BERRIEN COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVE 2022 BUDGET AND MILLAGE RATES

By DEBRA HAIGHT

St. JOSEPH – Berrien County Commissioners adopted the county’s new 2022 budget and accepted specialty court grants at their meeting last week. Commissioners also heard a presentation on the county’s new strategic plan including suggestions on how to spend the $30 million the county is getting in federal pandemic relief funds.

The new 2022 budget was the subject of a public hearing and presentation at the county board’s Nov. 4 meeting. County Financial Services Director Doug James told commissioners then that both revenue and expenditures will be above this year’s levels in the new budget.

As he noted then, the proposed new budget is the culmination of months of work by county staff across all departments. Commissioners held budget workshops in mid-September to go over budget details which county administration then took to develop the final product

James said the total government budget calls for revenue of $173.163 million, expenditures of $180.791 million and a decrease in fund balance of $7.629 million. In comparison, the 2021 budget used $10 million of fund balance.

The primary government budget calls for revenue of $147.193 million which represents an increase of $7.423 million or 5.3 percent. That budget also sets expenditures at $154.822 million which represents an increase of $4.881 million or 3.3 percent.

In addition to approving the 2022 budget, commissioners last week set the 2022 millage rates. Those rates are 4.7680 mills for general county operations, .0999 mill for county parks, .4495 mill for the 911 emergency system, .3496 mill for law enforcement and public safety and .2997 mill to operate seven senior centers.

In specialty court grant news, commissioners accepted grants for the Mental Health Court, Drug Court and Swift & Sure Sanctions Probation Program. Court officials reported earlier this month that the state has granted funding for the continued operation of the two courts and the probation program for the fiscal 2022 year.

The Trial Court received notice of three grant awards from the State Court Administrator’s Office, totaling $446,622.  These funds will continue to support the successful operations of the Drug Treatment Court, Mental Health Court, and Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program.  The grants are part of more than $16.7 million awarded statewide.

The state is awarding $182,000 for the Swift and Sure program with a local match of $6,250.70. The Mental Health Court is getting $149,622 from the state and providing a local match of $13,447.10. The state is awarding $40,000 for the Drug Court program with a local match of 80.365.51.

The Mental Health Court was established in 2009 with Judge Al Butzbaugh as the first presiding judge.  There are currently 24 active enrollees and there have been 143 graduates to date.  The Mental Health Court targets those individuals on probation for both misdemeanor and felony level offenses with serious mental illness.

The Drug Treatment Court was established in 2010 by Judge Angela Pasula. There are currently 13 active enrollees and 121 successful graduates to date.  The Drug Treatment Court targets individuals on probation for felony level offenses who have a significant substance abuse history.

The Mental Health Court and Drug Treatment Court are both currently run under the supervision of the Honorable Donna B. Howard.  Defendants for both Mental Health Court and Drug Treatment Court are referred from multiple sources including the prosecutor’s office, public defender’s office/private defense bar, Michigan Department of Corrections, and Trial Court probation.

The Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program (SSSPP) was established in 2012 by the Honorable Sterling R. Schrock.  SSSPP is an intensive probation program for felony offenders only and targets those felony probationers who are identified as high risk for failure on probation.

The program accepts those individuals who could have been sentenced to prison but were given an opportunity to succeed on probation in the community.  There are presently 75 active cases and 203 successful completions to date.  The Honorable Charles T. LaSata currently presides over the SSSPP docket.

In addition to accepting those grants, the county board accepted a $150,000 in supplemental funding from the State Court Administrative Office for 2022 Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding program. Funds can be spent on technology for remote work, staff overtime and technology for remote hearings.

Last week’s Committee of the Whole meeting prior to the county board meeting featured a presentation by consultant Jim Hettinger on the strategic plan he’s developed for the county. The major focus of the presentation was his recommendations for spending the $30 million the county is getting in American Rescue Plan Act funds.

“The goal today is to let you digest what he’s worked on,” County Administrator Brian Dissette said. “Over the next few weeks, spend some time going through the report and will address questions as they come up. My goal is that you authorize and approve the strategic plan before the end of the year. It will act as a roadmap and guide for the staff.”

He said his overall goal with the proposed strategic plan is to help the county find the highest and best use for its resources including the ARPA funding.

He suggested splitting up the nearly $30 million in ARPA funds with $6 million spent on high speed internet, $14 million on amenities, water quality and trails, $6 million on road projects and $3.8 million on administrative projects and unforeseen expenditures.

Commissioners commented at the end of his presentation on areas they’d like to see included in the new plan and the ARPA funding recommendations such as a greater emphasis on encouraging affordable housing in the county.

Commissioner Jim Curran of Niles Township asked that another committee of the whole workshop session be scheduled to discuss the plan. “One of the things we really need to talk about is the numbers and whether to spend the whole $30 million when we know we can’t do that,” he said. “We need another work session to discuss the plan and the money.”

The county board’s next meeting will be Dec. 2 at 10:30 a.m. in the County Administration Center building. Meetings continue to be livestreamed on the county’s YouTube channel.