Funding will be a dominant topic of discussion today (Wednesday) at the Grand Traverse County commission meeting, with commissioners set to approve a proposed $47.8 million general fund budget for 2024, cost-of-living increases for county employees and elected officials, and funding agreements for several local projects to move ahead using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars.

County Administrator Nate Alger told commissioners in a study session last week that the 2024 balanced budget represents an “expanded level of county service” based on the county’s new strategic goals. Those goals include planning for sustainable growth and innovation, recruiting and retaining qualified staff, building trust and transparency, and focusing on the needs of the community. The budget includes nine new county positions, ranging from an emergency management coordinator to a circuit court specialist to a GIS technician.

“Throughout 2023, we experienced healthy growth and continued to be a destination for tourism as well as new commercial and residential growth,” Alger wrote in the budget. “Events such as the National Cherry Festival and Horse Shows by the Bay continue to bring large numbers of visitors to our community. Because of the attractiveness of our region, people visit from all over the world, and we need to be ready to provide the services necessary to support these activities and associated growth.”

A new position of community development coordinator reflects the county’s goal of planning for growth by providing an “immediate contact for local officials and developers to coordinate with county departments to facilitate efficient movement through various developments,” Alger wrote. “We often hear about the level of confusion and the challenges builders and developers have while trying to work with the municipalities and the county.”

The budget includes $1.45 million in capital improvement projects, including a renovation project in the Grand Traverse County Jail to add three isolation cells, the reconditioning of the roof and replacement of two boilers at the Law Enforcement Center, and bathroom and locker room roof upgrades at the Civic Center. Alger noted that consulting firm TowerPinkster is finishing up a county facilities master plan – expected to be presented to commissioners in February – that will “give the county a roadmap on how best to use our space to provide better services, improve our facilities, and recommend adjacencies (to) maximize the efficiency of county operations,” Alger said.

The budget includes a $3.9 million debt service payment for the county’s pension bonds, a $741,564 additional required amount to be paid to MERS (the county’s retirement plan provider), and a $300,000 payment for retiree health liability (OPEB). Public safety – a category that includes the Sheriff’s Office and jail, among other operations – represents the biggest part of the county budget at $20.6 million. Commissioner TJ Andrews raised concerns last week about public safety spending “going up and up and up” in recent years despite a downward trend in crime. Chair Rob Hentschel pointed out there could be a “cause and effect” relationship there – suggesting crime is going down because the county is investing more in public safety – but Andrews and other commissioners asked for a study session in the new year dedicated to rising public safety spending so they can “unpack what’s going on there,” as Andrews put it.

According to Alger, the county is expected to receive approximately $765,000 in marijuana license revenues – dollars he’s recommending go into a dedicated fund for specific purposes to be determined by commissioners. Grand Traverse County has also received just over $718,407 to date from a class-action opioid settlement and is expected to receive approximately $5.6 million over the next 18 years. A nine-member opioid epidemic taskforce is working on recommendations on how best to use those funds. Also related to the budget, commissioners are set to approve a four percent cost-of-living adjustment today for all non-contract employees and elected officials.

Finally, commissioners will vote on approving several funding agreements to allow local projects to move forward using county American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Those include $225,000 for Blair Township for water supply and treatment upgrades, $2 million for East Bay Township for a sanitary sewer force main replacement, $75,000 for Fife Lake Township for roof and door replacement at the emergency services building, and $95,917 for Whitewater Township for a wetlands mitigation and trail improvement project at the Lossie Road Nature Trail.

Commissioners will also vote to approve an amended ARPA funding agreement with Goodwill Northern Michigan. The board had previously approved $400,000 for Goodwill for a housing project on Station Street, but that project will not be ready in time to use ARPA dollars under the deadline set by the federal government. Goodwill is seeking to redirect that $400,000 to Annika Place 2, another planned housing project on Hastings Street. The 52-unit housing project will include 19 units for permanent supporting housing for individuals experiencing homelessness, with the remaining units dedicated to tenants earning 30 to 80 percent of the area median income (AMI). Construction is expected to start next summer, with residents anticipated to move in by October 2025, according to Goodwill.