Legislative Update 4-16-21

April 16, 2021Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

U.S. Treasury releases initial guidance on American Rescue Plan aid

On Thursday afternoon, the U.S. Treasury released its guidance on pre-award requirements, outlining immediate steps counties need to take to receive direct payments from the U.S. Treasury under the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Funds authorized by the American Rescue Plan Act, the National Association of Counties advised Thursday evening.

As soon as possible, county governments should complete the steps below:

Ensure the entity has a valid DUNS number. A DUNS number is a unique nine-character number used to identify an organization and is issued by Dun & Bradstreet. The federal government uses the DUNS number to track how federal money is allocated. A DUNS number is required prior to registering with the SAM database, which is outlined below. Registering for a DUNS number is free of charge. If an entity does not have a valid DUNS number, please visit https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform/ or call 1-866-705-5711 to begin the registration process.
Ensure the entity has an active SAM registration. SAM is the official government-wide database to register with in order to do business with the U.S. government. All federal financial assistance recipients must register on SAM.gov and renew their SAM registration annually to maintain an active status to be eligible to receive federal financial assistance. There is no charge to register or maintain your entity SAM registration. If an entity does not have an active SAM registration, please visit, SAM.gov to begin the entity registration or renewal process. Please note that SAM registration can take up to three weeks; delay in registering in SAM could impact timely payment of funds. Click here for a quick overview for SAM registration.
Gather the entity’s payment information, including:

Entity Identification Number (EIN), name and contact information
Name and title of an authorized representative of the entity
Financial institution information (e.g., routing and account number, financial institution name and contact information)

To see county-by-county direct aid estimates to Michigan counties, click here.

Visit NACo’s COVID-19 Recovery Clearinghouse for timely resources, including allocation estimations, examples of county programs using federal coronavirus relief funds, the latest updates from the U.S. Department of Treasury and more.

For the latest county-related news in Michigan on COVID-19, visit MAC’s Resources Page.

Have you shared your voice about 4-year commissioner terms?

As the Michigan Senate prepares to consider a bipartisan pair of bills to enact four-year terms for county commissioners, MAC continues to urge commissioners to send an email message of support to their senators via our digital advocacy platform.

To date, 29 commissioners have utilized the email system — not nearly enough to get the Senate’s full attention. Please add your voice to this effort today by clicking here.

MAC also requests that counties adopt official resolutions of support for the legislation. To download a template for this purpose, click here. After adoption, please send a copy of your resolution to sweeney@micounties.org.

MAC thanks the following counties for their recent adoption of such resolutions: Cheboygan, Clinton, Genesee, Houghton and Marquette.

Conference approaches; there’s still time to register

The 2021 Michigan Counties Legislative Conference starts in less than two weeks, but you still have time to register for the two-day virtual event.

Early-bird pricing has expired, but you can still gain access to all conference activities for a low member price of $125.

Among the numerous workshops being offered with practical advice for busy county leaders is a session on collective bargaining on the morning of Thursday, April 29, led by attorney Matt Nordfjord.

Nordfjord, a shareholder with the firm of Cohl, Stoker & Toskey P.C. and a regular presenter at MAC events, will give an overview of the changing landscape faced by governmental employers negotiating collective bargaining agreements. This presentation will cover strategy, examples from other counties and arguments you may expect from employee representatives.

To attend Nordfjord’s briefing and the rest of the conference, start your registration process here.

MAC and the Michigan County Medical Care Facilities Council appreciate the support of the sponsors listed below in providing this year’s Legislative Conference.

House declares April as ‘National County Government Month’

Rep. Ken Borton speaks on the House floor on HR 77, joined by (l-r): Rep. Julie Rogers, Rep. Terry Sabo, Rep. Sue Allor, Rep. David Martin and Rep. Julie Alexander.

A bipartisan group of state representatives, led by Rep. Ken Borton, a former president of the MAC Board of Directors, secured adoption on April 13 of a resolution declaring April National County Government Month in Michigan.

In remarks in support of the resolution, Borton told the House, “Never has the importance of county government – Michigan’s Original Regional Government – been more apparent than in the last year as we have battled the COVID pandemic. County health departments have worked diligently, sometimes in the most challenging circumstances, to share needed information, track cases and provide vaccinations to Michigan residents.”

House Resolution 77 notes, “”Resolved by the House of Representatives, that members of this legislative body declare April 2021 as County Government Month in the state of Michigan. We urge all citizens to observe the month with appropriate programs and activities.”

Joining Borton (R-Otsego) in sponsoring the resolution were: Rep. Abraham Aiyash (D-Wayne); Rep. Julie Alexander (R-Jackson); Rep. Sue Allor (R-Cheboygan); Rep. Sarah Anthony (D-Ingham); Rep. Robert Bezotte (R-Livingston); Rep. Felicia Brabec (D-Washtenaw); Rep. Kelly Breen (D-Oakland); Rep. Julie Calley (R-Ionia); Rep. John Cherry (D-Genesee); Rep. Alex Garza (D-Wayne); Rep. Beth Griffin (R-Van Buren); Rep. Jim Haadsma (D-Calhoun); Rep. Kara Hope (D-Ingham); Rep. Tullio Liberati (D-Wayne); Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-Jackson); Rep. Steve Marino (R-Macomb); Rep. Gregory Markkanen (R-Houghton); Rep. David Martin (R-Genesee); Rep. Christine Morse (D-Kalamazoo); Rep. Amos O’Neal (D-Saginaw); Rep. Ronnie Peterson (D-Washtenaw); Rep. Yousef Rabhi (D-Washtenaw); Rep. Julie Rogers (D-Kalamazoo); Rep. Terry Sabo (D-Muskegon); Rep. Tim Sneller (D-Genesee); Rep. William Sowerby (D-Macomb); and Rep. Regina Weiss (D-Oakland).

MAC has created a resources page for counties looking for ideas to promote their NCGM work. And we will be featuring #NCGM on our Twitter account and our Facebook page throughout April.

Podcast 83 goes live again on Monday, April 19

The Podcast 83 team returns on Monday for another live session to report on activity in Lansing and Washington, D.C., that affects Michigan’s 83 county governments and the people they serve.

Click here to register for the live event, which will include a Q&A session on all of the hot legislative topics. The episode starts at 3 p.m. on Monday, April 19.

Members can view any previous episode of the podcast, sponsored by DTE Energy, on the podcast webpage.

Help MAC defeat court filing bill with unfunded mandates

House Bill 4164, by Rep. Ryan Berman (R-Oakland) and now before the Michigan House, represents yet another unfunded mandate by the state on counties, this time by requiring courts to make the register of actions and “a digital image of all documents filed in any case in that court” accessible to the public for free via a website by Jan. 1, 2023.

MAC and the Michigan Association of County Clerks opposed the original version, which only allowed online access for attorneys, and both groups remain opposed to the committee-passed version, which expanded it to the general public. There is no funding attached to the court technology enhancements and staffing needs that would be needed to meet the requirements under the bill, nor is the timeline adequate for counties and courts to implement.

The State Court Administrator’s Office also opposes the bill, arguing it is a separation of powers violation. Additionally, the state court administrator has previously explained the rollout of the MI-File system is under way, which makes the imposition of new, additional requirements right now particularly ill-advised.

Counties cannot endure another unfunded mandate or support a bill based on funding promises.

County commissioners, please use this link below to transmit your message of opposition to HB 4164 to your member of the Michigan House of Representatives as soon as possible.

MIOSHA extends emergency workplace rules on COVID

Emergency rules governing workplaces in Michigan during COVID were extended to Oct. 14, 2021, the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) announced this week.

The emergency rules require businesses that resume in-person work to have a written COVID-19 preparedness and response plan and provide thorough training to their employees that covers workplace infection-control practices, the proper use of personal protection equipment (PPE), steps workers must take to notify the business or operation of any symptoms of a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, and how to report unsafe working conditions.

Under the emergency rules, employers must continue to implement policies that require remote work for employees where remote work is feasible, to help ensure that COVID-19 transmission is mitigated to the maximum extent possible. While in-person work is permitted when remote work is not feasible, remote work is recommended as a strategy to minimize in-person contacts and is included in guidance from the CDC and Federal OSHA to protect employees in the workplace.

Employers and employees with questions regarding workplace safety and health may contact MIOSHA using the new hotline at 855-SAFE-C19 (855-723-3219). For more information, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDWorkplaceSafety.

MAC continues to advise SOE resolutions for counties

MAC continues to advise members to adopt and/or maintain a county State of Emergency on the COVID pandemic. This advice is based on the options that such an SOE provides for public board sessions under the state’s Open Meetings Act (OMA).

As of April 1, the only way for public boards to hold virtual sessions and properly comply with the OMA is with an SOE resolution. A template for such a resolution is on MAC’s COVID Resources Page.

Data collected by MAC in recent weeks show the vast majority of counties have adopted or are about to adopt an SOE that covers this need. (See map at right; click here for larger image.)

The option for meeting virtually under the OMA with an SOE expires on Dec. 31, 2021.

As always, county boards are advised to consult with their corporate counsel to ensure procedures are following all relevant state laws.

MSU Extension offers ‘County Café’ learning session in May

County Café, a follow-up program to the MAC-MSUE New Commissioner School, is designed to bring together both experienced and new commissioners and county leadership; present some current topics of relevance to county government; and give you a chance to talk about how these topics might impact your county and actions you can take to make the impact more positive. There will also be an opportunity for discussion following the presentation.

This is a free session and open to all commissioners and other county officials, but you must register at the link below to participate.

May 6, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. EST – Counties Supporting Regional Economic Development
Counties are important economic development entities in Michigan. Yet successful economic development depends on collaboration, partnerships, and regional approaches. The MSU Economic Development Administration (EDA) University Center for Regional Economic Innovation (REI) leverages higher education assets in collaboration with communities to support the co-creation, co-implementation and dissemination of new and innovative economic development strategies.

To advance Michigan’s long-term economic recovery from COVID-19, REI was awarded CARES Act funding in summer 2020 to establish a Comprehensive Economic Recovery Initiative (CERI). Join Jennifer Bruen of the MSU REI to learn about CERI, technical assistance, and partnership opportunities to advance regional economic development in Michigan.

To register for the event, visit: https://events.anr.msu.edu/countycafe21/.

Staff picks

Court OKs law that carries more cash penalties for convicts (AP News)
Churches are closing. It’s a challenge for local governments. (Governing)
How states can avoid costly pitfalls while rebuilding their economies (Pew Research)
Consider fostering a child (Alpena News)

Legislative Update 4-9-21

April 9, 2021Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, NACo

Push begins for 4-year commissioner terms

Initial hearings are possible next week in a Senate committee on a bipartisan pair of bills to enact four-year terms for county commissioners in Michigan.

Senate Bill 242, by Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Dickinson), and SB 245, by Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Oakland) would shift terms to four years, beginning with the 2024 presidential election cycle.

Through its policy platforms, MAC has long supported moving county commissioner terms to four years from the present two. Legislation to do this made good progress in 2020 but did not reach enactment.

Passage of these bills would end Michigan’s status as one of just five states with two-year terms on all commissioners. It’s time to end that dubious distinction and bring commissioner terms in alignment with the length of those for other county elected offices across our state.

The Senate bills are now before the Senate Committee on Local Government, chaired by Sen. Dale Zorn (R-Monroe).

“It’s important to make county voices numerous and loud as the Senate starts with these bills,” said MAC Governmental Affairs Director Deena Bosworth, “so we need members to help us now.”

First, MAC asks all commissioners to use our email advocacy tool on Monday, April 12 to send a message of support to senators. Commissioners will receive an email on Monday, through which they can send a pre-drafted message of support with just a couple of clicks.

Second, MAC asks county boards to approve a resolution in support of four-year terms. A template for this purpose can be on MAC’s website. MAC appreciates the early action of Genesee, Hillsdale and Marquette counties in adopting such resolutions. Once your county has approved the resolution, please send it to Hannah Sweeney at sweeney@micounties.org so that we can share with legislators.

For more information on this issue, contact Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.

Podcast 83 goes live again on Monday, April 12

The Podcast 83 team returns on Monday for another live session to report on activity in Lansing and Washington, D.C., that affects Michigan’s 83 county governments and the people they serve.

Click here to register for the live event, which will include a Q&A session on all of the hot legislative topics. The episode starts at 3 p.m. on Monday, April 12.

Members can view any previous episode of the podcast, sponsored by DTE Energy, on the podcast webpage.

National leaders to headline conference session

The top two leaders for the National Association of Counties (NACo) will provide a special briefing on the American Rescue Plan (ARP) and the $65.1 billion in direct aid to U.S. counties during an April 29 Plenary session of the 2021 Michigan Counties Legislative Conference.

NACo President Gary Moore of Boone County, Ky., and CEO/Executive Director Matt Chase will discuss the ARP and NACo’s targeted strategy for the implementation of this once-in-a-lifetime investment in county government.

This is just one of several plenary and workshop sessions that will provide practical information on issues of urgency to Michigan county leaders.

The conference is just three weeks away now. County officials are urged to register by April 14 to get the best rate for the two-day event.

Remember, all conference events are included in your single conference fee, which is now just $100 if you are a member of MAC or the Michigan County Medical Care Facilities Council.

MAC joins coalition on housing affordability

MAC recently joined a diverse group of entities to form the Housing Michigan Coalition. The coalition consists of community, business and government organizations that support increasing housing supply and affordability.

The coalition’s primary focus will be to advocate for legislation creating and expanding tools for local governments to support the development or rehabilitation of housing supply that is attainable to more of our citizens.

Legislation is being crafted to:

Allow municipalities to develop payment in lieu of taxes agreement with developers who are building or rehabbing affordable housing units
Provide employers who contribute towards the housing of employees that make up to 120 percent of AMI (area median income) an income tax credit up to 50 percent of the total eligible contributions
Authorize an “attainable housing district” where property owners can apply for partial tax exemptions if they meet certain affordability criteria determined by the local government

A full list of the drafted proposed legislation can be found here.

MAC expects bills to be introduced next week when the Legislature returns to Lansing.

Governor creates Task Force on Forensic Science

A new Executive Order from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer creates a Task Force on Forensic Science “to study issues related to forensic science and provide recommendations to strengthen the use of forensic science in Michigan’s criminal justice system.”

The task force will be an advisory body under the Michigan Department of State Police and be comprised of medical practitioners, legal professionals, government officials, academics and private sector experts. Co-chairs of the task force will be Director Col. Joseph Gasper of the Michigan State Police and Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack of the Michigan Supreme Court.

The task force’s mission is to review the state of forensic science in Michigan and deliver their completed findings and policy recommendations to the governor no later than Dec. 31, 2021. The findings will recommend, among other pieces, methodology improvements, processes to address misconduct and procedures to update stakeholders on developments in forensic science.

A list of current members can be found here.

Deadline approaches on Hometown Health award nominations

The Michigan Public Health Week Partnership is still seeking nominations of individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to preserve and improve their community’s health for its annual Hometown Health Hero awards.

Deadline for nominations is April 26.

Hometown Health Hero awards are presented every spring as part of Michigan Public Health Week.

Nomination forms can be downloaded from www.michigan.gov/mphw. Completed nominations should be sent to Jim Koval via email at kovalj@michigan.gov or faxed to 517-335-8392.

Winners will be announced by the week of May 9, which will be Public Health in Michigan Week.

Redistricting Commission sets public hearings for May, June

The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) has set its first series of public hearings for its work to redraw political lines for the 2022 elections.

The public hearings will run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and are currently set for virtual sessions, though that is subject to change as the pandemic health orders change. Locations and dates are:

May 11 – Jackson
May 13 – Kalamazoo
May 18 – Marquette
May 20 – Gaylord
May 25 – Midland
May 27 – Lansing
June 1 – Flint
June 3 – Pontiac
June 8 – Novi
June 10 – Dearborn
June 15 & 17 – Detroit
June 22 – Port Huron
June 24 – Warren
June 29 – Muskegon
July 1 – Grand Rapids

Please note, the Independent Redistricting Commission will draw district lines for state legislative and federal congressional districts. The lines for county commissioner districts are handled by county Apportionment Boards. For details on the apportionment process, click here or attend a special workshop at the 2021 Michigan Counties Legislative Conference.

Staff picks

Upper Peninsula Energy Task Force Recommendations (Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy)
How states can help localities better respond to pandemic-related fiscal strains (Pew Trusts)
States tap federal CARES Act to expand broadband (Pew Trusts)
Suez Canal: How did they move the Ever Given? (BBC News)

Legislative Update 4-2-21

April 1, 2021Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

Legislative Roundtable at conference will feature House, Senate leaders

A Michigan Counties Legislative Conference always features in-depth briefings on what’s going on in Lansing – and this year’s virtual version is no different.

MAC Executive Director Stephan Currie will moderate a Legislative Roundtable with four key members of the Michigan Legislature:

House Speaker Jason Wentworth (R-Clare)
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Jackson)
House Minority Floor Leader Yousef Rabhi (D-Washtenaw and a former county commissioner)
Sen. Curtis Hertel, Jr. (D-Ingham and a former register of deeds)

During a session to be taped in late April for broadcast on day 2 of the conference, Currie and the legislators will discuss COVID funding, the prospects for reform of local government finance, four-year terms for county commissioners and much more. (If you wish to propose a question for the panel, please send it to MAC’s Hannah Sweeney at sweeney@micounties.org by April 12.)

The conference is just four weeks away now. County officials are urged to register by April 14 to get the best rate for the two-day event.

Remember, all conference events are included in your single conference fee, which is now just $100 if you are a member of MAC or the Michigan County Medical Care Facilities Council.

MDHHS modifies attendance limits; counties should review OMA requirements

Changes to how county and other public boards hold public meetings will result now that the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has modified attendance restrictions in its COVID-19 health orders.

The revisions, made Wednesday afternoon and carrying immediate effect, would have the following effects on meetings governed by the state’s Open Meetings Act:

Remove restrictions that would limit the number of people to 25 at a public meeting being held under the OMA
Now that the blanket exemption for holding meetings remotely is expiring, meetings of public bodies can be held remotely only in certain circumstances, including where a state of emergency (SOE) or state of disaster is declared (MAC has been tracking counties with SOE declarations; as of Thursday, our records showed 55 responses, with 39 of those either with an SOE or planning one)
Public bodies that have NOT declared a state of emergency, meeting in-person may now be required to conduct public business in accordance with the OMA
Participants at in-person public meetings are required to comply with other provisions in the order, including wearing masks and limiting the number of people at the meeting based on the venue size

For the latest COVID news affecting county government, visit MAC’s Resources Page.

See your senator on street? Tell ’em about 4-year term bills

We are back at work this year, though, with new bipartisan bills — Senate Bill 242, by Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Dickinson), and SB 245, by Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Oakland) — to bring four-year terms to Michigan, beginning with the 2024 presidential election cycle.

With legislators at home for their spring break, now is an excellent time for county leaders to pitch them on the value of extending commissioner terms.

For example, Passage of these bills would end Michigan’s status as one of just five states with two-year terms on all commissioners. It’s time to end that dubious distinction and bring commissioner terms in alignment with the length of those for other county elected offices across our state.

For additional talking points, view MAC’s resolution template for four-year terms legislation. (Also, if your county has not yet approved such a resolution, please do so and send a copy to Hannah Sweeney at sweeney@micounties.org as soon as possible.)

The Senate bills are now before the Senate Committee on Local Government, chaired by Sen. Dale Zorn (R-Monroe). The committee is expected to start hearings on the legislation during the week of April 12. It’s important to get these bills moving early in the year, so please let your senator now your thinking on this issue.

National County Government Month is under way

“Counties Matter” is the theme of the 2021 National County Government Month (NCGM). Since 1991, the National Association of Counties (NACo) has encouraged counties to actively promote the services and programs they offer. Counties can schedule activities any time during the month. NCGM is an excellent opportunity for your county to highlight effective county programs and raise public awareness and understanding about the various services provided to the community.

MAC is proud to partner with NACo and other county associations around the U.S. to honor public servants in county government and highlight the work they do to make our communities great places to live.

MAC has created a resources page for counties looking for ideas to promote their work. And we will be featuring #NCGM on our Twitter account and our Facebook page throughout April.

MAC joins letter of concern on 911 fee changes

MAC joined with the Michigan Communication Directors Association (MCDA) this week on a letter to the state’s congressional delegation in opposition to a federal plan to alter the use of fees for 911 services.

In the letter, the two organizations warn members of Congress, “The (Federal Communications Commission’s) proposed rules could impinge upon Michigan’s ability to determine the definition of allowable costs for 911 fees. The federal proposal eliminates radio system equipment beyond the consoles in the 911 center, i.e., radio infrastructure, mobiles, portables, pagers, AVL (Automatic Vehicle Location) and MDCs (Mobile Data/In-Car Computer) would no longer be allowable costs.”

The letter asked for congressional help in dealing with the proposal to ensure Michigan’s 911 system isn’t harmed.

For more information on this issue, contact MAC’s Meghann Keit-Corrion at keit@micounties.org.

Keep eye out for survey of county officials by CLOSUP

An invitation to participate in the Michigan Public Policy Survey (MPPS) program is coming soon to your mailbox.

The MPPS is a state-wide survey of local government officials conducted since 2009 by the University of Michigan in collaboration with MAC, the Michigan Townships Association and the Michigan Municipal League.

On Monday, April 5, you will receive an email link to the new MPPS questionnaire, which asks about your county’s fiscal health, as well as your insights about the local impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, your jurisdiction’s use of online technology and the functioning of democracy.

The MPPS studies don’t just end up on someone’s shelf — they are used by legislators, the media, the public and government officials to better understand what local leaders like you feel is really important, right now. Your participation is crucial to the success of the MPPS program.

Reports and data from previous MPPS surveys can be found on the MPPS website: http://mpps.umich.edu.

If you have questions about this research study, you can contact Dr. Debra Horner, Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy, University of Michigan, 5309 Weill Hall, 735 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, 734-615-5315, closup-mpps@umich.edu.

Late April sessions set for ‘Managing Mental Health Crisis’

County officials are again invited to participate in additional webinar trainings on the nexus of mental health and public safety issues. The sessions, which are free thanks to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the following dates:

April 21 – Mental Health Stigma, Mental Health Illness & Violence, Mental Illness and Disorders
April 22 – Michigan Mental Health Code, De-Escalation, Mood Disorders
April 28 – Trauma, Psychotic Disorders, Personality Disorders and Youth Interactions
April 29 – Substance Use Disorder, Medications, Alzheimer’s, Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Excited Delirium, Recovery

This course is the equivalent of the 2-day classroom training. Participants must attend all four (4) sessions to receive a certificate. This course is approved by the Michigan Social Work Continuing Education Collaborative-Approval #111920-02. The Collaborative is the approving body for the Michigan Board of Social Work (12 CEs). Seats are limited to 47 participants.

Managing Mental Health Crisis is designed specifically for Michigan law enforcement, public safety and community mental health responders, endorsed by the state’s Diversion Council and MCOLES-approved.

Click here to register. Deadline is April 20.

For questions, contact J. Eric Waddell at jericwaddell@thecardinalgroup2.com.

Staff picks

America’s bald eagle population continues to soar (U.S. Department of the Interior)
Can revenue from legalized recreational marijuana help states close budget gaps? (Pew Trusts)
Five questions with Jon Beard about pups, pollution and policy (Public Sector Consultants)
Northern Michigan child advocates discuss nationwide drop in child welfare, abuse reports (9&10 News)

Legislative Update 3-26-21

March 26, 2021Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

Biden promises ‘flexibility’ on county investment funds

President Joe Biden said his administration is committed to flexibility in how counties utilize the $65 billion provided directly to them via the recently enacted American Rescue Plan.

“County officials have a partner in my administration,” Biden added in an address to attendees of the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) Virtual Legislative Conference this week.

Biden’s remarks came just days before the start of National County Government Month in April, the annual celebration of the work of 3.6 million county public servants.

Staffs at MAC and NACo continue to gather information to aid the U.S. Treasury in developing guidelines and best practices on how counties can utilize the federal investment funds.

Michigan’s 83 counties alone will be receiving $1.95 billion.

NACo encourages county leaders to help them provide feedback to the U.S. Treasury on proper implementation of this huge investment by filling out a form with questions you have on allowable expenditures.

How to navigate meeting questions on multi-county entities

MAC has fielded questions this week from members about how the provisions of the Open Meetings Act (OMA) and public health orders will affect the meetings of multi-county entities after March 31, 2021.

First, it depends on a few factors (where the meeting would be held if in person, where individual members are, etc.). Here is a breakdown for the entity or individual members to meet virtually:

If all counties that the entity covers declare a local state of emergency; or
If the county that the entity meeting would be held in person declares one or the local municipality where the meeting would be held declares one; or
If only one of the counties/municipalities declares a state of emergency only the members that reside in that geographic region may appear virtually if the meeting is being held in a county or municipality NOT under a state of emergency.

After March 31, 2021, it would be advisable when the meeting is called to order to indicate how the meeting is being held remotely (under which state of emergency), or if certain members only are appearing remotely, make sure they indicate which state of emergency is allowing them to appear in such a manner. Further, individual members may want to find out if their city, village or township has done the same for their individual options to appear remotely should they choose to do so.

For information on best practices for public meetings for county boards after March 31, 2021, click here.

Property tax exemptions on broadband head to governor

Two bills that would offer exemptions from local property taxes on broadband equipment are on their way to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk, despite numerous concerns raised by MAC and others.

Senate Bill 46, by Sen. Aric Nesbitt (R-Van Buren), and House Bill 4210, by Rep. Beth Griffin (R-Van Buren), are touted by supporters as removing an impediment to the expansion of broadband into unserved and underserved areas of the state by exempting this eligible high speed broadband equipment from personal property taxes if that equipment was installed after Dec. 31, 2020. For the exemption to apply, it must resolve a lack of broadband service and deliver at least 255 megabits per second (Mbps) downstream and three Mbps upstream for internet service.

Although MAC is supportive of the expansion of high-speed broadband service, we remained opposed to the legislation because there is no reimbursement mechanism for our revenue losses. The state is again not paying for their policy priorities because the exemption is not at the discretion of the county, but a mandated exemption.

For more information on this issue, contact Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.

Materials Management Plans advance out of House committee

An eight-bill, bipartisan package rewriting the section of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act that governs solid waste planning was passed out of the House Committee on Natural Resources and Outdoor Recreation this week. The committee, chaired by Rep. Gary Howell (R- Lapeer) took testimony on and voted out the same package of bills last session, but the bills died in lame duck. This session, they held two weeks of testimony and education on the issue and finally advanced the package to the House floor for consideration after spring break.

A significant amount of time, dedication and work has gone into this package by all of the stakeholders and the product that they voted out was based on an overall consensus. Not everyone is happy with the entire package, and there are a few issues that still need to be ironed out, but the package is a modernization of the statute which reflects an emphasis on materials management, sustainable disposal of waste and additional environmental protections.

MAC supports HB 4454-4461 in concept with just a few, but significant, reservations. …

READ MORE

Veterans legislation continues march through Legislature

Improvements to efforts to aid Michigan’s 600,000-plus military veterans moved a step closer to enactment this week as a House committee advanced Senate Bill 10.

SB 10, by Sen. Lana Theis (R-Livingston), would allow county veteran service boards to meet in a closed session to interview a veteran, their spouse or a dependent regarding an application be benefits. This is meant to remove any concerns about a lack of privacy by veterans or their families seeking help, while maintaining public involvement and oversight. The veteran service committee would still be required to hold a vote to award grants in a public session. MAC supports SB 10.

Meanwhile, MAC-backed House Bill 4122, by Rep. Annette Glenn (R-Midland), was the subject of testimony in the Senate Families, Children and Veterans Committee from MAC and others this week. HB 4122 adapts state law to the realities of service delivery to Michigan veterans.

Among the MAC-supported changes in the House measure are:

Allowing grant funds to be expended for direct financial assistance for an emergent relief program (as counties continue to navigate through COVID-19 response, ensuring proper care and resources for our veteran community will remain a priority)
A 60-day window for the MVAA to distribute the grant, once approved by the county
A limited reduction in the county maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement to support hard-pressed counties (counties are not able to reduce the funding and supplant the reduction)
An exemption for the 20 hours per week staffing requirement, if approved by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency

Votes on both bills are expected in mid-April.

For questions, please contact Meghann Keit-Corrion at keit@micounties.org.

MAC testifies on indigent defense funding

MAC spoke in support of continued and sufficient funding for counties to implement existing and upcoming indigent defense standards before a Senate appropriations panel this week.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, chaired by Sen. Aric Nesbitt (R-Van Buren), oversees the nearly $500 million budget for the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, which includes the governor’s recommended $148 million line item to support Michigan Indigent Defense Commission (MIDC) grants that go in large part to counties to implement state mandates.

A $31.4 million increase sought in the governor’s budget will continue supporting standards 1-4 and the implementation of standard 5, which is due for compliance in county plans and costs analyses to the commission by April 27.

In their role of planning and managing indigent defense systems, counties continue to take great care with the public dollars entrusted to them, MAC told the panel. MAC also noted the work at the county level being done to streamline implementation of the defense standards.

While highlighting many successes throughout the new process, MAC also identified areas in which members have voiced concern. State law is intended to assure local control of these systems. However, many counties have struggled to see local control being implemented in a practical sense as the commission evaluates plans. If items are disapproved in plans, yet the county believes it is important to the effectiveness of the standards and defense, neither the grant nor local share can be used to support those disallowed costs. Counties then must go outside of their own local share money to a separate county general fund source.

MAC also emphasized the need to improve the grant reporting requirements and substantiating documentation. Counties from every corner of the state have voiced concern over the amount of back-up material requested on a regular basis. While general grant contract financial statements are welcomed, the additional paperwork and numerous requests by MIDC are becoming particularly burdensome. Isabella County Controller/Administrator Margaret McAvoy emphasized this point and provided information to the subcommittee on current county audit policies that ensure dollars are tracked responsibly.

A full video of the hearing can be found here.

For questions, contact Meghann Keit-Corrion at keit@micounties.org.

Diversity is one of many workshop topics at 2021 Legislative Conference

The Michigan Counties Virtual Legislative Conference is barely a month away and preparations are accelerating on what we expect to be a unique and interesting event.

County officials are urged to register by April 14 to get the best rate for the two-day event.

Among the 12 workshops designed for MAC members will be “Dispelling the Myths of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in County Work” on April 29.

Robyn Afryk, director of Ottawa County’s DEI Office and Roger Bergman, board chair of the county, will provide an overview of how Ottawa County established the first office of DEI in 2018 and brought it up to full strength in 2019. Come hear about the origins of the office, its current priorities and what the role of a commissioner looks like in this work.

Participants can expect time for a robust discussion and Q/A also.

MAC has designated the workshop for credit in its County Commissioner Academy (CCA), a professional development program for commissioners incorporating a series of events and workshops focused on the day-to-day responsibilities of a Michigan county commissioner.

Speaking of CCA, MAC will honor the first graduating “class” of “Certified” Michigan county commissioners during a Plenary session of the conference on April 29.

Remember, all conference events are included in your single conference fee, which is now just $100 if you are a member of MAC or the Michigan County Medical Care Facilities Council.

Ottawa’s Kuyers joins NACo Board of Directors

Ottawa County Commissioner Phil Kuyers was selected last week to serve on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Counties (NACo).

Kuyers, the first vice president on the MAC Board of Directors, replaces Ken Borton of Otsego County, who resigned his commissioner’s seat and all county roles at the end of 2020 to take his newly won seat in the Michigan House of Representatives.

“It’s a privilege to be appointed to the NACo Board,” Kuyers said. “My goals on the board are to have more insight for MAC and the counties of the state, and to offer input on the board in its policies and platforms in Washington.”

Kuyers was selected during a virtual meeting of the NACo Board on March 19.

Kuyers joins three other Michigan residents on the board:

Veronica Klinefelt, MAC Board president and Macomb County commissioner
Orrin Bailey, CFO of Kinexus, a workforce development organization
Jayne Sabaitis, administrator of Maple Lawn Medical Care Facility, the county-owned skilled nursing facility in Branch County

Podcast 83 goes live again on Monday, March 29

The Podcast 83 team returns on Monday for another live session to report on activity in Lansing and Washington, D.C., that affects Michigan’s 83 county governments and the people they serve.

Click here to register for the live event, which will include a Q&A session on all of the hot legislative topics. The episode starts at 3 p.m. on Monday, March 29.

Members can view any previous episode of the Podcast, sponsored by DTE Energy, on the podcast webpage.

Counties, check your figures on payroll reimbursements

Counties that have applied for funds via the Public Safety and Public Health Payroll Reimbursement Program (PSPHPR) are asked to review their figures as soon as possible.

The PSPHPR Prorated Award Amounts as of March 23, 2021 listing is available on the Michigan Treasury’s PSPHPR website. Treasury is asking all PSPHPR applicants to review the listing. If a county applied for the program and they are not on the list, they need to notify Treasury by April 6.

If an applicant identifies an error or omission, please contact Treasury at 517-335-0155 or by emailing Treas-CARES@michigan.gov. Applicants must contact Treasury by Tuesday, April 6, 2021, with any concerns.

If an applicant does NOT identify an error, no further action is required to notify Treasury.

Please note the following regarding the PSPHPR Prorated Award Amounts as of March 23, 2021 listing:

Prorated Award Amounts are not final.

Treasury is in the process of completing final audits of the PSPHPR applications (affected applicants have been contacted).
Awards will be finalized upon completion of the final audits and after the applicant’s review of the PSPHPR Prorated Award Amounts as of March 23, 2021 listing.
Final Prorated Award Amounts are projected to be published in April 2021.

The “Balance to Pay” amounts are the current projected amounts to be paid by Treasury to applicants.

“Balance to Pay” amounts that are negative indicate that an applicant’s “Initial 50% Payment” was greater than the “Prorated Award Amount.”
Once the prorated award amounts are finalized, applicants will need to repay the negative amounts. Do not repay the negative amounts until contacted by Treasury.

All amounts are subject to change. Any changes to one applicant will impact all other applicants’ amounts. Once Final PSPHPR Prorated Award Amounts are calculated, no further adjustments can be made.

Questions can be emailed to Treas-CARES@michigan.gov or by contacting the Treasury CARES Grant Program Hotline at 517-335-0155.

State seeks public input on housing plans

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) is undertaking a planning process to create a new strategic housing plan in Michigan. This is the first such effort in some years. A major push to get resident feedback has been to circulate an online survey instrument so that residents (renters, homeowners) and stakeholders (landlords and developers) can weigh in on their priorities and needs. The link to the survey is https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MIHousingSurvey for English speakers.

This link will take you to a survey that takes about 10 minutes to answer which guides the respondent to the right questions (which change depending on whether one is a renter, homeowner, landlord or developer).

In addition to doing an online survey, respondents can complete a survey over the phone by calling 833-312-2002, M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Helpline staff are also working with a translation service provider to assist Michiganders who speak limited English.

For more information on this effort, visit www.michigan.gov/housingplan.

Google offers free webinar on digital tools for your local economy

A webinar designed for state and local leaders on digital tools for your community will be offered on Tuesday, March 30 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. EST.

The webinar is free and sponsored by Google.

“Whether constituents are looking to build a small business or find a new career, digital tools are helping Michiganders mitigate the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis, and are helping to enable a faster, stronger recovery,” Google said in announcing the session.

Staff picks

Michigan communities turn to wetlands to prevent damage during floods (Bridge Magazine)
Waiting for a Crisis: Why criminal justice officials say the system has to change (WLNS-TV)
County Comparisons data dashboard (Wayne State Center for Behavioral Health and Justice)
Michigan warns of PFAS levels in Lake Superior rainbow smelt (MLive.com)

Legislative Update 3-19-21

March 19, 2021Blog, Events, Legislative, MAC news, MACSC, Marketing, NACo

New bipartisan bills introduced for 4-year commissioner terms

We are back at work this year, though, with new bills — Senate Bill 242, by Sen. Ed McBroom (R-Dickinson), and SB 245, by Sen. Jeremy Moss (D-Oakland) — to bring four-year terms to Michigan, beginning with the 2024 presidential election cycle.

Even as legislation stalled out last year, MAC had productive conversations with legislators on both sides of the aisle to address concerns and tweak the language.

The Senate bills are now before the Senate Committee on Local Government, chaired by Sen. Dale Zorn (R-Monroe).

To aid MAC in building momentum for passage, please consider a resolution of support by your county. MAC has created a downloadable template for this purpose. If your county does approve a resolution, please be sure to send a copy to sweeney@micounties.org.

For more information on this issue, contact Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.

Time to register for 2021 Virtual Legislative Conference

A quartet of Michigan’s top legislative leaders have been invited to keynote one of the Plenary sessions of the 2021 Legislative Conference, April 28-29.

Registration is now open for the virtual-only event.

Members who register by April 14 will pay only $100 for all sessions; the price increases to $125 on April 15. Elected county clerks, prosecutors, registers of deeds, sheriffs and treasurers ARE eligible for the member rate. Non-members pay $150 for the event.

House Speaker Jason Wentworth (R-Clare), Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Jackson) and House Minority Floor Leader Yousef Rabhi (D-Washtenaw) are confirmed for the roundtable discussion, which will be taped in late April. A Senate Democratic member has not been identified. If you have questions for this panel, MAC is now collecting them. Submit your questions for the legislators to sweeney@micounties.org by April 14. Please put “quadrant question” in the subject line of your email.

The conference also will feature:

Plenary addresses by National Association of Counties President Judge Gary Moore of Kentucky and Executive Director Matt Chase
A Legislative Update on the 2021 session
Twelve workshops tailored to MAC members and four for MCMCFC members

CE for MCMCFC members
The MCMCFC Workshops have been submitted to the Ohio Nurses Association (ONA) and National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) for approval to award NHA continuing education credits and nursing contact hours.

MAC and MCMCFC appreciate the support of our “early-bird” sponsors: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Enbridge, MMRMA, MAC Service Corp., Michigan Counties Workers’ Compensation Fund and Bradford Printing.

MAC-backed veterans bill clears House

Another step forward in updating the county veteran service fund to reflect the realities of grant implementation and response to emergent relief efforts was taken this week as the House gave strong, bipartisan support to a MAC-backed bill.

House Bill 4122, by Rep. Annette Glenn (R-Midland) reflects the work of MAC and the Michigan Veteran Affairs Agency (MVAA) to adapt statutory changes needed as experience identifies what structures work and what do not. Among the MAC-supported changes in the bill are:

Allowing grant funds to be expended for direct financial assistance for an emergent relief program (as counties continue to navigate through COVID-19 response, ensuring proper care and resources for our veteran community will remain a priority)
A 60-day window for the MVAA to distribute the grant, once approved by the county
A limited reduction in the county maintenance of effort (MOE) requirement to support hard-pressed counties (counties are not able to reduce the funding and supplant the reduction)
An exemption for the 20 hours per week staffing requirement, if approved by MVAA

MAC appreciates the support of members who used our Phone2Action system to send messages of support to their state representatives. The bill now moves to the Senate Families, Seniors and Veterans Committee, chaired by Sen. John Bizon (R-Calhoun).

For questions, contact Meghann Keit-Corrion at keit@micounties.org.

How to navigate questions on in-person vs. hybrid vs. digital

With state health orders reducing restrictions on indoor gatherings and hospitalization rates showing marked improvement in recent weeks, MAC has been fielding questions from members about moving out of purely virtual county board sessions.

First, it’s important to remember two key dates in play about board meetings:

March 31, 2021 – This is the last day that public boards can hold virtual sessions for “any reason” under provisions of the October and December 2020 changes to the state’s Open Meetings Act (OMA).
Dec. 31, 2021 – This is the last day that public boards can hold virtual sessions IF they have adopted a State of Emergency (SOE) resolution. A template for such a resolution is on MAC’s COVID Resources Page.

Next, boards must navigate the competing requirements of public access under OMA with the restrictions on gatherings under orders from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (no more than 25 persons) and/or local health departments.

Scenario 1: In person meeting with no declared state of emergency after 3/31/21

If your county wants to hold an in-person session and posts it as in-person at a physical address (say, the courthouse), the county may not turn away members of the public who arrive to attend the open meeting. Of course, this could lead to rooms exceeding proper capacity under COVID health orders.

One option is to plan for overflow room(s) with two-way communication for members of the public. However, absent the authority for a virtual meeting (e.g. state of emergency declaration after 3/31) requiring the public to leave because of the capacity limitations would violate the OMA.

Scenario 2: In person meeting with a declared state of emergency after 3/31/21

If, however, your county has a state of emergency declaration in place after 3/31 and posts the meeting as “virtual” or “hybrid” then it can proceed with some county personal (including commissioners) in the courthouse while the public is required to participate via two-way remote connections. This would also afford commissioners the option to participate in the meeting virtually.

That does not mean a posted in-person public meeting may not permit the public to participate via Zoom (absent a state of emergency declaration after 3/31) but permitting/encouraging/requesting virtual participation is different from requiring it or otherwise turning the public away from an in person meeting.

As always, county boards are advised to consult with their corporate counsel to ensure procedures are following all relevant state laws.

MDHHS modifies health order, eases sports attendance rules

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) updated its Gatherings and Mask epidemic order, the department announced Friday, allowing up to 20 percent capacity in outdoor stadiums and arenas that establish infection control plans. The update also increases testing for youth ages 13-19 to ensure athletes can safely participate in sports. The changes to the Order go into effect Monday, March 22, and remain in effect through Monday, April 19.

“More than 3.2 million doses of the safe and effective COVID vaccines have been administered in Michigan, and we are well on our way to vaccinating 70 percent of Michiganders ages 16 and up,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS, in the departmental release.

MDHHS had been closely monitoring three metrics for stabilization or declines over the past several weeks. Michigan’s metrics have been increasing for the past few weeks. The presence of more infectious variants, such as the B 1.1.7 variant, threatens our progress in control of the epidemic and MDHHS will be monitoring data closely. In recent days: 

Positivity rate: has increased for four weeks to 6.2%. This metric is up 177% from the mid-February low but remains below the December high of 19.4%.
Statewide case rate: This metric has increase over the past four weeks to 172.9 cases per million. The rate is up 77% from the low in mid-February but remains below peak of 737.8 cases per million on Saturday, Nov 14.
Hospital capacity dedicated to COVID-19 is now at 4.9%. This metric peaked at 19.6% on Tuesday, Dec. 4 and is now up 25% from an end of February low.

And, to ensure consistency with recently issued CDC guidance, fully vaccinated individuals may now participate in residential gatherings with other fully vaccinated individuals without wearing a mask.

The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus. To learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit Michigan.gov/COVIDVaccine.