Podcast 83

Podcast 83 is a regular look at the news, stories and trends related to Michigan’s 83 counties from Keweenaw to Monroe, Chippewa to Berrien.

Hosted by MAC Executive Director Stephan Currie, the podcast features:

Regular reports from MAC staff on legislative activities
Updates and opportunities through MAC services
Newsmaker interviews
Happenings from across Michigan’s 83 counties

NEW!: Podcast 83 now available on Soundcloud!

Episodes

NEW: Episode 23 – released 6/18/20
Host: Deena Bosworth
Guest: Meghann Keit of MAC
Topics: Extension of the State of Emergency to July 16; aid to county governments via Senate Bill 690; legislation on summer payments on property taxes; legislation on expunging more criminal convictions; trial court costs legislation; solid waste legislation; bill to usurp local control on mining operations

Epsiode 22 – released 5/20/20
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth and Meghann Keit, MAC
Topics: The MAC Governmental Affairs team discusses potential direct federal aid for counties on COVID-19, what is happening in Lansing with the multi-billion-dollar budget crisis and progress on a critical trial court funding measure.

Special Live Video Edition of Podcast 83 (4/23/20)
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Doug Hoelscher, White House director of intergovernmental affairs; Deena Bosworth; Meghann Keit

Episode 20 — released 3/16/2020
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth and Meghann Keit of MAC Governmental Affairs
Topics: COVID-19 responses and information

Episode 19 — released 1/21/2020
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth, Meghann Keit and Michael Ruddock of MAC Governmental Affairs
Topics: In the inaugural 2020 episode of Podcast 83, MAC staffers go over our 2020 legislative priorities, including: local government finance reform (1:05 mark); opioid crisis (2:20); four-year terms for county commissioners (3:50); trial court funding (5:25); water levels/flooding/infrastructure (7:40); property tax exemptions (11:55); mental health funding (14:00); and Dark Stores/property valuation (16:35).

Episode 18 — released 12/17/2019
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth and Meghann Keit of MAC Governmental Affairs
Topics: Budget supplemental bills and their impact on county finances; legislation to adopt 4-year terms for county commissioners; road commission merger authority; Section 298 mental health outlook

Episode 17 — released 11/7/2019
Host: Derek Melot
Guests: Debra Horner of the Center for Local, State and Urban Policy at the University of Michigan; Pam Yager of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Topics: Survey results on local governments’ preparations for a recession; how Blue Cross and the Michigan Opioid Partnership can aid counties in fight against addiction.

Episode 16 — released 10/24/2019
Hosts: Meghann Keit and Derek Melot
Guests: Terry Schuster of Pew Charitable Trusts; MAC Board Members Ken Borton and Stan Ponstein
Topics: Michigan’s Jail Task Force on best practices; Michigan commissioners’ visit to the White House

Episode 15 — released 10/1/2019
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth and Meghann Keit of MAC
Topics: FY20 budget vetoes; 4-year board terms legislation

Episode 14 — released 7/25/2019
Host: Deena Bosworth
Guest: Chris Kolb, State Budget Director
Topics: Revenue sharing, state revenue

Episode 13 – released 5/15/2019
Host: Meghann Keit
Guests: Dr. Sheryl Kubiak, Wayne State University
Topic: Mental health policies and reforms and their effects on county jails

Episode 12 – released 4/30/2019
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth and Bob Kosowski of MAC.
Topics: State Budget and Revenue Sharing (:42 mark); Sanctuary Counties and Jail Funding (4:25); Raise the Age (6:53); Pew Trust Task Force on Jail Policies (8:56)

Episode 11 – released 4/18/2019
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth and Bob Kosowski of MAC.
Topics: Legislative Update (:53 mark); Raise the Age (5:37); road funding (10:10)

Episode 10 – released 3/22/2019
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth and Bob Kosowski of MAC.
Topics: Governor’s budget proposal, legislative updates

Episode 9 – released 3/5/2019
Host: Derek Melot
Guests: Sean Carlson, Peggy Cantu of MAC Service Corp.
Topics: CoPro purchasing and procurement programs (:55 mark); Service Corp. sponsored programs (6:29); MAC Events Update (13:10)

Episode 8 – released 1/24/2019
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth, Meghann Keit, Robert Kosowski, MAC
Topics: Legislative Committees (:47 mark); MAC Internal Committees (4:10); MAC State Priorities for 2019 (5:15); MAC County Outreach Work (10:55)

Episode 7 – released 12/7/2018
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth and Meghann Keit, MAC
Topics: Lame duck session overview (1:10 mark); property assessing legislation (5:23); septic code (6:35); Raise the Age and MIDC updates (9:15); and veteran property tax exemption reform (12:00)

Episode 6 – released 11/20/2018
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Michael Bosanac, Monroe County administrator; Meghann Keit, MAC
Topic: In a special episode of Podcast 83, MAC’s Stephan Currie and Meghann Keit have an extensive discussion with Monroe County Administrator Michael Bosanac about his work on the state’s Trial Court Funding Commission. Created by legislation backed by MAC, the commission is studying ways to reform and improve funding for local trial courts, one of the most significant state-imposed burdens on counties. Bosanac is MAC’s appointee to the commission, which will issue its report in fall of 2019.

Episode 5 – released 11/9/18
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth, MAC; Chris Jones, MAC; Meghann Keit, MAC
Topics: Federal election results (1:10 mark); State election results (2:35); Lame duck session (11:00); and County election results (16:50)

Episode 4 – released 10/25/18
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth, MAC; Chris Jones, MAC
Topics: Trial Court Funding Survey (:33 mark); Indigent Defense Funding (1:55); UPCAP Conference (6:50); and Assessing Legislation (9:33)

Episode 3 – released 10/12/18
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Chris Jones, MAC; Meghann Keit, MAC; Derek Melot, MAC
Topics: Legislative calendar (:22 mark); Small cell tower regulation (3:42); Raise the Age legislation on 17-year-old offenders (7:13); upcoming New Commissioner School training sites (10:32)

Episode 2 – released 9/14/18
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth, MAC; Meghann Keit, MAC; Chris Jones, MAC
Topics: Indigent Defense Grants (:30 mark); Assessing legislation (7:14); Ballot Proposals (13:44)

Episode 1 – released 8/24/18
Host: Stephan Currie
Guests: Deena Bosworth, MAC; Meghann Keit, MAC
Topics: Raise the Age legislation (1:00 mark); Indigent Defense (5:40); Personal Property Tax (7:05); Property Assessment Rules (14:42)