Commission expected to honor, appoint several Tuesday

LUDINGTON — The Mason County Board of Commissioners will be honoring several people during its regular meeting Tuesday evening. Commissioners are also expected to make appointments to several boards. Below are some of the action expected. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the commission chambers on the second floor of the county courthouse.

– Resolution honoring outgoing commissioners. The commission is expected to honor outgoing commissioners Rich Morong, Jeff Barnett, Susan Boes and Bob Erickson, along with outgoing chairmain Lewis Squires.
– Resolution honoring treasurer. Retiring Treasurer Tim Hansen will be honored with a resolution.
– Resolution honoring Susan Anderson. Anderson, who has worked in the county treasurer’s office for 23 years and is retiring, will be honored by a resolution of the commission.
– Resolution honoring surveyor. Retiring surveyor Tim Weinert will be honored.
– Honoring sheriff and undersheriff. Sheriff Jeff Fiers will be honored by resolution for serving as sheriff for the past four years and for serving on the department for the past 17 years. Retired Undersheriff Tom Trenner will be honored with a resolution from the commission. The resolution states Trenner has served on the sheriff’s office as a corrections officer, marine patrol officer, member of bargaining team for the local Police Officers Labor Council, acting chief deputy of the jail and undersheriff.
Trenner retired Nov. 30 after serving eight years as undersheriff and 24 years on the department.

– Planning Commission. The commission is expected to fill two vacancies to the planning commission. Four people have applied for the terms that expire the end of 2015: Eric Jefferies of Riverton Township; Ralph Lundberg of Riverton Township; Aldon Maleckas of Custer Township and Jeff Norman of Amber Township.
– Council on Aging. The commission is also expected to appoint representatives to the Council on Aging. There are seven vacancies on the council with terms ending this year. Three people applied to be on the council: Eric Jefferies of Riverton Township (also applied for planning commission); Bob Bailey and Helen Kronlein of Hamlin Township.
– Growth Alliance. Jefferies was also an applicant for the appointment to the Mason County Growth Alliance. He was the only applicant for the term that expires Dec. 31, 2015.
– Area Agency on Aging. Jefferies and outgoing commissioner Susan Boes will be considered for appointment to the one position of Area Agency on Aging of Western Michigan board of directors.
– MSU Extension. Commissioner Curt Vanderwall will be re-appointed to the Michigan State University Extension District 5 Advisory Council.
– Economic Development Corporation. There is one vacancy on the Mason County EDC board with a term that expires on Dec. 31, 2018. Members of the EDC board also serve on the county Brownfield Redevelopment Authority Board. Julie VanDyke of Eden Township was the only applicant for that position.
– Zoning Board of Appeals. There are two positions open for the ZBA with terms ending Dec. 31, 2015. Applicants being considered are Thomas Hooper of Amber Township, Edward Iteen of Summit Township, Eric Jeffries and Ronald Krepps of Meade Township.

– Defense attorney stipend increases. The commission is expected to vote on an increase to the stipend for the contracted circuit court defense attorneys from $90,289 to $91,643 effective Jan. 1, 2013. Defense attorney Annette Smedley of Muskegon was just elected Muskegon County circuit court judge and will no longer be able to serve as a defense attorney in Mason County.
The commission is also expected to vote on an increase to the stipend for the probate and juvenile court defense attorneys from $43,721 to $44,377 effected Jan. 1, 2013.

Old hospital sale price. The commission is expected to drop the price of the old human services building (the Paulina Stearns Hospital) on South Washington Avenue from $400,000 to $200,000. It will extend its listing with Greenridge Realty to Oct. 17, 2013.

– Recreation plan. A resolution to adopt the county’s recreation plan will come up for a vote. The parks and recreation commission has undertaken the five-year plan which describes the physical features, existing recreation facilities and the desired actions to be taken to improve and maintain recreation facilities from 2013 to 2017.