captain of the Berrien Springs-Oronoko Fire Department, called this a victory not only for the fair, but for public safety as well.

“Sen. LaSata was instrumental in securing the funding for a permanent public safety building at the fairgrounds,” Burks said. “Thanks to her leadership our first responders will be better equipped and able to respond more quickly to any onsite emergencies. I appreciate her commitment to public safety and the fairgrounds — which holds a special place in our community.”

Berrien County 9-1-1 Director Caitlin Sampsell updated county commissioners on the status of public safety radio systems this spring. She reported that law enforcement and emergency services agencies in the county currently use two systems and work is underway to make updates.

She said the emphasis right now is on making improvements to the 800 mghz radio system, which most of the county besides the city of Niles is on. That work includes enhancing the tower at the Watervliet Spectrum Hospital to improve signal coverage, adding a new tower in the south county to replace the one at Bertrand Crossing and partnering with Indiana to increase coverage at the state line.

In other county news, commissioners took up a number of routine matters at their meeting last week. The county board were not scheduled to meet this week as it is a fifth Thursday. Their next meeting will be Oct. 7.

Commissioners approved an amendment to the county’s public transportation funding requests to reflect a change in the status of the county programs. The county had taken over running the Berrien Bus and Buchanan Dial-A-Ride programs in the summer of 2020 after the previous operator, TMI, went out of business.

The county had operated the two services on a temporary basis before working out other arrangements with other entities taking over. The county worked out an arrangement where Berrien RESA would take over the administration of the former Berrien Bus operations and the Niles Dial-A-Ride would absorb the Buchanan service.

Both Niles and Buchanan have agreed to the move involving the Buchanan Dial-A-Ride. The Niles Dial-A-Ride’s takeover of the Buchanan operation becomes effective Oct. 1 and will run through 2022 when the current Buchanan Dial-A-Ride millage is up for renewal. Buchanan residents should see no reduction of services and possible expansion.

Thursday, County Commissioner Teri Freehling said the county had initially applied in February for 2022 fiscal year state funding to run the public transportation services. The amendment approved Thursday revises the amounts being applied for to reflect the current situation.

“This is an adjustment and amendment to the resolution we passed in February,” Freehling said. “We didn’t know then what we were going to have. Because of all the changes, we have reduced our operating cost request by $200,000.”

The amended request is asking for $915,000 to cover estimated operating expenses and $190,000 to cover capital expenses including the replacement of up to two vehicles.

Commissioners approved applying for a $10,000 Risk Avoidance Program grant from the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority to replace a courthouse security X-Ray machine. The county will pay the remaining $7.636 of the costs.

Commissioners reported that one X-Ray machine was replaced last year with a similar grant award. This grant will allow the county to replace a second machine. The deadline for the grant application is Oct. 1.

The board’s administration committee heard from Trial Court officials about the changes coming with the raising of the criminal responsibility age from 17 to 18. Treating 17 year olds as juveniles rather than adults will require more staffing and training at the juvenile center level, they said.