Filing period for MAC Board elections closes in 1 week
Only one week remains in the filing period for elections to fill nearly half the seats on the MAC Board of Directors.
Seven seats are in play for the 16-member Board at the 2025 Annual Conference. The deadline to file as a candidate is Aug. 30, 2025.
To date, 13 county commissioners have filed for election or re-election.
The elections will be held on Oct. 1 at the conference at the Grand Traverse Resort. Per MAC By-laws, applications are due by 4 p.m. on Aug. 30.
Six of the available seats represent regions, so they will be decided by a caucus in that specific region. The at-large seat is determined by votes from all six MAC regions.
To download an application form, click here.
For additional details about service on the board, visit MAC’s website.
For questions about the election process, contact Communications Director Derek Melot at melot@micounties.org.
Filed Candidates for 2025 MAC Board Elections |
|
| Region 1, Seat B | Region 6, Seat A |
|
Kelli van Ginhoven, Delta |
Kathy Niemiec, Bay |
| Region 3, Seat B | Region 6, Seat B |
|
Julie Wuerfel, Berrien |
Jay O’Farrell, Iosco* |
| Region 4, Seat A | At-large, Seat B |
|
Brian Hurtekant, Clinton |
William Miller, Oakland* |
| Region 5, Seat A | *Incumbent director |
| Antoinette Wallace, Macomb* | |
House backs bill to amend county road purchasing requirements
Legislation to increase the amount a county road commission or department can spend without requiring the purchase to be made through advertisement and sealed bids was passed by the Michigan House on Tuesday.
Currently, any purchase over $15,000, or $50,000 under emergency conditions, must be made via advertisement and sealed bid. Under House Bill 4415, by Rep. Tom Kuhn (R-Oakland), this threshold is increased to $75,000, and $250,000 in an emergency. The bill requires the dollar amounts to be adjusted for inflation each fiscal year using the Detroit Consumer Price Index.
HB 4415 would also increase the weight threshold for purchases through advertising and sealed bid from 5,000 pounds to 10,000 pounds.
It has been several decades since these provisions within county road law have been amended.
MAC supports HB 4415, which now awaits action in the Senate.
For any additional information on this issue, contact Samantha Gibson at gibson@micounties.org.
MAC congratulates 35 Michigan graduates in recent Leadership Academy class
Join over 10,000 county leaders already benefiting from the effectiveness of the NACo Leadership Academy, the 12-week, online leadership program founded by General Colin Powell.
Enroll now for September 2025!
Our September cohorts are right around the corner. Join us in investing in the workforce – empowering them to become better leaders today and into the future.
Developed by General Colin Powell, the Professional Development Academy and NACo, the High Performance Leadership Academy is an online 12-week program that helps your workforce develop fundamental, practical leadership skills to deliver results for counties and our residents.
Click here to learn more or register!
MAC congratulates the April Michigan county graduates — 21 from Muskegon County alone — from the academy:
| Amy Smith, Senior Accountant, Muskegon | Derrick Britton, Director of Veterans Information Center Service, Genesee | Melissa Clark, Human Resources, Muskegon |
| Angela Gasiewski, Finance Director, Muskegon | Elizabeth Tiemeyer, Human Resources Analyst, Muskegon | Nathan Yeomans, Environmental Compliance Manager, Kent |
| Angella Doremire, Deputy Chief Public Defender, Muskegon | Heather Bloomquist, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Muskegon | Nic VanderVinne, Deputy Director, Kent |
| Anne James, Benefits Analyst, Muskegon | Ivy Wiltenburg, Chief Deputy County Clerk, Muskegon | Pamela Coleman, Director of GCCARD, Genesee |
| Ashley Herbig, Quality Licensing Emergency Response Administrator, Genesee | Jenn Headrick, Management Analyst, Kent County | Phil Meade, Communications Manager, Kent |
| Ashley Huey, Office Administrator, Kent | Jerome Threlkeld, Organizational Development Coordinator, Genesee | Rebecca Burkholder, Finance Supervisor, Muskegon |
| Brandy Carlson, HealthWest Chief Financial Officer, Muskegon | Jim Pyle, IT Technical Services Manager, Genesee | Rich Francisco, Executive Director, Muskegon |
| Christina Harrington, Health Officer, Saginaw | Joe Fisher, Deputy Chief Public Defender, Muskegon | Robert Porter, Lieutenant, Kent |
| Christine Morris, Administrative Analyst, Muskegon | Kate Asher, Nursing Manager, Muskegon | Robin Semelbauer, WIC Supervisor, Muskegon |
| Christy Ladronka, Chief Clinical Officer, Muskegon | Kristen Wade, HR Director, Muskegon | Sam Bender, Safety Coordinator, Muskegon |
| Crystal Brown, Human Resources Supervisor, Muskegon | Kristi Chittenden, CIO, Muskegon | Sawyer Johnson, Communications Manager, Kent |
| Lynn Radzilowski, Senior Services Director, Genesee | Steve Winston, Investigator, Muskegon |
Do you have your room secured for the 2025 Annual Conference?
Registration continues at a brisk pace for the 2025 Annual Conference at the Grand Traverse Resort Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 2025.
Which raises the question: “Do you have your room secured for the conference?”
Rooms may still be available, but members should call GTR immediately (231-534-6000) to check on rates for the event, which will feature:
- Plenary Session keynotes from James Olson, former CIA chief of counterintelligence, and Paul Mellor, author of Finding the Keys and an expert on memory enhancement.
- The 2025 President’s Banquet, featuring the installation of Macomb County’s Antoinette Wallace as MAC’s 117th president.
- A Welcome Reception and strolling dinner in the Exhibitor Hall with more than 30 firms providing goods and services of importance to county government.
- MAC’s Annual Business Meeting, which will review and approve MAC’s policy platforms for the coming year.
- Membership elections will be held for seven seats on the MAC Board of Directors.
- Ten policy workshops ranging from the use of AI to build local economies to challenges to mental health services.
The conference also will include plenty of time for members to network and enjoy the facilities of the resort and the surrounding Grand Traverse community.
Conference registration continues through Sept. 19, with the member rate pegged at $415 and the spouse/guest meal package at $225.
For complete details, visit MAC’s digital conference site.
Treasury sets ‘Chart Chat’ event for Sept. 11
The Michigan Department of Treasury will hold its next “Chart Chat” webinar at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025. The Chart Chat webinar series provides local governments with critical information related to accounting and auditing topics, measuring local government fiscal health and other important updates.
Topics covered will include:
- Cybersecurity
- Investment Policy Best Practices
- MI Rural Water Association
Participants can register and submit questions prior to the webinar by clicking here.
Presentations and recordings from this webinar, along with previous webinars, can be found at TREASURY – BLGSS Learning Center. For support related to Treasury’s local government services, visit TREASURY – Contact Information.
Staff picks
- FEMA’s no ‘be-all, end-all’ for recovery (NACo County News)
- Hundreds of thousands of dollars embezzled from Michigan rural nonprofits (Bridge Michigan)
- The ice storm walloped Northern Michigan’s power grid. Residents are paying for it (MLive)
- State releases new website to monitor wildfire smoke (Interlochen Public Radio)