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Effective in February, the Board of Commissioners will meet the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 7 p.m., except for legal holidays and the first April meeting, because by law they must meet on a Tuesday in April to adopt the equalization rates.

The vote was 4-3, with Chairman John Merriman, Finance Committee Chairman Jim Ruby and Commissioner William Walters opposed.

"It will force people to come back at night at a cost," said Commissioner William Walters. "When elected officials come back at night (to answer questions) they will get mileage."

He added that although citizens who work could now come to meetings, it won't increase attendance because when the commissioners used to meet at 4:30 p.m. nobody came.

Merriman voted no because it will be inconvenient for "myself and everybody involved".

Ruby would not comment.

Commissioners currently meet the second and fourth Monday of the month at 10 a.m.

The subject arose when Vice-chairman Donald Hunt announced his work schedule was changing and if they couldn't move the meetings to evenings, he would go to part-time rather than shortchange his constituents.

The commissioners also voted 4-3 to hold two finance committee meetings per month, at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of the month and 10 a.m. the third Thursday. The same three opposed the new finance committee schedule.

Finance currently meets the first Monday morning, and the three standing committees the third Monday morning.

The commissioners all agreed holding two finance committee meetings will speed up the approval process because finance is a committee of the whole. Currently, department heads present their proposals to three-person committees, who then refer issues to the finance committee or the board. When members of the finance committee had questions and the matter was referred back to committee, it could take a month or more to resolve.

In other business, the commissioners:

*Amended the new $1.29 9-1-1 surcharge resolution to take effect July 1, 2008 to reflect the new state law.

The Sanilac County surcharge for 911 operations is currently 80 cents and was levied only on land line phones. The new surcharge would be on cell phone and voice-over Internet devices to spread the cost of 9-1-1 services across all phones.

If approved by the state, the surcharge will raise a total of $626,276 and eliminate the need for a $222,000 general fund appropriation.

Sheriff Virgil Strickler commented the county's surcharge would be the lowest in the surrounding three counties, and one of the lowest in the state.

In response to Commissioner Gary Russell's complaint that lakeshore property owners would not pay their fair share of the local 9-1-1 cost, the sheriff explained everyone will be taxed at the address where they pay their cell phone bill.

Commissioner Norton Schramm noted if Sanilac's surcharge is lower, seasonal residents might change their billing address.

*Authorized the county treasurer to borrow approximately $3.6 million against anticipated delinquent property taxes in order to pay local entities such as school districts, the road commission and local governments their share of the taxes in timely manner.

*Approved one year contracts for the equalization office appraisers and the equalization director.

Consultant Norm Daniels of Caro will be paid $9,750 to appraise 150 commercial and industrial parcels, and Tricia Harriman of Deckerville will receive $35/parcel to appraise 400 agricultural parcels.

Director Sandra Drew will be paid a biweekly salary of $1,940.83, but will receive no county paid benefits.

*New County Medical Examiner Dr. William Starbird will be paid $875 per month.

*Approved spending up to $2,300 to purchase equipment and supplies for the Construction & Land Use Department. The funds will be taken from the budget carryover from 2007.

The department employees were told they could no longer take department vehicles home in order to meet customers after or before hours so they announced the county would have to buy equipment for them to use. They would not leave their personal equipment in county cars in the courthouse parking lot overnight.

*Approved a $3,500 transfer from the Environmental Trust Fund to the Recycling Center Advisory Board for pay for promotional and educational materials to encourage residents to recycle.

*Approved the expenditure of $169,947 for computers, software, and software maintenance. An electronic grant will cover 4108,024 for pilot project costs.