March 18 BOC Meeting

Watch the video
Read the Administrator's Update

One Year of Countywide COVID-19 Response
On March 21, 2020 the Public Health Department held a press conference with county leaders announcing the first COVID-19 case in Calhoun County. The following week, with the City of Battle Creek and community partners/municipalities, we activated a Joint Operations Center, which continues today. Learn more about the Calhoun County JOC at calhouncountymi.gov/joc.

From a public health standpoint, vaccines are the best way out of the pandemic, and it's remarkable that almost a year to the date of the first COVID-19 case in Calhoun County, we are wrapping up first dose vaccination for county government employees who hadn't had a chance earlier in this process.

What stands out to me as the highlight of our countywide COVID-19 response is how the county came together—from non-profits to business sector leadership—to work together through this global crisis, here at home. Calhoun as a whole was efficient, productive, and collaborative in its response, which is something I'm proud of. I'm confident this leadership and partnership will continue beyond the pandemic.

Highlights from a few boards and committees:
On March 5, the FireKeepers Local Revenue Sharing Board met virtually and elected officers to the Board. Marshall City Mayor Joe Caron was elected as the new FLRSB Chairperson. County Commissioner Derek King continues as the County's representative on the Board, with County Board Chair Steve Frisbie as his alternate. The meeting schedule and timeline for distribution were approved at this meeting, and the Board approved the publication of a public notice regarding the 2021 application for Tier 2 reimbursement of actual cost increases incurred for local municipalities near the casino in Emmett Township or the Tribal reservation in Athens Township. The application is on the County's website at calhouncountymi.gov/flrsb, and completed requests are due back to County Administration by April 16. The FLRSB meets next on April 30, and the meeting will be held virtually by Zoom and is open to the public.

The City/County Meeting took place on March 5 virtually, providing city managers and mayors of the cities in Calhoun County along with the County Board Chair and County Administrator/Controller the opportunity to share updates. At this particular meeting, the group also discussed countywide transit plan development updates with transit and community development staff from Battle Creek and the County.

Led by HR/Labor Relations Director Kim Archambault and I, a Union Leadership Roundtable Meeting was held virtually on March 8. We provided updates to our countywide union leadership representatives on consolidation of the county's 457 Retirement Savings Plans and recent COVID-19 response plan and policy changes.

The Calhoun County Visitors Bureau (CVB) Board met on March 9, via Zoom. At this meeting, convened by Commissioner Kathy-Sue Vette as the CVB Board Chair, we approved preliminary financial statements for the 2020 year end, discussed the 2021 budget outlook, which has improved, and approved a 3-year lease extension.

On March 10, the Calhoun County Veterans Affairs Committee met virtually. Director Aaron Edlefson provided an update on the department budget and record digitization effort. The Committee approved four veterans relief applications, denied two, and tabled two. There was also discussion on the need to educate our residents about the upcoming need to ask votes to renew the countywide 0.1 mill veterans services millage. 

The Native American Heritage Fund (NAHF) Board met virtually on March 12. At this meeting the board reviewed and finalized the 2021 grant application, and approved the release of that application for eligible local units of government, schools and colleges throughout Michigan, in April. Find information about the NAHF at nahfund.com.

The Calhoun County Board of Public Health met on March 15, via Zoom, and Health Officer Eric Pessell gave an update on COVID-19 response efforts, mass vaccination clinics and the recent increase in the spread of the virus in our community.

The Marshall Community Credit Union met virtually on March 15. The Board heard a quarterly update from management on internal cybersecurity assessment efforts, and discussed plans for this year's strategic planning sessions, in addition to normal monthly business.

Read the entire Administrator's Update


The Calhoun County Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 18, 2021 via Zoom video conference. The Board of Commissioners will meet electronically as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision is also in accordance with the Epidemic Order from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services on Oct. 9, 2020, which limits in-person gatherings to 10 people.

To watch the meeting, visit our Youtube Channel. Information about where to call for public comment will be provided during the Youtube stream and will be shared below. If you'd like to submit a written comment to be added to the record for this meeting, submit that via the Contact Us form on the website and please state that your message is for the March 18 Board of Commissioners meeting.
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