The topic of safety dominated discussion Wednesday among Grand Traverse County commissioners as they debated changes to the county’s employee weapons policy and approved a resolution seeking state support to address the dangerous Gray Road/Cedar Run Road intersection.

Weapons Policy
What was expected to be a relatively straightforward agenda item Wednesday – approving updated safety policies for Grand Traverse County employees – turned into a protracted commission discussion after several commissioners objected to a longstanding county policy prohibiting employees from carrying weapons while working or on county property, as well as at any location where an employee is representing the county for business purposes.

The policy – which applies to all employees unless they have an exception approved by the county administrator, such as Sheriff’s Office staff – says employees cannot possess or use any weapon, including guns, knives, swords, explosives, and “any chemical whose purpose is to cause harm to another person" while working. Commissioner Darryl Nelson objected to that language, saying it was too broad and might prevent employees who need pepper spray for self-defense – such as a woman going through a domestic dispute – from carrying it.

Commissioner Scott Sieffert also slammed the policy, calling it “crap” and “tyrannical in nature.” Employees could face a range of threatening situations – from stalkers to homeless individuals who often congregate near the Governmental Center, he said – and should be able to defend themselves. He called the policy a significant “overreach.”

County Administrator Nate Alger reminded commissioners that the policy has long been in place. He also said the county’s insurance provider, Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority (MMRMA), does “not support the concept of weapons in the workplace.” Alger said he’s approved very few exceptions to the policy over years. While Alger said he appreciated strong opinions about Second Amendment and self-defense rights, employers also have legal rights to enact rules that protect their workplaces. Changing the county’s policy could pose safety risks and should only be done “carefully” and with an extensive legal and MMRMA review, Alger said.

Commissioners approved the updated safety policies Wednesday, but also voted to form an ad hoc committee to study the weapons policy. Commissioners Sieffert, Brad Jewett, and TJ Andrews will serve on that committee. Commissioners from both parties agreed some language in the policy could likely be tightened. Andrews, for example, noted the policy seems to ban employees from taking weapons onto any county property – even county parks for hunting on their days off. Alger said the policy was only intended to apply to employees while working, but agreed the language could be reviewed to ensure that was clear.

Gray Road/Cedar Run Road Intersection
Commissioners Wednesday approved a resolution – also recently approved by Leelanau County commissioners – to seek state funding support for safety improvements to the intersection of Gray and Cedar Run roads.

The resolution states there’s been a “notable rise in traffic incidents at this intersection, including multiple accidents and near-misses that have resulted in property damage and personal injuries, thereby posing a dire danger to residents, visitors, and motorists.” Commissioner Penny Morris, whose daughter was killed in an accident involving a reckless driver in Traverse City years ago, has been a passionate advocate for addressing the intersection. She said she receives regular calls and emails from residents about near-misses and dangerous conflicts at the site, and that some neighbors “keep an accident kit in their home” because of frequent collisions.

“I’m advocating really for my neighbors, for my community,” Morris said. “We are growing, and it’s an enormous rate, but our infrastructure isn’t keeping up. And we really need to be proactive about that.” Morris said she found it “unacceptable” that accident criteria means dangerous intersections often aren’t addressed until a fatality occurs at the site.

Chair Rob Hentschel agreed, stating he had a relative die in a car accident at an intersection that then later received safety upgrades. “The way we do funding for roads is sadly based on death,” he said. Jewett, who with Morris has attended meetings about the intersection with the road commissions of both Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, said the site was a particular concern given the high amount of redirected traffic it might handle next year when M-72/M-22 is under reconstruction.

Improvements could range from installing temporary lighting and signaling during the reconstruction next year to adding permanent lighting with left-turn lanes to constructing a new roundabout, Jewett said. Those improvements could range from $200,000 to over $1 million. “We don’t have the local funds to do what we needed to do there,” Jewett said, explaining why state support is needed. Andrews agreed the intersection seemed like a “dangerous situation,” though she encouraged commissioners to consider solutions beyond solely relying on the state for support. That could include asking the road commission to take another look at its budget or allocating some county dollars toward improvements.