Issue of the Month: County Budget for 2015

In October I reported the Commission had adopted the first portion of the FY 2015 budget of $70 M for Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2015. This is the portion that is partially funded by State funds, and runs the same fiscal year as the State. We recently passed the remainder of the budget which runs from Jan 1 through Dec. 31, and is primarily funded by county tax dollars and other local sources. The budget for this additional portion next year is $160 M operations, $12 M debt payments, and $5.4 M for capital improvements. Combined this is $250 M funds under Commission accountability. The County levies 4.2803 mills to cover approximately 54% of that total, plus special millages for the Correctional Facility, Seniors, and Veterans. Nearly 50% of the budget is used for public safety and justice services. A challenge every year is being able to live within a very small increase in revenue from property taxable values, while needing to absorb ever increasing costs for operations of the county functions. The Commission has been able to operate within a ’structurally balanced’ spending plan in recent years—which means anticipated expenditures are never more than anticipated income. With this spending discipline we have been able to maintain a healthy fund balance, with one advantage being the county and municipalities use our AAA credit rating when it comes time to borrow money for major capital projects.

Issue of the Month: Senior Meals on Wheels Program

I want to highlight a program that is not a formal Kent County operated program, but one which serves a large portion of our county’s citizens. This is the Senior Meals program, a Kent County based Michigan non-profit organization operating independently from any county General Fund tax funding. I am a Board member of Senior Meals, and actively involved in overseeing its services to seniors in our county. The Senior Meals program in Kent County is primarily funded through contracts with the Area Agency on Aging with funds received from Michigan’s Older Michiganians Act, and the federal government’s Older Americans Act. Senior Meals is also one of the major recipients of Kent County’s Senior Millage. Senior Meals serves over 500,000 meals annually to Kent County clients who are low income with 400,000 of those going to seniors who are living alone in their homes. Our state’s emphasis—and older adults’ desire—to remain living independently in their own homes as long as possible is made possible by the preparation and delivery of nutritious and well planned meals. In addition to the home delivered meals, Senior Meals provides food to 14 congregate meal sites in senior housing complexes and community sponsored Senior Centers. It also has a pantry giving low income seniors the ability to shop twice per month for a wide variety of nutritious foods including diary and fresh produce.

Issue of the Month: Kent County Veterans Millage

Kent County voters will be asked to vote on a special dedicated millage of .05 mills for veterans assistance on the November 4 ballot. The County Commission decided to ask the voters for extra money over and above what is currently allocated from the General Fund because our county has the 4th largest veteran population but is ranked 50th out of our state’s 83 counties in obtaining federal funds to help veterans. Since we’ve established our own Department of Veteran Affairs in 2008 we have significantly enhanced our services to veterans, but we still find there are many more needs out there that our limited staff cannot help. This dedicated source of funds will enable us to do a much better job of outreach to veterans, and will aid in providing more emergency service assistance to needy veterans and their families. Specifically, the proposed new millage funds will help provide (1) more emergency utilities help, grocery purchases, rent, and transportation assistance, (2) improve outreach services to locations where veterans live and need services, (3) assistance in filing claims for VA benefits, (4) burial services will become funded, and (5) helping female veterans transition back into the civilian community. The added tax for the average homeowner will only be $5 per year based on a home valued at $100,000. For more information visit the Vote Yes for Vets website www.kentcountyvets.com.

Issue of the Month: Kent County Veterans Affairs Department

Six years ago the County Commission created a new department for Veteran’s Affairs in Kent County. Prior to the creation of this new Department the county provided only the services mandated by the State in the Sailors and Soldiers Relief Act. In 2008 the Commission set about creating a more central and fully staffed department whose mission was to “...provide a central, accurate, efficient, timely service to ensure delivery of benefits to Kent County veterans and their families.” We appointed a separate Advisory Committee of veterans to help in accomplishing this new expanded purpose. The prior Soldiers and Sailors Relief mission was enfolded into the new Department. Since 2008, the Veterans Affairs Department has now become the ‘go to’ place for veterans seeking answers to their VA issues, and seeking emergency support through tough times—as a result of their prior military participation. The County has gradually increased the operating budget assigned to the Department and creatively added several part-time and intern staff to help out. Since 2008 the Department has increased it’s services and output by 300%, and has helped bring in more than $18 million of financial benefits to veterans and their dependents. But we are not able to keep ahead of the demand, and thus are seeking additional funding through a small millage we are asking citizens to approve in November. I will be telling more in my October Newsletter.

Issue of the Month: Kent County Sports Commission—2nd Edition

In May 2013 I wrote about the Kent County Sports Commission, and the purpose of that body for our citizens. During the past fifteen months there have been many activities of the Sports Commission that I want to tell you about. The Sports Commission recently opened the Art Van Baseball field near Rockford. This new resource for baseball and softball for all levels of ability is already fully scheduled for the rest of the year. The new Miracle Field, built as part of the baseball/softball complex, will make it possible to hold games at which players with disabilities will be able to compete. The Sports Commission has gradually grown in influence and economic impact within the West Michigan area. The 5th Meijer State Summer Olympics this year had 39 sport offerings with 7,000 athletes participating, and nearly $2.8 million in direct spending by families and participants with hotels, meals, and other purchases. This was the 1st year the Sports Commission offered the Meijer State Winter Olympics with 12 sport offerings and another 2,000 participants—with its accompanying boost to our local economy. While we may not all agree we should spend our time and effort on sports—when we have many other issues to solve—we cannot dismiss the basic economic engine this Commission has had on our local economy, and the improvement in quality of life as a result. Visit www.accesskent.org for more information.

Issue of the Month: Kent District Library Millage

Each of us will have to weigh in on two special tax millages on the ballot August 5. I will highlight the second of these—Kent District Library millage—this month. On August 5, Kent District Library residents will vote on a 1.28 mills ballot proposal to provide funding for KDL for 10 years. The 1.28 millage rate consists of a renewal of the current 0.88 mill, which has been in place since 2000, and an additional 0.4 mill. The property tax millage provides 90% of KDL’s funding for services offered to more than 400,000 people at 18 branch locations throughout the county. During the past ten years KDL has made more than $1.6 million in budget cuts to live within a diminishing budget. If passed, the August 5 KDL operating millage will cost the average home owner a total of $8.50 per month, which is an increase of only $2.50 per month over what they currently are paying. The average cost per home owner of about $100 per year for the entire millage will be less than purchasing five new books. The proposed millage rate will allow KDL to offer additional materials and necessary technology upgrades and more convenient hours at all of its branches. It will expand services to the Blind and Handicapped and expand wireless services. The library patron’s use of E-books is the largest in the state, and more users are turning to this convenient but expensive system for their book needs. Visit www.yes4kdl.com for more information.

Issue of the Month: Kent County Senior Millage

Each of us will have to weigh in on two special tax millages on the ballot August 5. I will highlight the first of these—senior millage—this month, and the second—Kent District Library—next month. The Kent Senior Millage was first approved in 1998, and has been overwhelmingly approved each of the two times renewal was requested. This renewal request is for an increase from the present .33 Mill to .50 Mill—an increase of $12.50 per year over what a homeowner with a $150,000 valued home will pay above what is being taxed presently. This increase in millage rate—along with an extension of 8 years—is necessary because of the dramatic increase in older adults in our county, and the expected continued increase to occur over the next couple of decades. The number of older adults has increased over 30% since 2000, and will likely double over the next two decades. Unfortunately, over 15% of these older adults have less than 150% of the federal poverty level income ($16,000) and are not able to afford needed health supports to maintain living at home and not in an institution most likely paid from their eligibility for Medicaid. Helping more seniors stay in their home makes quality of life sense, as well as economic sense. It is anticipated the increase in Senior Millage funding will be used to provide more meals to home bound seniors, as well as more home care services. I will be voting yes, and ask you to join me.

Issue of the Month: Health Net of West Michigan (former Kent Health Plan)

For the past 12 years, Kent County has partially funded the Kent Health Plan. This Plan was originally formed by Lody Zwarensteyn of The Alliance for Health of Grand Rapids and Chuck Zech, retired executive from Blue Cross/Blue Shield. The Kent Health Plan has recently combined with the Children’s Healthcare Access Program to form an expanded mission. The new entity is called “Health Net of West Michigan.” This new organization’s purpose is to “improve the health of children and adults, particularly vulnerable populations, through education and connections to health care and support services.” Health Net has developed broadened partnerships with more neighborhood support service providers such as Kent Department of Human Services and Hispanic Center of West Michigan to provide multidisciplinary teams of social workers, health educators, nurses, and community health workers to improve access and limit costs of primary health care to children and adults on Medicaid, uninsured, dual eligible low income adults, and newly insured. Health Net’s partnership with Kent County DHS will bring more federal matching funds to the county, and will increase the number of County residents with a primary health provider. This will reduce unnecessary emergency department visits and hospital admissions. See Maureen Kirkwood, Executive Director at mkirkwood@healthnet.wm.org for more information.

Issue of the Month: Kent County KConnect

Ever since 2002 Kent County has been contributing nearly $2 M per year to Prevention Programs for human service issues in the County. This initiative is coordinated by the Kent County Family and Children’s Coordinating Council. Part of this annual funding commitment was that the Council conduct an evaluation of how effective this funding is for improvement in human service outcomes for children and families. Recently the Council decided to engage FSG, a nonprofit strategy and evaluation firm, to help develop a community-based ‘impact effort’. This effort is called ‘KConnect’. The Doug and Marie DeVos Foundation, the Steelcase Foundation, GR Community Foundation, United Way, and Kellogg Foundation all contributed funds toward this effort. The vision of KConnect is for.. “all children and their families in Kent County to enjoy meaningful and fulfilling lives by achieving self-sufficiency and economic security through high-quality education and community support. Fundamental to our vision is that we are committed to nothing less than closing the unacceptable achievement gaps for low income students and children of color, and increasing the achievement for all students from cradle to college and career.” The Council recently selected an Executive Director to lead KConnect and implement initiatives. For more information visit www.accesskent.com/KConnect. As KConnect unfolds I will keep you informed.

Issue of the Month: MSU Extension Services to County Citizens

One of the unheralded services presented by Kent County is offered through the MSU Extension office located in Kent County. The Extension office is partially funded with county dollars, and provides a myriad of services in five key areas:

(1) Agriculture and Agribusiness education and assistance to all types of farming operations. Kent is #1 in the state and #8 in the country for apple production.

(2) Children and Youth programs through 4-H club activities in the urban and rural areas. There are 72 4-H clubs in the county with 1,200 youth involved. There could be more!! This is a way of keeping youth involved in growing activities.

(3) Greening Michigan Institute which is done at the New Downtown Market. The purpose is to develop new ways to use agricultural products as well as teaching basic home owner education and financial planning to low income citizens,

(4) Health and Nutrition through encouraging healthy eating and physical activities. During the past year there were over 4,000 presentations to low income adults and families about importance of proper nutrition and physical activity.

(5) Farmland Preservation activities by staffing the County Farmland Preservation Task Force. This involves one part time staff person to leverage public and private dollars to help preserve farmland in our county for future food production.

Issue of the Month: Experience Grand Rapids

Our county’s efforts to attract visitors and tourists is handled by an organization called Experience Grand Rapids. This organization is partially funded by county dollars and is tasked with the responsibility of marketing Grand Rapids and Kent County as a premier convention and visitor destination. In this way it provides positive impact to the economic growth and well being for citizens of the area. During 2012, Experience GR brought in $127 M in hotel room revenue, 223,000 convention attendees, and an estimated economic impact of over $1 B through use of restaurants, retail shopping, service stations, and art galleries, etc. There are over 70 hotels and 24,000 hospitality employees who are impacted with pay checks. The hotel occupancy has increased each year of the past 5 years, and each year return convention business appears to be the norm. And, in addition to its tourism goal, Experience GR has also brought new business development, better enrollments to local colleges and universities, and improved ability to attract quality human resources. Because of the marketing efforts of Experience GR our influence throughout the region continues to grow. Experience GR has integrated marketing of West Michigan with the Pure Michigan marketing efforts. This also has resulted in increased growth in tourism in West Michigan. Kent County and Grand Rapids have become recognized destination areas throughout Michigan!!

Issue of the Month: Kent County Children’s Care

Kent County has about 900 abused, neglected, and delinquent children in care situations. Approximately 500 of those are in foster care, 100 in various residential settings throughout the County, and the remainder in supervised ‘In-Home” care. The cost is approximately $11 M per year, evenly split between the County and State Department of Human Services (DHS). In the FY 2013 State budget, the Legislature required DHS and Kent County to collaborate with local courts and private agencies to develop a 100% private ’purchase of service’ (POS) model for child welfare services in Kent County. Since then, the County DHS office—in conjunction with Kent County Community Mental Health—and the above entities have developed a plan that will move our county from having 85% POS arrangements to 100% POS. The goal is to create a ‘Care Management Entity’ which will utilize a fixed fee financial model that provides reimbursements to private agencies to come up with creative, community-based programming where residential and out-of-home placement savings can be reinvested into prevention/family preservation activities. County Administration recently unveiled this work to the Commission. We will continue to hear how this collaborative work within the county, private agencies, and state department unfolds. I will keep you posted. Hopefully, it will result in better outcomes for our County’s children.