Board of Commissioners 11/10/2026

Barry County Board of Commissioners meeting, November 10, 2026: The board held a public hearing with no comments and adopted Resolution 26-23, approving the 2027 county budget, General Appropriations Act, and millage. Commissioners also approved $18,119,660.80 in prepaid invoices and $724.28 in mileage reimbursements. A request was approved authorizing trial court administrators to enter agreements with the State Court Administrative Office and Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health for treatment court programs. The county administrator described the programs’ annual costs as generally under $700,000, covered through grants and county funding.

The board approved a three-year acquisition of NextRequest FOIA software; the transcript gives no price. It also approved changes to the NEOGOV contract, adding applicant tracking, onboarding, e-forms, and scheduling while removing payroll services; the 911 director’s proposed $3,000 annual contribution toward scheduling costs is contingent on that board’s approval. Commissioners discussed, but no vote is captured on, a proposed three-year mental-health office lease at roughly $11 per square foot, with the county retaining shared use of common space. The 2027 MSU Extension agreement, including a 3% increase that was budgeted, was approved. Vehicle replacement purchases will require separate commission approval, and the administrator agreed to prepare a vehicle-use spreadsheet. A possible six-month data-center moratorium and further work on a TIF policy were discussed, but no related action was taken at this meeting.