TIME CHANGE: GTC board sessions will start an hour later

Jan. 5—TRAVERSE CITY — The Grand Traverse County Commission will meet at 9 a.m. beginning with the Jan. 18 regular meeting.

The nine-member board with its five new faces met in an organizational meeting Wednesday before the regular meeting, electing commissioners Rob Hentschel and Brad Jewett to serve as chair and vice chair.

The motion to change the time to 9 a.m. from 8 a.m. for all regular meetings and study sessions was made by Commissioner Penny Morris.

"I would like to point out that several of our new commissioners may have conflicts with the time in the morning," Morris said.

The measure was approved on a vote of 8 to 1, with Jewett voting against it.

New 3rd District Commissioner Ashlea Walter said she'd like to see meetings alternate between mornings and evenings to accommodate people who work during the day and don't have the opportunity to attend meetings.

Commissioner T.J. Andrews, who represents the 7th District, asked if staff could look at the availability of the meeting room in the evenings. County Administrator Nate Alger will bring that information to the next meeting.

Dawn Wagoner, 86th District Court administrator, who gave a report on a couple of staff changes in the court system during the regular meeting, also supports evening meetings, saying there are two judges who would like to attend county meetings but are unable to because of their schedules.

County residents Gabrielle Bohrer and Justin Reed spoke during public comment to support evening meetings so the public can be present.

Leadership will remain with two Republicans for at least the next year. Commissioner Rob Hentschel was elected chair on a vote of 6 to 3, with the three new Democratic commissioners — Andrews, Walters and Lauren Flynn — voting against the measure.

Hentschel was nominated by Jewett. This will be his fourth term as chair, a post he will hold for two years.

Jewett was elected vice chair, also on a 6-3, party-line vote. Jewett was nominated by Hentschel for the one-year post. This is his second consecutive year as vice chair.

Walter was nominated for vice chair by Andrews; a vote was not taken because Jewett was elected.

Hentschel said Jewett told him that he was going to nominate him so Hentschel had a list of commissioner assignments already made out. They are:

* T.J. Andrews: Farmland Preservation, Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee, Community Collaborative, Building Code Board of Appeals

* Lauren Flynn: Networks Northwest, Northern Nexus, Economic Development Corporation, Veterans Affairs

* Rob Hentschel: Northwest Regional Airport Authority

* Brad Jewett: BATA Board, Emergency Management, Grand Traverse Central Dispatch, Local Planning Team, Traverse Transportation Coordinating Initiative

* Brian McAllister: Economic Development Corporation, Parks & Recreation Commission

* Penny Morris: Northern Lakes Community Mental Health, Department of Health & Human Services, Northwest Michigan Regional Entity

* Darryl V. Nelson: Board of Public Works, Community Corrections, Airport Authority

* Scott Sieffert: Brownfield Authority, Land Bank

* Ashlea Walter: Area Agency on Aging, Commission on Aging, Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency