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I believe that Ottawa County has set records for the longest Finance Committee and Board of Commissioners agendas last week. In fact, the Board's agenda is eight pages long and the collateral packet is an astounding 805 pages.
What's going on here? The Board will be reviewing recommendations from the Finance Committee to consider approving numerous projects for funding from the almost $57 million that the County received in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The projects being considered for approval fall under four major categories or buckets, including County Initiatives, Affordable Housing, Human/Social Needs and Business Stabilization. Projects under the Broadband bucket will be submitted at a later date. Many good projects have been submitted, and the Board will carefully review each project to ensure it provides a meaningful impact for Ottawa County citizens.
Find links to the proposals and more information below.
John Shay | County Administrator
The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners is poised to review more than 20 project proposals at its meeting on November 22.
- View the details of all the proposals being considered at this meeting. Note that this is a very large pdf file. ARPA proposals begin on page 248.
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Watch the board meeting, including any ARPA proposal discussions, live online on November 22 beginning at 1:30pm or watch the recording at your convenience. The meeting takes place in the Ottawa County Board Room located at 12220 Fillmore Street, West Olive. It is open to the public. There is an opportunity for public comment at the beginning and end of the board meeting or now via the public comment portal.
- A list of approved proposals will be sent to ARPA update subscribers following the meeting. Subscribe to updates here to ensure you receive this email.
- Learn more about the ARPA process including the committee, priorities and criteria for reviewing the proposals.
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Food Inspection Report: 11/17
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The holiday to give thanks is upon us and the importance of family is top of mind. Families come together in many of ways, one of which, is adoption. Recognized nationally since 1995 and statewide since 2002, November is Adoption Month. Locally, the 20th Circuit and Ottawa County Probate Courts celebrate Adoption Day alongside the Michigan Supreme Court on the Tuesday prior to Thanksgiving. To honor this tradition, the Court will host its twentieth event in hopes it will inspire some to open their hearts and homes to consider foster care and adoption.
With great joy, the Court will kick off what is warmly known as the "happiest day at the court" with a brief ceremony on Tuesday, November 22 beginning at 9:00am. Confirmation hearings presided by Chief Probate Court Judge, Mark A. Feyen and Family Division Judge, Kent D. Engle, will follow. All events will take place at the Fillmore Complex in West Olive.
Please join us in celebrating the families who choose to open their hearts to these children and provide them with their forever home.
Local and State Adoption Facts:
- In fiscal year 2022, more than 1,600 Michigan children were adopted through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services or private agencies.
- At any given time, there are approximately 10,300 children in Michigan's foster care system and of those, nearly 250 children are in need of a forever family through adoption.
- Typically, adoptions are finalized in private, but on Adoption Day, more than 30 courts statewide are expected to host events, to raise awareness and to inspire more families to think about adoption.
- People can adopt whether they are single or married. They do not have to be wealthy or own their own home but must have adequate financial resources to provide for a family.
- Children in the foster care system become eligible for adoption following termination of parental rights due to abuse or neglect. The goal for most children in the foster care system is reunification with their families.
- There is support for families who want to adopt. In fact, approximately 95 percent of children who are available for adoption qualify for assistance to help families with some of the costs of bringing children into their homes.
- More information is available from the Michigan Adoption Resource Exchange.
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Ottawa County's new Deputy County Administrator, Patrick Waterman, took his post today. Watch for more information from Waterman as he settles into his position.
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See the progress on the Ottawa County Family Justice Center. The new facility is under construction at the West Olive Campus.
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