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The commissioners will vote on the special millage levies at the Sept. 24 meeting. They have to adopt the proposed 2007 millage rates, including 0.1972 mills for the Medical Control Authority, by Sept. 30 or the taxes can't be levied this winter.

"I cannot in good conscience approve that money being spent as it was. That ambulance money is not being spent as we thought...My townships dig deep (to fund ambulance services)...I do not see how it serves my district," Hunt stated at last week's finance committee meeting.

"I would encourage the southeast corner to create our own (med-control authority)," Hunt stated at Monday's Board of Commissioner meeting. He represents Worth, Buel and Fremont townships.

Commissioner Judy Vincent immediately stated he was not referring to her district, which includes the City of Croswell and Lexington Township.

"What would you do with the money?" asked Walters, referring to the fact those townships have no ambulance or EMS service of their own.

"I'd like to apologize for that last remark. I did speak for myself...I was speaking out of anger," Hunt added.

Later Commissioner Chairman James Ruby, who sits on the med-control board, defended the operation.

"Whether they want to participate in the meetings or use the equipment is up to them. We encourage Croswell (EMS) to come to the meetings," Ruby said.

Hunt was not the only one frustrated with the med-control millage.

Fremont Township Clerk Bruce Gardner spoke for his constituents.

He wanted to know if med-control is state mandated and who the employees answer to.

County Administrator John Males explained the authority board is appointed by the commissioners to provide the mandated service. The county prosecutor, administrators of all three hospital and a commissioner sit on the board.

Gardner also said the taxpayers think the millage is supposed to fund ambulance service, not the authority.

"I suggest you read the ballot language. It does not say anything about ambulances," stated Walters.

County Treasurer Kathy Dorman said the ambulance issue is a chronic complaint that she thinks could be addressed by changing the wording on the winter tax bills, which refer to the millage as an ambulance millage.

Interim Med-Control Director Steve Kipp explained med-control's functions.

He said they provide the EMS guidelines for patient care, quality assurance, purchase equipment such as more secure drug boxes for ambulances, and continuing education for EMS and first responders. They have provided six EMT classes and six first responder classes and are the only national registry testing site in the Thumb.

Kipp also said the millage has enabled them to have a stronger presence on the state and regional level, which made it possible to obtain upgraded radios for the ambulances and first responder vehicles.

"The milage money has done a lot for the community," Kipp added.

Last week Vincent asked how voters could stop the millage before it expires.

County Clerk Linda Kozfkay explained voters or a local governing body would have to petition the commissioners to put it on the ballot.

Ruby provided some damage control at the finance meeting.

"I can say with a fair amount of certainty it was not the millage money that may have been mis-spent. There are two grants we are looking at. I would not want Sanilac County to think its money was mis-spent. I probably said something I am not supposed to," Ruby added.

Voters last approved 2/10 of a mill for four years for med-control in August 2004. The millage brought in $255,500 last year. The agency also received $300,000 and $370,000 grants, which have expired within the last couple years.

In other business, the board voted 4-3 to prevent the Construction & Land Use Department employees from taking county cars home at the request of Ruby.

The employees have been allowed to drive county cars in order to be able to do inspections on weekends, before or after hours to accommodate customers. The practice has been in effect since 1984 and was used as part of the compensation package to make up for the lower wages compared to inspectors in other counties. The department is funded entirely through permit fees, not the county funds.

Commissioners Norton Schramm, Gary Russell and Walters protested, claiming this was micro-managing.

Chairman John Merriman explained later the action is a cost cutting measure.

The board also directed the administrator to do a cost study requiring all departments, including the sheriff's department, to justify taking vehicles home.

*The board voted to appropriate an additional $5,000 to the health department to cover the cost of a part-time environmental health employee until the full-time position can be filled. The money will be taken from the Environmental Trust Fund.

Health Officer Dianna Schafer said since Grant Carmen retired the department has been short-staffed and she wants someone to fill in one to two days a week for the next couple months. She told the board a person from Lapeer was ready to step in immediately.

"You had an employee retire, why aren't you able to use his salary?" asked Walters at the finance committee meeting.

"There was a (sick/vacation day) payoff," she explained.

Schafer said her candidate for the full-time position is currently in Baghdad and will be back in the country in mid-October, and on the job by November or December.

*The commissioners approved a temporary reclassification for Probate Court Register Christina Baldwin retroactive to Aug. 8 because she has been handling the circuit court administrator duties since Carole Stieler's accident,. Baldwin is reassigned until Stieler can return to her job.

They also froze any other reclassifications effective Aug. 1 through Dec. 31 due to the budget problems and the plunging contingency fund.

*They approved longevity pay of $300 for MSU Extension Administrative Assistant Karen Burgess, $2,100 for Dorman, and the implementation of longevity for Construction & Land Use Clerk-Typist Marcia Matson.

The commissioners also voted to give Sheriff Virg Strickler a $2,500 year stipend effective Sept. 1 for assuming the responsibility and liability of housing non-county prisoner for extra revenue, which is not part of the duty of the sheriff.

These amounts do not include the benefits such as social security that will have to be part of the increases. The salary increases will come from the contingency fund.

Vincent emphasized that it be clear these amounts are not part of the salary for these positions, but something the individuals have earned so future commissioners and treasurers do not add the amounts into those annual salaries.