County Commission

County postpones session

The St. Joseph County Board of commissioners Tuesday postponed a work session slated to take place Monday with representatives from Holland-based 2 Fish Company, a marketing firm in line to potentially help the county promote itself to Chicago-area residents as a retirement destination. County officials agreed incoming administrator J. Patrick Yoder should be in attendance when the meeting takes place. …

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St. Joe retirement destination

The next step for a campaign to promote St. Joseph County as a retirement destination for the Chicago-area market will take place at the end of the month. Members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners agreed Tuesday to meet at 3 p.m. March 26 in a work session that will include the marketing firm 2 Fish Company. Holland-based …

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Shaffer is expected nomination

A light agenda awaits the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners this afternoon. Items under new business are an agreement for renewing a cost-allocation plan; a request to offer AFLAC insurance through payroll deduction; and a request to fill a vacant finance accounting clerk position. Also, Commissioner Rick Shaffer is expected to be nominated to the Templene Lake Board. The …

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COA to get Senior Center

Officials from the city of Sturgis have approved a letter of intent with St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners regarding the development of a senior center. The proposed center is slated to be built on property adjacent to the Doyle Community Center and would be leased to the county for a token $1 annually. County Commission members over the past …

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St. Joe attractive for retirement

A proposal to market St. Joseph County as an attractive retirement option for residents in Chicago and its suburban communities was explained during a presentation Thursday. Addressing a crowd of about 40 people – comprised primarily of city, village and township leaders from throughout the county – St. Joseph County Commissioner Don Eaton explained details of a potential marketing agreement …

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Report gives detailed information

A quarterly report from the Economic Development Corporation board chairman of Southwest Michigan First provided St. Joseph County’s Board of Commissioners detailed information about the three-month period that concluded at the end of December. Ken Jones, who attended the county’s executive committee meeting last week, said 28 consultations resulted in three company announcements, 202 new jobs created, 801 jobs retained …

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Yoder to start April 1st

St. Joseph County Administrator J. Patrick Yoder will start work April 1 with a nine-month contract and $85,000 salary. The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved the employment agreement with Yoder, who will resign at the end of March from his post as village manager of Three Oaks and return to St. Joseph County’s highest, non-elected position. …

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Officials may tour Central Wisconsin

The St. Joseph County MSU Extension is inviting elected officials and area farmers to an overnight agriculture and water tour of Central Wisconsin. Jon Zirkle, MSU Extension program director, told members of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners Tuesday the tour offers stops at several locations to view vegetable, field crop and cranberry farms in an irrigated, sandy part …

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County to share director

St. Joseph County is expected to share an equalization director with Cass County. What will likely be the third position shared by the neighboring counties is expected to be approved Thursday by the Cass County Board of Commissioners. The five-member St. Joseph County Board unanimously endorsed the proposal Tuesday. Cass County administrator Louis Csokasy told St. Joseph County leaders the …

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Direct deposit for county employees

The St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has approved a plan to issue paychecks to county employees by direct deposit or through a payroll debit card only The measure will be implemented with the April 12 payday for the two-week pay period ending April 8. Finance director Joni Smith said no longer hand-delivering checks to employees will save staff in …

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