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By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief
PERE MARQUETTE TOWNSHIP — The Mason County Board of Commissioners’ Finance, Personnel and Rules Committee will consider a proposed $183,558 annual agreement for medical services at the Mason County Jail, along with several other agreements involving county services, during a meeting Monday, Nov. 2.
The committee is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. at the Mason County Airport Terminal, 5300 US-10.
Among the items on the agenda are agreements for jail health care, Michigan State University Extension services, crime victim advocacy and accounting services for the Mason County District Library. The committee also is expected to discuss the county’s housing program and an update to its five-year recreation plan.
Jail health care
The proposed agreement with Advanced Correctional Healthcare Inc. (ACH), a Tennessee-based company, lists a first-year contract amount of $183,558.12, with monthly payments of $15,296.51.
The agreement establishes terms for the management of medical services at the Mason County Jail, 302 N. Delia St., Ludington.
According to the proposed contract, ACH has been providing services at the jail since Aug. 1, 2026. The agreement would formally recognize services provided since that date and establish a contract period ending June 30, 2027.
The agreement includes a provision for a 3% increase in compensation upon renewal.
Under the proposed arrangement, ACH would coordinate 40 hours per week of on-site registered nursing services. A medical prescriber would visit the jail weekly, with the typical visit estimated at approximately one hour, although visits could be longer depending on patient needs. The prescriber also would be available by telephone around the clock.
Services would include routine medical examinations, medication management, chronic care, emergency medical response and referrals for specialized treatment.
The agreement specifies that incarcerated individuals would receive medical attention regardless of their ability to pay.
However, the contract’s base price does not cover all medical expenses.
Mason County would remain responsible for the costs of prescription medications, dental services, hospital care, ambulance transportation, diagnostic testing, medical equipment and other services outside the agreement.
Mental health services also are excluded from the base contract. The agreement states that the county has elected not to include dedicated mental health professional staffing through ACH and would remain responsible for arranging and funding those services through another provider.
ACH could coordinate additional mental health services upon request, with charges of $330 per hour for in-person services and $192.50 per hour for telehealth consultations.
The contract includes provisions for adjusting costs based on the jail’s inmate population. The agreement uses an average daily population of 55 inmates for billing purposes, with adjustments if the population exceeds or falls below that number.
Additional medical staffing could result in expenses beyond the base contract.
The proposed agreement also outlines responsibilities related to inmate medical records, emergency care, staffing, liability and the termination of services.
The agreement would allow ACH to terminate the contract with 45 days’ written notice, while the county would be required to provide 60 days’ notice.
MSU Extension agreement
The committee also will consider a $131,167 agreement with Michigan State University Extension for services in 2027.
The agreement would continue educational programming in Mason County, including agricultural programs, youth development, health and nutrition education, community development and 4-H.
The proposed annual assessment includes $56,224 for base services, including a half-time 4-H program coordinator.
Another $57,970 would support a three-quarter-time clerical position, while $16,973 would fund temporary or on-call staff for 4-H science, technology, engineering and mathematics programming.
The agreement would run from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2027.
Under the arrangement, Michigan State University Extension would provide educational programming and staff, while the county would provide office space, utilities and other operational support.
Victim advocate grant
The committee is expected to consider a $42,676 state grant agreement supporting victim advocacy services through the Mason County Prosecutor’s Office.
The funding, provided through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, would support personnel and services assisting victims of crime.
According to the grant application, the prosecutor’s office employs a part-time victim advocate and a coordinator whose position is partially funded through the program.
Services include helping victims understand the criminal justice process, providing information about victims’ rights, assisting with compensation and restitution, coordinating referrals to other agencies and accompanying victims to court.
The office also works with Communities Overcoming Violent Encounters (COVE) and other organizations providing assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
The grant application reports that 288 victims registered for Michigan Victim Information and Notification Everyday (MI-VINE) court-event notifications during the previous calendar year.
The proposed grant covers the period from Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027.
Library accounting services
Another proposed agreement would continue accounting services provided by Mason County to the Mason County District Library.
Under the agreement, the county would provide payroll administration, financial reporting, accounts payable and receivable, investment administration and other accounting services.
The library would pay the county $31,000 annually, with quarterly payments scheduled for January, April, July and October.
The agreement would cover Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2027.
Recreation plan update
The committee will consider a proposal from Spicer Group to update Mason County’s five-year recreation plan at an estimated cost of $5,000.
The work would include updating demographic information, coordinating an online public survey and assisting with public notifications required by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
The company also would work with county officials to revise the existing plan.
The recreation plan serves as a planning document for county recreation facilities and future improvements.
Road commission bond reporting
The committee is scheduled to consider hiring a company to provide financial compliance reporting related to bonds issued for the Mason County Road Commission facility.
County Treasurer Andrew Kmetz reviewed proposals from Arbitrage Compliance Specialists Inc. and AMTEC Corporation.
The county’s 2026 capital improvement bond issue totals $24.5 million.
The reporting services involve calculating interest earned on invested bond proceeds and ensuring compliance with federal tax requirements.
Kmetz is recommending Arbitrage Compliance Specialists because Huntington National Bank would cover the firm’s arbitrage rebate calculation fees for the first three years.
After that period, the annual calculation fee would be $650.
Other business
The committee also is scheduled to discuss the Mason County Housing Program. The agenda packet does not include additional information about the discussion or indicate whether any changes to the program are being proposed.
Other items include a $1,230 purchase of replacement batteries for an uninterruptible power supply system, with funding coming from the county’s equipment replacement fund.
The committee also will consider an exception to the county’s meal reimbursement policy related to election preparation. County Clerk Cheryl Kelly has requested an additional $28.28 in reimbursement for a working lunch involving county officials during testing of an early voting site.
A request for a temporary remote-work arrangement for a county employee also is scheduled for consideration. County Administrator Kaitlyn Szczypka has recommended limiting the arrangement to 12 hours per week for up to four weeks.
The committee will make recommendations on applicable items to the full Mason County Board of Commissioners for consideration.
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