County Commission

A few major issues from 2016 were brought before the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners during their inaugural meeting of 2017 last week. Tuesday’s commission meeting, the first for three of the board’s five members, afforded Jared Hoffmaster and a few other county residents an opportunity to keep some key topics at the forefront. Hoffmaster, a Fabius Township resident, …

Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week approved three grants. The first accepted Tuesday was an $80,000 federal allocation through the Bryne Justice Assistance Program, administered by Michigan State Police. The funds will cover operations, including salary, related to 45th Circuit Court’s DWI/Drug Court program. Next, commissioners approved a $10,000 federal grant bestowed through the Michigan …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week made appointments to the Board of Public Works and the Community Mental Health Board. During Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners renewed the appointment of David Miars to a three-year term on the Board of Public Works. His term will expire at the end of 2019. Meanwhile, three people were appointed to the CMH …

The new-look St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners was introduced Tuesday. Kathy Pangle, Dennis Allen and Dan Czajkowski, along with returning commissioners John Dobberteen and chairman Allen Balog, were sworn in by county clerk Lindsay Oswald in advance of the board’s first meeting of 2017. All five commissioners are beginning two-year terms. Balog was tapped to serve as board chairman …

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners will still meet the first and third Tuesdays of the month, but a change in the longstanding 5 p.m. start time was made this week. For a trial period of six months, commission meetings will be called to order at 6 p.m. The move by one hour was proposed Tuesday by commissioner Kathy …

A number of appointments and reappointments to various boards were made by the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this week. The terms of Jeff Knautz and Steve Houts to the county’s parks and recreation commission were due to expire Dec. 31. Their terms were renewed Tuesday for three more years. Linda Leensvaart was reappointed to the St. Joseph County …

It was a time of reflection Tuesday in Centreville, as three of the county commission’s five members were honored for their collective 40 years of service to the county at what was their final meeting. Rick Shaffer, Robin Baker and Don Eaton were presented plaques, and a generous amount of kind words from commission chairman Allen Balog and commissioner John …

A public hearing on St. Joseph County’s proposed 2017 fiscal-year budget generated scrutiny toward the county’s board of commissioners Tuesday. The focus of the scorn centered on the proposed $18.1 million general-fund budget and the $2.8 million the board earlier this year agreed to provide toward expenses related to a 17-field sports complex in the Three Rivers area. The proposed …

St. Joseph County commissioners this week approved the reappointment of Matt Scheske as a member of the county’s Investment Advisory Board. His three-year term will expire at the end of 2019. Scheske is vice president of commercial lending at Sturgis Bank & Trust. Also, commissioners agreed to reappoint four people to the county’s Planning Commission. They are: Warren Atkins of …

Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners were recognized Tuesday by a representative from the Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce. Chamber executive director Cathi Abbs said the agency staged its annual meeting a few weeks ago. During that event, the chamber board agreed to support special-recognition awards to commissioners Allen Balog, Don Eaton, Robin Baker, Rick Shaffer and …