BERRIEN COUNTY DEBATES BENEFITS OF CONSULTING FIRM SERVICES

By DEBRA HAIGHT
BCR Correspondent
ST. JOSEPH – Berrien County Commissioners handled a number of items at their meeting last week including whether to continue a contract with a Lansing consulting firm. The annual contract was approved despite the objections of County Commissioner Sharon Tyler.
Tyler requested that the resolution extending the contract of Midwest Strategies another year be taken off the consent agenda for further discussion. The contract calls for the county to pay the firm a monthly retainer of $4,000 plus other costs for an estimated total of $49,000 a year. The cost in 2024 was $48,646.50.
Midwest Strategies provide regular updates about what’s going on in Lansing, including weekly reports and periodic presentations to the county board. The firm provides services intended to further the county’s goals of finding funding sources and have an advocate in Lansing with the state’s legislative and executive branches.
Tyler said she was concerned that Midwest Strategies is duplicating services already provided by the Michigan Association of Counties in Lansing and by the Southwest Michigan Planning Commission regarding grants.
“I’m concerned about spending this money with these difficult times and the unknowns in the budget,” she said. “I’m wondering if spending $49,000 on this is advisable. Less than a quarter of counties in the state have a separate lobbyist in Lansing.”
Tyler suggested the county participate in a regional group rather than on its own.  She noted her own research on other counties’ spending as well as communication with state legislators to see Midwest Strategies’ impact.
Tyler is in her first term on the county board after a long career in economic development and tenures as a state representative and as the county clerk. She left the county clerk post in December.
On the other side, other county commissioners and County Administrator Brian Dissette talked about the advantages of having Midwest Strategies working for the county in Lansing.
“We’ve used them the past several year to boost our efforts to secure grant funding. [It gives us] direct communications with the house and senate and [gets] people here for onsite meetings,” Dissette said. “They’ve hosted personal meetings where we can meet with legislators. They’re trying to be a voice on behalf of the county.”
“I completely understand and respect Ms. Tyler’s position; it’s a very reasonable position to take,” Dissette added. “But it is something that has provided some value. They’ve developed customized packets they deliver to legislators to advocate for specific needs.”
Dissette added that he’s tried to keep the cost of the contract down by having the firm representative attend county board meetings remotely to avoid mileage expenses.
Commissioner Robert Harrison said firms like Midwest Strategies have benefitted his past work with the hospital and with Lake Michigan College. “A lot of larger entities will actually have lobbyists who do much of what Midwest does,” he said. “They keep us in the forefront of legislators and state employees.”
Other commissioners also said they found the contract with Midwest Strategies to be beneficial to the county. Julie Wuerfel said it’s better to be a firm’s sole focus rather than part of a regional group hiring a lobbyist. Dave Vollrath said he sees value in having associations with both Midwest Strategies and the Michigan Association of Counties.
Commission Vice-Chair Teri Freehling said she thinks it’s good to have the firm working for the county’s interests in Lansing. “It’s good having them as point of contact for us,” she said. “It’s been very beneficial for us when we’re having face to face meetings with legislators and state organizations.”
Freehling thanked Tyler for her comments and the research she had done to back up her position.