Mackinac County is the first county to pass the Luce, Mackinac, Alger, and Schoolcraft Clean Indoor Air Regulation and, once adopted by all four counties, smoking would be banned in public places, including public and private worksites, but not bars and restaurants. Mackinac County Commissioners made their decision following a public hearing Thursday, September 8.

Commissioners also agreed to give the Mackinac County Road Commission $10,000 in a match grant program with townships and the road commission for the road work in the county. They agreed to the amount for the next two years as an ongoing program unless the county’s funding can’t support the agreement, in which case commissioners would adjust the amount.

Also during their meeting, commissioners decided to reverse a decision from last month that had Robert Robach, the county animal control officer, working out of his home rather than the animal shelter. Additionally, they decided he now will post his hours as to when he will be at the shelter. Commissioners granted an easement to Semco Energy Gas Company for $1,500 to install a new gas main.

During a public hearing before the commission meeting, two representatives from the American Cancer Society attended in support of the Clean Indoor Air Regulation. No one spoke in opposition to the ban. The ban also must be passed by Luce, Alger, and Schoolcraft counties before it can go into effect. The other counties are in various stages of the hearing process. If the clean air regulation goes into effect, it would be enforced by the health officer of the District Health Department.

Commissioners agreed that the animal control officer, Robert Robach, would work out of the animal shelter, post a schedule of his hours, and noted that no personal pets would be allowed in the shelter.

Commissioner Jim Farero investigated the animal shelter operations to see how the program was working with Mr. Robach moving his office to his home and out of the shelter. “After all my research, I feel that Bob should be put back into the animal shelter. His office should be there. It’s our building. He’s our employee. He should have his office there. He shouldn’t have been removed,” said Mr. Farero.

A message can be left for him there or if there is an emergency, Mr. Robach can be paged by the sheriff’s department, he said.

Mr. Farero also said Mr. Robach needed to post his hours, with the preferred time being in the afternoons because shelter cleaning is done in the morning.

Commissioners also discussed having a meeting with Mackinac Animal Aide Association to continue the communication between the commission, Mr. Robach, and the organization, but they took no action on setting a date when such a meeting would take place.

Commissioners agreed to give $10,000 toward a matching grant fund for county road maintenance. The county and road commission matches $10,000 to townships who also match with $10,000 to for their road work each year. Manager Craig Kelso and Road Commissioner John Duncan asked commissioners to agree to matching funds of $10,000 in a two-year program unless changed by commissioners. “It appears the funds are in very good shape,” said Commission Chair Dawn Nelson. “I think we’ll have the money.”

Mr. Kelso asked if they could get match funding information earlier to help them plan with the townships. He said they already are starting to work with townships on next year’s plan and it would help to get the information earlier so they could get more materials in bulk.

Initially, Mrs. Nelson asked if they would begin to plan with the figure of between $5,000 and $10,000 until the end of November when the budget is closer to completion, but Mr. Kelso said it would be better for them to plan with $10,000, and then commissioners may reduce the funding if necessary.

They also gave commissioners an update on this year’s match program. Mr. Kelso said they plan to wrap up projects they agreed to with townships by the end of this month.

“This program makes a good catalysis of how to get projects started and how we help bring together and partner on things with the townships. It’s a huge impact to the roads,” said Mr. Kelso.

Commissioners will consider a possible millage reduction at their next meeting. In the past, the county has received a Tri-County Convention Facilities Tax and the Four-Percent Statewide Liquor Tax. The county receives the funds in February of each year and has given the money to the health department and some to the sheriff’s department. Mrs. Nelson suggested that rather than transfer the funds to the health department, commissioners might want to consider lowering the county’s millage.

“In fact, for probably 20 years, we’ve just automatically given it to the health department.” said Mrs. Nelson. Commissioner Farero agreed with Mrs. Nelson on considering the millage reduction, but Mr. Durm said he needed to find out how the health department used the money.

Jim Fenlon, county equalization director, said the estimated amount the county would get this year is approximately $113,515.

The law requires that counties follow the truth-in-taxation hearing process using the funds to reduce the millage rate, but if they do not, then 50 percent is required to go toward substance abuse programs.

Commissioners agreed they would have County Prosecutor W. Clayton Graham look over the paperwork, but gave approval to Semco Energy to begin work immediately on a new gas line. Arthur Ring, an engineer for the company, said they would install a four-inch gas main to reinforce current gas pressure. The installation requires an easement from the county to do the work. The line eventually will be laid along Mackinac Trail to the new casino. Current plans call for it to run across Portage, up First Street to the west of Chain Lake, and along I-75.

The gas line, which will be buried between 36 inches and 42 inches deep, is needed because of growth in that vicinity, including the planned new hospital and the casino addition. Semco will do an annual leak survey of the gas line, which will be identified with a four-foot pole, said Mr. Ring.

In other business, commissioners heard about emergency signage for snowmobile trails and offered a letter of support for the project. They also decided to consider establishing a contract for computer support. They authorized Deputy Bob Muter to receive lost vacation time, but denied Rene Young’s request for credit for previous employment hours for her retirement account. They also put on hold discussion on a special audit of the treasurer’s office, and noted they needed to discuss in a future meeting the status of their board assistant and whether they would keep the position.

Commissioners agreed to write a letter of support for emergency locator signs on snowmobile trails. The snowmobile mapping emergency sign project needs funding help, Sheriff Scott Strait told commissioners. He needs to put up 400 signs and they cost $5.60 each. The signs would indicate a location and would be placed on trails so if there is an emergency, people would be able to give the sign’s number and emergency workers could easily locate them. He has been contacting snowmobile clubs and other groups and the program still needs funds. The signs would help with the all terrain vehicles as well.

Commissioners decided to investigate their needs regarding computer support, including possibly seeking bids for a contact. Commissioners discussed setting up a contract with National Office Products. They would pay $65 an hour rather than $80 without a contract. The sheriff department already has such an agreement based on two hours of service per computer with the company.

Commissioners agreed to give former undersheriff Bob Muter 86.66 hours in lost vacation time. Deputy Muter had scheduled a vacation last year, but when now retired Sheriff Leveille got sick, Mr. Muter canceled his plans and worked. Beginning earlier this year, he was not given credit for additional earned vacation because he had reached the maximum allowable time.

“That’s a 24-7 operation over there. There’s no comparison to other offices,” said now Commissioner Larry Leveille. “When I was gone, that office had to be run and Bob did a good job of it, and I don’t think he should be penalized for it.”

Deputy Rene Young’s request for credit for work time was denied by the commission. Deputy Young had worked for the county and left, and now has returned and had requested she be given time from her previous employment toward retirement, but commissioners denied the request because she had only been with the county 18 months the first time and wasn’t vested. Jim Farero and Joe Durm had studied the issue.

Bryce Tracy, the 911 coordinator, gave commissioners an update on the digital mapping program. They have reissued bids for the project because the project needs to move forward, he said. The county had granted the project to Lange Enterprises of Wisconsin. A dispute over what the bid required and what Lange submitted arose and is ongoing, and Mr. Tracy said there was nothing new to report on the situation with Lange. This time, Attorney Graham assisted with the new bid’s language; he did not help with the first bid, said Mr. Tracy.

Mr. Tracy also invited commissioners to a meeting Monday, September 19, at 10 a.m. at Little Bear East Arena. The county will host the State Emergency Telephone Service Commission meeting. The board, which is appointed by the governor, administers 911 duties throughout the state, said Mr. Tracy.

Commissioners appointed Bob Monville as the republican member and Dorothy Paquin as the democratic member of the County Board of Canvassers.

A budget amendment was made for the Planning Commission to add $500, allowing some members to attend conferences. On behalf of the Planning Commission, Michelle Walk asked commissioners for amendments to the Planning Commission budget so members could attend two conferences, one in Escanaba and one on Mackinac Island.

Commissioners next meet as a committee of the whole Thursday, September 15, at 1:30 p.m. in the commissioners’ room in the annex building on the court house grounds. Their next regular meeting will be Thursday, September 22, at 1:30 p.m.