MAC renews call for county leaders to contact Congress on grant rule crisis
As MAC and the National Association of Counties have been reporting over July and August, county officials should be watching a sweeping federal proposal that could significantly change how counties receive, administer and manage federal grants.
MAC asks Michigan county leaders to reach out to their members of Congress on this issue right away (see details below)
The federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has proposed a government-wide rewrite of the regulations governing federal financial assistance under 2 CFR Part 200. NACo recently submitted detailed comments on the proposal, raising concerns about increased administrative requirements, uncertainty surrounding federal funding commitments and potential financial exposure for counties.
Counties are among the nation’s largest recipients and pass-through administrators of federal assistance, administering programs across public safety, transportation, health, housing, human services and emergency management. Federal financial assistance to state and local governments totaled $1.1 trillion in fiscal 2024.
One of the most significant changes expands federal agencies’ authority to terminate certain discretionary awards if they no longer advance program goals, agency priorities or the “national interest as they exist at the time of the termination.”
NACo argues this standard could create significant uncertainty for counties that enter into contracts, commit local resources or advance funds based on a federal award.
Importantly, the proposal exempts block grants, formula grants and disaster recovery grants from the expanded discretionary termination authority. NACo is asking OMB to identify the specific programs covered by those exemptions so counties can know with certainty which funding streams are protected.
The termination provisions are particularly problematic for reimbursement-based infrastructure projects. Counties often advance local funds or enter binding contracts before receiving federal reimbursement. Under the proposed rules, if an award is suspended or terminated mid-project, there may not be a guaranteed path for recovering all costs already incurred. …
Podcast 83: Counties need to prep now for generational shifts in leadership, say risk management experts
A new episode of Podcast 83 explores the growing human resources challenge in county government and features a MAC Corporate Partner positioned to help members address it.
Keying off a presentation made at the MAC Legislative Conference in April, Acrisure’s Sarah Kline and Paul Bragenzer spoke with host Stephan Currie about the need for counties to be in transition mode today to avoid big trouble tomorrow.
“Statistically speaking, about 37 percent of organizations, both in the public and private sector, are going to have leaders that are retiring, in the next 10 years,” said Kline. “And only about 30 percent of organizations actually have a true perpetuation plan. So, we see that as an area of risk for counties, especially.
“And the reason why we wanted to bring that topic into today’s podcast is it really resonated with the folks (at the conference),” she continued. “So … we could see the wheels turning as they were having conversations at their tables that we felt like that topic resonated with them.”
“Let’s talk a little bit about risk management. What risks and safety concerns come from these generational risks?” Currie asked.
“Well, it’s, very interesting to see when an organization has a specific mindset and structure, where information and knowledge is housed in a few people, and then when that person leaves,” replied Bragenzer. “There goes some information that does not then get passed down throughout the organization, so consequently, there’s disharmony.”
Acrisure, Kline explained, focuses on helping counties and others maintain a “safety culture” in everyday operations: “If you walk into the building on your first day or into that job, are we exhibiting that culture just as everyone is interacting, and are we also creating that as part of their onboarding and just so that it’s something that is all the way from the beginning, they know what to expect and what the culture is going to be. That’s a great foundation for bringing up those future leaders and making sure that we minimize that risk from a perpetuation standpoint.”
For more on Acrisure and addressing risk, watch the full episode, recorded in July, by clicking here or on the image above.
State provides FAQ sheet on public safety revenue sharing
The Michigan Department of Treasury has released a list of Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Public Safety Revenue Sharing distributions for FY 26 and FY 2027 to assist counties and other local units in administering the funds.
For more information on this issue, contact Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.
NACo offers Sept. 8 webinar on using AI to improve services
A Sept. 8 webinar presented by the National Association of Counties will delve into how AI can improve your county services.
The session will run from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern. Click here to register.
Government agencies have more data than ever before but turning that information into clear priorities and measurable outcomes remains a challenge. Disconnected systems, competing demands, and limited resources can make it difficult to know how to improve resident experiences.
Join Granicus for a discussion on the challenges and opportunities of measuring and improving digital experiences and engagement, along with a look at how agencies can use AI-powered insights to make smarter decisions for their community.
During this session, attendees will learn how to:
- Identify where digital experiences are breaking down
- Turn fragmented data into prioritized actions
- Focus resources on the improvements most likely to drive impact
- Measure progress and demonstrate outcomes over time
For more information on NACo webinars, click here.
MAC resumes internal committee meetings in October
MAC will resume sessions of its five internal policy committees in October. All committee members will receive a calendar invitation for each scheduled meeting. The invitation will include a Zoom link for members who wish to participate remotely. A meeting agenda will be distributed to committee members one week prior to each meeting. The schedule for the remainder of 2026 is:
MAC’s policy committees provide commissioners with an opportunity to discuss emerging legislative and policy issues, provide input on MAC’s positions and help guide the association’s advocacy efforts.
For more information on MAC committees, contact Deena Bosworth at bosworth@micounties.org.
Legislative candidates include nearly 50 with county experience
Legislative elections in November will include nearly 50 candidates that have some experience serving in county government, following the results of the August primaries.
Among those vying for the 38 seats in the Michigan Senate are:
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For the House’s 110 seats, there are 29 candidates with county-government backgrounds competing:
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Gubernatorial candidates select running mates
Fresh off primary victories, Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and Republican Congressman John James have announced their lieutenant governor choices.
Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks of Kent County will join the Democratic ticket. Brinks is the first woman to serve as Senate majority leader and previously served three terms in the Michigan House before joining the Senate in 2019.
Rep. Jay DeBoyer of St. Clair County joins the GOP ticket. Before election to the House, DeBoyer served 12 years as St. Clair’s clerk and register of deeds. He now chairs the Michigan House Oversight Committee.
Staff picks
- Michigan Property Taxes as a Share of Personal Income (Senate Fiscal Agency)
- Where are Michiganders moving to? U-Haul has some answers (MLive)
- What are the patterns of interstate migration of college-educated workers? (W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research)
- Has your license plate been tracked by Flock cameras? Here’s how to check. (CBS News)