GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY: Raises, higher fees, sewer line replacement under consideration

Peter Kobs, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·3 min read

Dec. 19—TRAVERSE CITY — Grand Traverse County employees and elected officials will receive a 4% cost-of-living-allowance increase, if a $47.8-million budget for next year is OK'd by commissioners Wednesday.

Currently, the county has more than 500 employees who work in 37 different departments, ranging from administration and public health to courts and public safety.

Plus, the new budget will allow for nine more employees, including a new community development coordinator. It also will allow for 12 new vehicles — nine for the sheriff's office and two for the public works department.

The budget, as proposed, represents a $4.2-million increase over 2023.

The county board meeting will start at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the second-floor commission chambers of the governmental building, 400 Boardman Ave. in Traverse City.

The largest share of the county's 2024 financial pie — $20.5 million — will go to the sheriff's office. This public safety portion of the budget includes everything from county patrols and jail operations to administration and special investigations.

At the last meeting, some commissioners said the rapid growth in expenditures for the sheriff's office is "unsustainable."

In other agenda items, the board is expected to approve $2 million to replace a main sewer line in East Bay Township. The existing main, which runs 2.7 miles, carries all wastewater from Acme and East Bay townships to the wastewater treatment plant in Traverse City.

Installed in 1974, the 14-inch iron pipe is near the end of its useful lifetime and was not designed with redundant features to enable repairs and maintenance. Money for that project is coming from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), a massive $1.9 trillion bill passed by Congress in March 2021.

The county received a total of $18.1 million from ARPA, most of which has already been allocated to public health and environmental projects.

Soil erosion and septic replacement permits will cost an extra $50 in 2024, if commissioners approve the increase on Wednesday. Most construction projects involve moving or displacing soil, which present a hazard to waterways if not done correctly. The county requires regular inspections to prevent environmental damage. Fees range from $1,200 (base rate) for commercial construction and $650 for new residential construction to $150 for septic system replacements.

In other health-related action, the board is expected to: Appoint Dr. Patrick Hansma as the Grand Traverse County medical examiner, effective Jan. 1; approve $154,000 in grant money for a new electronic health records system from Patagonia Health; and approve $225,000 for water supply and treatment upgrades in Blair Township using ARPA funds.

Lastly, the board is expected to approve an amended contract with Goodwill Northern Michigan (GWNMI), which previously received approval for $400,000 in ARPA funding for an affordable housing project called "Annika Place 2."

The 52-unit project on Hastings Street in Traverse City will include 19 units for homeless individuals, with the remaining units earmarked for people earning 30 to 80% of the area median income.

GWNMI will provide housing-based case management in collaboration with various health providers, including Community Mental Health, Traverse Health Clinic and Addiction Treatment Center.

Construction delays are requiring the contract to be amended.