CASSOPOLIS — Cass County’s jobless rate “popped up” in June, County Commissioner Roseanne Marchetti shared with the Board of Commissioners Thursday night.

“In May, the jobless number was 8.7 percent,” Marchetti reported back from Michigan Works!, “and in June it was 9.3 percent. Berrien County was at 12 percent in June and Van Buren, 10.4 percent jobless. The U.S., as a comparison, was 9.1 percent.”

Marchetti also attended the Road Commission meeting Thursday morning, relaying  that the agency’s contract negotiations with the Teamsters are complete.

“They are waiting for a date for members to vote on the new contract,” she said, adding, “The Road Commission is focusing on their federal contracts. Twelve have been completed, with six to go. All of the chip and seal has been done, 20 miles of it, by St. Joseph County. So far, 41 tons of asphalt have been laid in Cass County and 10 miles of gravel overlay has been put down. Finally, the display at the fair was very successful. There were many positive comments and kids enjoyed climbing” the huge pieces of equipment.

Commissioners voted to change the Cass County personnel policy regarding  earned time off (ETO) effective Oct. 1.

Each employee of record on that date will be credited with 84 hours and cannot have more than that at any one time in their bank.

New employees hired during the year receive a pro-rated benefit.

Based on each employee’s ETO balance on Sept. 30, the county will pay the employee 60 percent of their unused ETO balance up to a maximum of 64 hours.

This benefit will be payable in October at the employee’s then current rate of pay.

A companion motion approves a 100-percent payout of ETO balance as of Sept. 30, 2011, for eligible non-union employees in October at the employee’s then current rate of pay.

Commissioner Gordon Bickel, R-Porter Township, related that the Historical Commission’s next meeting will be in Edwardsburg at 4 p.m. Sept. 8.

Bickel also provided an update on U.S. 12: “Eastbound traffic is open from Union to M-40. Hopefully, by right after Labor Day, it will be open east and west from Union to M-40.”

Commissioner Ron Francis, R-Cassopolis, said at its meeting Wednesday night, Cass District Library board received “an extensive presentation by a restoration architect on what is required to keep the Local History (Branch) up and running.”

Paving of the CDL Howard Branch’s parking lot will commence in early September, Francis added.

County Administrator Charles Cleaver meets this afternoon with the architect about the Animal Control shelter expansion and the Parks Department facility at Lawless Park.

Cleaver said with the Contact Us section of the county Web site fixed, his office is seeing an uptick in inquiries.

Commissioners made a $2,611 adjustment to the budget for phase one of the Law and Courts Building sidewalk project, $2,148 for the second phase and $95 for additional charges from the $22,010 2011 Ford Escape the Sheriff’s Office purchased from C. Wimberley Automotive Group in Dowagiac and the board approved Feb. 17.

A handout from County Treasurer Linda Irwin shows $3,359,684.84 in personal property billed in 2010, $3,320.976.73 collected for $38,708.11 delinquent; $427,297.62 county-allocated personal property billed and $425,127.11 collected for $2,170.51 delinquent; $41,457.94 billed for drug millage personal property and $39,656.45 collected for $1,801.49 delinquent; and $20,981.48 billed for E911 millage personal property and $20,667.70 collected for $313.78 delinquent.

After their regular meeting at 5:30 Aug. 24, county planners will be meeting with the six entities participating in the joint master plan project.

Commissioners wished Johnie Rodebush, D-Howard Township, a happy birthday.