Board of Commissioners 10/13/2026

At its October 13, 2026 meeting, the Barry County Board of Commissioners approved several spending and infrastructure items. It authorized up to $40,000 from airport-generated funds for taxiway asphalt maintenance, approved replacing the Sheriff’s Office 2022 Mercury 200-horsepower boat motor rather than repairing it (replacement estimated at $13,500 versus about $9,500 for repair, with insurance funds available), and approved an animal-control truck purchase not to exceed the budgeted $57,929. The board also approved prepaid invoices totaling $3,766,322.46, claims of $157,061.09, and commissioner mileage reimbursements of $165.68. It approved full-faith-and-credit resolutions for Canterbury Lake and Crystal Lake bond financing and approved the Long Lake special-assessment roll and project cost; no bond totals were stated. The 2026 apportionment report was approved. The board increased the veterans’ burial stipend from $300 to $500, described as budget-neutral, and approved a five-year public transportation master agreement for state and federal funding, naming the transit director as the county’s representative. It also approved the 2026–27 Emergency Management Performance Grant agreement and renewed a five-year regional behavioral-health intergovernmental contract. The CDBG home-rehabilitation grant closeout was presented; the administrator reported that the prior grant had received an additional $100,000, while a new grant-administration item was postponed pending state approval.

The board delayed adoption of the county zoning ordinance update to allow commissioners more time for review, particularly of provisions addressing data centers and battery energy storage; members discussed a possible moratorium while further research is conducted. The update also includes provisions for short-term rentals and other land uses. The administrator reported a projected 10% increase in employee health-care costs and said the county plans to offer HSA options through Lively and Independent Bank, with transition costs covered by the pool. No vendor award was made on that item. The board also heard that the county may need to evaluate whether the declining Emergency Management grant reimbursement remains worth the administrative effort. No other procurement decisions were identified.