Policy & Operations Committee 10/27/26

The Kent County Policy & Operations Committee met on October 27, 2026, and approved several administrative actions. It approved a resolution concerning the Public Defender Independence Council, which had sunset at the end of 2025, and the dissolution of the Human Services Committee, whose functions were described as largely superseded by other groups. The transcript indicates the Public Defender resolution would advance to the full board; it does not identify any procurement or contract awards tied to these actions.

The committee also approved a Public Act 152 exemption for 2027, forwarding it to the full board for a required two-thirds vote on November 5. Staff said the county’s health-plan contributions are expected to exceed the statutory hard cap, and described the exemption as the available option without mid-contract benefit cuts. The 2027 cost increase was already accounted for in the budget. Officials noted that health-plan renewals are bid in the fall and discussed longer-term efforts to encourage enrollment in the high-deductible plan; no vendor selection or contract award was reported.