By Paul Garrod
Staff Writer
news4garrod@gmail.com
PAW PAW – Van Buren County Commissioners on Tuesday, March 11, approved a re-quest, on an expedited basis, the submission of an application for Congressionally Di-rected Spending (CDS) for $3 million to construct a new 911 Dispatch/Emergency Opera-tions Center (911/EOC). The CDS program, sponsored by Senator Gary Peters under the Homeland Security Subcommittee, provides funding for high-impact public safety projects like 911/EOCs.
Commissioners said a fully operational 911/EOC is essential to support emergency response infrastructure, ensure public safety during major incidents, and meet require-ments for the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant restart. The estimated project cost is approxi-mately $10 million, with county-own land available for the site and funding to be supple-mented by General Fund contributions, partnerships, and potential bonding if necessary.
Commissioners approved a resolution to authorize the county IT director to enter in-to the IT service agreement with the Paw Paw Police Department. Van Buren County IT De-partment has been providing IT support to the Paw Paw Police Department for more than five years without a formal agreement. Commissioners said the absence of a formal agreement has resulted in uncompensated IT support services provided to the Paw Paw Po-lice Department.
The proposed three-year agreement establishes a flat rate of $5,000 per year for 100 hours of IT support, with additional hours billed at $50 per hour as needed. Revenue from this agreement will be deposited into an account to offset IT overtime wages.
Commissioners approved a request from Michigan State Police (MSP) for out-of-state training, including airfare, registration, and meals for one trooper, as well as lodging and a car rental for six troopers. Commissioners said the training is essential for maintain-ing the preparedness and effectiveness of MSP personnel, ensuring they remain up to date on the latest law enforcement techniques and procedures.
Commissioners said MSP routinely requests lodging and travel assistance for train-ing at least once a
year, with this being the first such request for 2025. Funding for this training has been allo-cated in the Drug/Forfeiture account, ensuring there is no additional financial burden on the general fund.
The replacement of the carpet on the lower level of the South Haven Courthouse was approved by commissioners as part of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) with an allocat-ed budget of $35,000. A bid for the project was received from Home Improvement Supply, Paw Paw, for $24,829.17, which is within the approved budget. Commissioners said re-placing the carpet is necessary to maintain the courthouse’s safety, cleanliness, and over-all condition.
Commissioners also approved the replacement of windows in the county admin-istration building as part of the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) with an allocated budget of $40,000. A bid for the window replacement project was received from Lyster Exteriors Inc., for $51,730, exceeding the initial estimate. Lyster Exteriors Inc. will have the necessary equipment on-site to replace the siding at the same time, minimizing disruptions and en-suring efficiency in project completion. Combining the siding and window replacement projects will streamline the process and reduce future logistical challenges.
Commissioners approved the following appointments to the Van Buren County Parks and Recreation Commission.
The following individuals were appointed with terms as indicated: Kurt Doroh, Wayne Nelson, and Joe Parman (Ex Officio); Mike Chappel and Gail Patterson-Gladney (County Commission, terms until replaced or Jan. 1, 2028); John Small and Becky Gra-bemeyer (terms until Jan. 1, 2026); and Paul Garrod, Daywi Cook, and Emilly Hickmott (terms until Jan. 1, 2027). The Van Buren County Parks and Recreation Board requires ap-pointed members to ensure compliance with state law and effective operations.
