DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS S.B. 215 & 216:
FLOOR SUMMARY
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Senate Bills 215 and 216 (as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Senator Howard C. Walker
Committee: Local Government and Elections
CONTENT
Senate Bill 215 would amend Public Act 185 of 1957, which authorizes a county to establish a department and board of public works, to increase the number of members who may serve on a board of public works in Grand Traverse County and Lapeer County.
Generally, a board of public works must consist of five, seven, or nine members. Under the bill, in a county with a population of more than 85,000 and less than 90,000 according to the latest Federal decennial census (i.e., Grand Traverse and Lapeer Counties), the board could consist of 11, 13, or 15 members.
Currently, membership on a board of public works must include the county drain commissioner and four, six, or eight other members appointed by the county board of commissioners, with the exception of the drain commissioner.
Under the bill, if a board of public works consisted of 11, 13, or 15 members, it would have to include 10, 12, or 14 other members appointed by the county board of commissioners, with the exception of the drain commissioner. In addition, the township supervisor of a township within the county or a township that received service by the department of public works also could be appointed. A township supervisor appointed to the board of public works would not be deemed to hold two or more incompatible offices at the same time.
Senate Bill 216 would amend Public Act 566 of 1978, which prohibits a public officer from holding incompatible offices, to provide that the incompatible offices ban would not prohibit a township supervisor from being appointed to a county board of public works. The bill is tie-barred to Senate Bill 215.
MCL 123.732 (S.B. 215) Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
15.183 (S.B. 216)
FISCAL IMPACT
Senate Bill 215 would have an indeterminate effect on local unit expenses in a county that increased the number of members on the board of public works. The bill would affect only Grand Traverse and Lapeer Counties. The bill would increase local expenditures by an amount that would depend on the compensation a county board of commissioners set for members of the board of public works and the number of additional members. However, given the configuration of the board of public works in Grand Traverse County, the bill could potentially allow the elimination of other auxiliary boards and committees, thus also reducing costs. In the case of any county where more members were added to the board of public works under the bill but that increase allowed other expenditures to be reduced or eliminated, the net local impact of the bill would depend upon the impact of the respective changes. The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government.
Senate Bill 216 would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 4-26-11 Fiscal Analyst: David Zin
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb215&216/1112