Van Buren County meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

County committee advances land transfer, jail system; board authorizes legal grant

Van Buren County officials took several actions at meetings on Aug. 11, including advancing a land transfer to the Village of Bloomingdale and approving a new jail management system. The Board of Commissioners also authorized a grant contract for child legal representation.

Board of Commissioners

The Board of Commissioners approved a resolution authorizing the board chair or designee to submit the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Child and Parent Legal Representation Grant contract for fiscal year 2027. The grant provides $81,250 in reimbursement for court-appointed attorneys and social worker services. The board also approved its agenda and the July 28, 2026 meeting minutes. No other substantive decisions were made.

Committee of the Whole

The Committee of the Whole, which meets ahead of the full board, unanimously approved several items for action at the next regular board meeting:

• Transfer of two county-owned parcels (626 and 626A) to the Village of Bloomingdale for snow removal and buggy parking.
• A memorandum of understanding with the Van Buren Intermediate School District for use of the fairgrounds communications tower.
• A two-year lease with the district for space at the Human Services West building.
• Payment of claims totaling $7,189,940.24.
• A change to a new jail and report management system from CORE Technology.
• A new salary schedule for elected officials, effective Jan. 1, 2027.
• $20,000 for early hire of assistant prosecutors.
• $63,318 to cover a victim rights grant shortage.

All motions were carried unanimously.

Public hearing on budget

The Board of Commissioners held a public hearing on the 2026-2027 county budget. Finance Director Becky Grabemeyer presented a brief overview of the draft budget, but no public comment was offered. No formal action was taken on the budget at the hearing.

Coming up

Two meetings are scheduled for Aug. 25:

• **Board of Commissioners** – will consider a memorandum of understanding with the Van Buren Intermediate School District for use of the fairgrounds tower, acquisition of parcels in the Village of Bloomingdale, the elected officials salary schedule, and prosecutor-related items. Most items are on the consent agenda.
• **Committee of the Whole** – will hear a State of the Court address from Chief Judge Kathleen Brickley, consider medical examiner appointments, review the final FY 2026/2027 budget, and receive updates on courthouse fan coil units, the L-4029 project, and a dispatch phone system upgrade. Public comment is limited to 4 minutes per speaker.

Both meetings are open to the public.

Van Buren County Board accepts Facilities Master Plan Review; sewer project, grants on deck

The Van Buren County Board of Commissioners accepted the Facilities Master Plan Review report on July 7 and approved moving forward with the process, including formation of an ad hoc committee to continue the work.

Facilities Master Plan moves ahead

At its July 7 meeting, the Board of Commissioners approved its meeting agenda, accepted the Facilities Master Plan Review Report, and formed an ad hoc committee that includes Commissioners Leary, DiStefano, and Doroh. The board voted to move forward with the facilities review process, though no further details on the scope or timeline of the committee's work were included in the minutes.

Committee of the Whole sets packed agenda

The July 14 Committee of the Whole meeting was scheduled to hear a Senior Services update and weigh several items, including the Bankson Lake Sewer Extension Project from the Bankson Lake Sewer Authority. The agenda also listed expedited items: a Specialty Court Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant application, acceptance and authorization of a Michigan Agricultural Preservation Program grant agreement, mobile radio encryption, and multiple MDHHS grant amendments for juvenile probation covering CPLR Grant 2027 and amendments for QLR/CPLR 2026. Routine finance items and public comment periods were also on the agenda. Minutes from this meeting have not yet been published.

Board of Commissioners agenda includes appointments, IT refresh

The July 14 Board of Commissioners meeting was set to consider an appointment to the Van Buren Community Mental Health Board, a server and virtualization refresh, the Michigan Agricultural Preservation Program grant agreement, and mobile radio encryption. The agenda also included a closed session on litigation involving Wayside Church. Minutes from this meeting have not yet been published, so outcomes are not yet confirmed.

What it means for residents

The Facilities Master Plan review could shape how the county maintains and invests in its buildings in the coming years. The Bankson Lake Sewer Extension Project, if approved, would affect infrastructure and service delivery for that area. The grant applications and agreements on the July 14 agendas — covering substance abuse services, agricultural preservation, and juvenile probation funding — represent potential outside dollars coming into county programs. The server and virtualization refresh and mobile radio encryption items relate to county technology and public safety communications systems.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed for the next 14 days. Residents should check the Van Buren County website for any special meetings or schedule updates.