By By JOHN EBY / Niles Daily Star
CASSOPOLIS -- A new law signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm to crack down on the filing of ineligible homesteads with their property could inject some revenue into county coffers.
Proctor said it's hard to estimate the revenue impact on the county's battered bottom line, except that "every dollar could help us out in 2004."
Commissioner David Taylor, D-Edwardsburg, put it more bluntly in his historical take on the issue.
There is a grace period in September after which, "The door closes," Proctor said. "That will come before the board Aug. 21 for you to debate, discuss and decide."
In other business, Commissioner Robert Wagel, R-Wayne Township, reported, "There had been some talk, with Michigan Works evaluating offices, it was up for grabs if the one in Dowagiac was going to remain. At the current time it's going to stay. Some funding did come through from the federal government and the state."
Added Commissioner Debbie Johnson, D-Niles, "They're not only going to stay, they're going to expand. Out of the five sites, two are going to be cut back into just limited services. But the one in Niles is going to have some updating and the one in Dowagiac is going to expand."
Johnson also recognized Lewis Cass Intermediate School District's "key role" in the "huge collaboration between many, many agencies in organizing Benton Harbor's summer jobs program. "It usually takes three months to put together and they did it in 10 days. Give Lewis Cass a little credit. Cass County's spreading out." Commissioner Larry Malsch, R-Porter Township, announced that Saturday, Aug. 9, will be Community Policing's ninth annual pancake and sausage breakfast at the county Shrine Club on Union Road, a fourth of a mile north of U.S. 12, from 8 a.m. to noon Michigan time.