Making Things Right Again; Work Continues on the BOC
Rob Hentschel, County Commissioner District 5, Chair
Merry Christmas Republicans! As we close in on a fresh election year in 2024, there is much to build on at the county level from 2023. At the Board of Commissioners level, we saw some outstanding events in Grand Traverse County where local Republican leadership stepped in once again to bring more business to government.
County commissioners were shocked in August when we learned that the Grand Traverse Pavilions had been writing checks out of the county checkbook to the tune of Six Million Dollars. Further investigation showed a further loss of the $2mm fund balance left over from 2022, bringing the total loss to cash position over $8mm in the red!
Commissioners quickly formed an ad hoc committee to start meeting with the Pavilions board of directors and plans are well underway to Make Things Right Again at the Grand Traverse Pavilions. As of this month a new financial plan is in place to keep things in the black and pay back Grand Traverse County in the next 12 months. Corrective actions were taken, new leadership put into place, renewed focus on residents and census numbers. We are already seeing the ship turn as last week. While in years past the GT Pavilions was a 5-star facility, it has recently dipped as low as 1-star. As of last week, it is now back up to a 3-star rating and rising! Stay tuned!
Early this year governmental checks and balances began to spin out of control as the board of BATA voted to start adding and appointing seats to its own board, diluting the votes of county appointed representatives. Through a loophole in the original Articles of Incorporation, BATA had found a way to bypass accountability to local elected officials in both Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties. Your Grand Traverse County commissioners stepped up to Make Things Right Again, forcing a new interlocal agreement to be signed reversing the addition of new seats and establishing that no new BATA board seats can be added without the consent of both counties.
Next week Grand Traverse County Commissioners will be deciding whether to add 7 new positions to the county roster as we vote on the 2024 budget. With the population rapidly growing in Grand Traverse County, it is a tightrope balancing act to keep government small, efficient and customer focused. We try to look at peer counties of similar size and past growth trends, all things taken in to consider. However, Northern Michigan has a unique geography and Grand Traverse is a hub county collaborating with several surrounding smaller counties. There is no 'perfect model' for making decisions like this. One thing we have proven, however, is that the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners is not afraid to take action to Make Things Right Again.
Merry Christmas fellow freedom fighters. Be of good cheer. Do good work. And know that the reason for this Christmas season, Jesus Christ, is more than able!
Warm regards,
Rob Hentschel
Chair, Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" -Ephesians 3:20
Grand Traverse Road Commission Meeting November 21, 2023(submitted by Cam Williams)Dan Watkins was approved as being the new Manager for the Road Commission. A spokesman from the workers at the Road Commission stated that he has their approval.
Work to be done next year:
Garfield and Potter will have a round about
Strait Rd and Long Lake Road will have a modified round about
Garfield to Division will have intermittent closures as the state works on that spanse
The bridge over the Boardman
The current administration in Michigan has a different agenda for the bridge. They will supply no funding thanks to representatives such as Betsy Coffia. MDOT, EGLE and EPA are not supporting the bridge currently.
The budget for 2024 was approved at a special meeting on December 4.
What's happening in TCAPS School Board meetings: Wonder what is being accomplished during the TCAPS Board of Education meeting? Find Agendas and Meeting Minutes as well as a link to live video feed.