ADRIAN — Three years after Lenawee County pulled its financial support of the economic development organization Lenawee Now, the county commission has formed a committee to look into the possibility of resuming that funding.

The action was taken on March 27. Following a request from commission chair Jim Van Doren (R-Tipton), the board voted 6-3 in favor of creating the committee.

The group will consist of commission vice chair Dustin Krasny (R-Onsted), ways and means committee chair Kevon Martis (R-Riga), and county administrator Kim Murphy.

“They’re the premier economic development organization in Lenawee County and they’re pretty well recognized throughout the state and nationally,” said Van Doren, who was Lenawee Now’s executive director before his election to the county commission in 2022.

Much of the debate revolved around the same question as when the county pulled its funding three years ago — whether the audited financial statements that Lenawee Now publishes are adequate for taxpayers to know their money is being spent well.

Commissioner David Stimpson (R-Tecumseh) said that without more details, “it’s a nonstarter for my district. They want to know where the money from the taxpayers is going.”

“Show where the money from the taxpayers is going, how it’s being spent, how it’s being cycled through, so they understand what they’re spending it on,” Stimpson said. “But if they don’t do that it just raises more questions for me, and it should for all of you.”

Martis spoke in support of Lenawee Now, saying that even though the county is no longer funding the organization, its staff has been helpful anytime he’s needed help with economic development work. 

“They’re always there and they’re always available,” he said.

Martis said that if getting more financial details from Lenawee Now is a “bedrock principle,” it should have come up during the years that the county was funding the organization before 2022. He suggested that the decision to pull funding was retribution for Lenawee Now’s lack of support for Project Phoenix, which was a proposal to build a recreation complex on the site of the former Tecumseh Products factory.

“The audit was never an issue until there was a sudden vote out of the blue to defund Lenawee Now, directly in response to them coming out having serious questions about the viability of Project Phoenix,” Martis said.

Commissioner Terry Collins (R-Adrian) disagreed with calling the 2022 decision “out of the blue,” and he said it sounds like the two commissioners being named to the committee have already decided to support funding for Lenawee Now. 

“We’re hearing those people who are going to be on this committee sounding to me like they’re already committed,” he said. “They’ve already made their mind up what they’re going to do.” Why the hell are we having this committee?”

Voting to establish the committee were Krasny, Martis, Van Doren, David Aungst (R-Rollin Twp.), Beth Blanco (R-Dover Twp.), and Jim Daly (D-Adrian).

Voting no were Collins, Stimpson, and Ralph Tillotson (R-Adrian Twp.).

In a statement provided to the Lenawee Voice after the vote, Lenawee Now executive director Pat Farver said that “we are happy to have discussions with the county on how we can help improve economic development in our county.” However, he also said that “for them to want to single us out to require more information than they require from any of the other entities they fund is not right.”

Evening meetings discussed

The county commission’s March 27 meeting took place in the evening, for the first time in about four years. The commission normally meets on Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m.

The evening time slot drew praise from some residents who spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting.

“I can’t tell you how nice it is to come to a commissioners’ meeting in the evening,” Tecumseh resident Sandie Brissette said. “Thank you. Thank you so much for listening to us. This gives the public a chance to see what it is that you do.”

The commission’s next three meetings will be on its usual schedule, the second Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. However, there will be an evening meeting on Thursday, June 26, at 6 p.m., Van Doren said.

The commission meets on the second floor of the old county courthouse, 301 N. Main St., Adrian. The meeting schedule, meeting agendas, and recordings of past meetings can be found by going to lenawee.mi.us and clicking on “Meeting materials.”