The calendar is telling us that we are well into fall but the with the warm weather and the continued need to mow the grass we are definitely getting mixed signals from Mother Nature.  At least it makes for a nice night for trick or treating!

County government has been busy this fall.  This is the time of year when the budget is being prepared and all the planning and projecting for the next year comes to completion.  The Board of Commissioners held the public hearing on the 2017/2018 budget on October 12^th.  There were no comments on the budget.  The Commission will adopt the budget, within the limits of the published totals, by the end of the year. 

The budget includes appropriations for capital improvements.  The rolling five year capital improvement plan was presented to the effected committees over the last couple months and the combined plan was presented to Personnel/Ways and Means on October 11^th.  The plan lays out the projects that are planned for 2017 and into the future that are necessary to protect the County’s investment in buildings, equipment and infrastructure. 

Lenawee County Drain Commissioner, Jenny Escott, presented the 2016 Drain Assessment Roll to the Board of Commissioners at their October board meeting.  The total drain assessment for 2016 amounted to $1,158,475.  Drain Commissioner Escott explained how the assessments are developed and discussed the large amount of work that was performed by the Drain Commission staff over the last year.  While the benefits of good drainage to agriculture are well known, proper drainage is a necessity for all County residents.  Proper drainage prevents flooding, protects roads and benefits public health.  The good work of the Drain Commission is a benefit to the entire County.
The Board of Commissioners welcomed the AmeriCorps volunteers who were in Lenawee County working to clean up obstructions and debris in the Raisin River.  The team came into Lenawee County and was able to do extensive cleanup on the river but unfortunately was called away to work on a natural disaster elsewhere in the country before they completed their assignment.  None the less, their efforts are greatly appreciated and hopefully the work will continue in the future. 

The amended Solid Waste Management Plan was approved by the commission and is now before each local municipality in the County for approval.  The amendment to the plan was necessary due to the closing of the Adrian landfill a couple of years ago.  Each county in the State of Michigan is required to have an approved plan to manage their solid waste. 

The board also held a public hearing on a draft Animal Control Ordinance to take the place of the current ordinance.  There were several comments from the public and by commissioners and the draft was returned to the working group to incorporate the comments and suggestions into the proposal.  The discussion will return at a later date through the normal process. 

The Commission passed a proclamation recognizing the 25^th anniversary of the Domestic Violence Task Force in Lenawee County.  The proclamation noted the commitment and leadership of the task force in working to eliminate domestic violence in our community. 

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