Board of Commissioners Study Session - May 12, 2026

The Benzie County Board of Commissioners held a study session on May 12, 2026, focusing primarily on budgetary and fund balance discussions. Key procurement-related topics included the allocation of fund balance dollars toward capital improvement projects, emergency preparedness, and additional payments to the Michigan Employees' Retirement System (MERS) to improve pension funding levels. The board discussed prioritizing capital projects for fiscal year 2026-2027, noting that the nearly $965,000 planned for capital expenditures may be unrealistic to complete within one year due to staffing and capacity constraints. They proposed reallocating funds by reducing capital items to commit $470,000 toward MERS payments, $150,000 for emergency preparedness, and maintaining a healthy capital fund balance. The commissioners also reviewed the delinquent tax revolving fund, which supports smaller entities by making them whole on uncollected taxes. Additionally, the board considered adopting a code of ethics and standards of conduct policy and discussed plans for community outreach via informational podcasts and events to educate the public on complex topics such as the Headlee Amendment and tax issues. No specific contract awards or vendor selections were reported, but the discussion included vendor-related updates such as improvements to the employee navigator system and IT position interviews.