by Graham Sturgeon, co-editor
The Shiawassee County Board of Commissioners Thursday, Jan. 12 meeting was cancelled due to inclement weather, but the new board did take care of business in its first week of meetings in 2017. It held a training session Wednesday afternoon, and the board approved several items during the Wednesday Committee of the Whole meeting to be forwarded to its Thursday meeting for final approval.
During the Wednesday meeting, the commissioners approved a resolution to adopt an ordinance imposing a one-year moratorium on the issuance of permits, licenses, or approvals for wind energy conversion systems.
The board also approved the change from 34 hours per week to 40 hours per week for Emergency Management Coordinator Richard Warner, and a budgetary increase from $49,500 to $58,240. It was also approved by the commissioners that Warner be directed to provide the board with a description of his daily duties over the course of a week prior to the board’s Committee of the Whole meeting every month.
The commissioners approved the adoption of a resolution that would authorize the board’s chairman, Jeremy Root, its vice chairman, Mike Bruff, and the Committee of the Whole Vice Chairman, Dan McMaster, to fill in for commissioners appointed to any standing committees, boards, or sub-committees in the event of their inability to attend.
The board authorized Buildings and Grounds Superintendent Tim Hill to replace a failing HVAC unit at the jail at a price not to exceed $10,000. The money was already included in the 2017 budget, and will be taken from the Capital Improvements Fund.
The Shiawassee County Sheriff Office was approved to hire three full-time corrections officers at a pay range of $38,014 to $42,717, in accordance with the Public Officers Labor Council. The vacancies were created by the promotion of Brian Begole from sergeant to sheriff, the promotion of Robert Brancheau from deputy to undersheriff, and the retirement of Walt McPherson, who served as undersheriff for Sheriff George Braidwood.
The commissioners were to provide a final vote on these items during their Thursday, Jan. 12 meeting. As of press time, no make-up date had been scheduled for the meeting.
