The Oceana County Board of Commissioners was presented with multiple items for approval at their April 23 meeting, including receipt of the county’s 2025 assessment, salary increases for Oceana County Road Commissioners, and grant and ballot language approvals.
V&V Assessing officers Katheryn Wright and Nick Siegal delivered the board of commissioners the county’s L-4037 and L-4024 assessment and equalization forms. The analysis showed no equalization necessary, and all that remained was commissioner approval to send the assessments to the state.
Oceana County saw a 10% increase in equalized value and an 8.39% increase in taxable value, primarily due to industrial developments county-wide, including the NorthStar Clean Energy solar farm currently under construction in Hart Township. While the solar farm will qualify for tax exemptions upon completion, throughout construction, the county will still collect on the taxable value of equipment and property. As construction is due to finish this year, Chairman Robert Walker identified the bump in Hart Township’s valuation as a “one-year windfall [to be] redacted back out.”
Walker also inquired on the valuation of Rothbury, which saw the second lowest increase despite the recent annexation of Electric Forest properties to the village. Wright explained that, as the assessments reflect the year through tax day, Rothbury’s increase will be reflected in fiscal year 2026’s assessment.
Commissioners unanimously approved Oceana County’s L-4027 and L-4024. V&V Assessing CEO Ed VanderVries will be present at a forthcoming meeting to answer any more questions.
Also approved was a raise in annual salary for Oceana County Road Commissioners to $12,000, with an additional $1,500 increase for the board chair, with funds to come out of the road commission budget.
This is the first time in several years that the road commissioners have received a raise in pay, as their salaries had not been previously adjusted to accommodate the cutting of health insurance for commissioners. Liaison to the road commission board Tim Beggs acknowledged the value of the board, their hard work and the necessity of a raise, “It's a pretty thankless job. [Road Commissioners] get beat up at all their meetings for potholes and other things that are out of their control…I think they probably take more public pressure than even we [County Commissioners] do, because everyone’s got an opinion about roads.”
The county’s ongoing struggle to find a mechanical inspector may soon be over, as the board approved a contract between the county and Michael Jankowiak, an experienced, LARA-certified mechanical inspector. County commissioners have criticized the State of Michigan over its certification process, which has left the state with too few mechanical inspectors for the work needed statewide. They have expressed further frustration as Oceana County inspectors have tried and failed to receive the necessary certification. Walker encouraged the commissioners to contract Jankowiak as soon as possible, saying, “If we have the opportunity to get a seasoned mechanical inspector…we need to hire him before somebody else does.”
Jankowiak’s certification is good through 2028 and his resume boasts over 30 years of experience.
Shelby Township’s request for an agreement from the Oceana County Board of Commissioners to act as fiduciary for a $6 million grant for a new gun range sparked discussion among the board.
While Walker acknowledged the county’s role as fiduciary for past projects with Shelby and other townships, he took issue with the item in the agreement stating that the county could not use any of the funds to reimburse their administrative work for the project. Walker also expressed a longstanding complaint from the county administration office about the frequency administrating and "paying the bills" for other units of government to apply for and receive grants without charging any fees. Considering these points, Walker asked the other commissioners for their opinions on the implementation of fees for requests such as the one received from Shelby Township.
As Administrator Tracey Byard was not under the impression that Shelby Township was in a rush to receive word on the agreement, the commissioners tabled the fiduciary agreement so inquiries could be made on specifics regarding the project and considered coverage of an administrative fee, the result of which possibly will inform commissioners on how to proceed with a future fee.
Also regarding grants, commissioners approved the submission for a grant from the State of Michigan for $95,593 to go towards purchasing equipment and contracting additional staff to assist the county prosecutor in working through Oceana's crime backlog. This grant is made available to the county by the state, as it ranks number 14 in the top 15 Michigan counties with significant violent crime backlogs.
Finally, commissioners spent a significant portion of the meeting time discussing ballot language set for approval for the August local elections. Primarily the ballot proposal is a renewal of previous county millages such as ambulance, sheriff’s office, airport, schools, and various other county services, however, as it also includes an approximate 0.25 mil Headlee Rollback, it cannot be identified as a continuation or renewal.
Commissioners expressed concern that it will appear as if voters are deciding on an additional 7.30 mils, said Commissioner Craig Hardy, “It sounds to be like we’re tacking 7.3 mils on, and I don’t care which way you slice it, we’re not.”
Commissioners received clarification from the county attorney that the ballot language was mandated by Michigan’s Property Limitation Act (specifically, MCL-211.205g), and could not be changed. However, after much discussion and checking with the language, the last time this item was on the ballot revealed that the title had clarified the millage as a renewal. The language was ultimately approved by the commissioners, with the addition of the same millage renewal title as in 2016, hopeful that, between the title and an educational campaign, voters will be informed of the vital services the millage will continue to fund.
