Items of interest from the Berrien County Board of Commissioners meeting Thursday:

• The commissioners approved the 2011 Special Funds Budget. The total budget is $62,639,377.

• The commissioners accepted a $39,947 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for the Farmers’ Market Promotion Program. The objectives of the promotion project include purchasing advertising to increase low-income consumers’ use of farmers’ markets and healthy foods and to increase the revenue generated by electronic benefit transfer payments to local farmers.

• The commissioners accepted a $100,000 grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The grant will help fund the Community Alliance Against Substance Abuse (CAASA), which aims to reduce the use of alcohol, tobacco and marijuana among Berrien County youth.

• The commissioners authorized the county parks department to sell the county’s used cross-country ski equipment at Madeline Bertrand County Park  in Niles from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 4.

• The commissioners interviewed three candidates for the open corporate counsel position: Donna Howard, Mark Bowman and Frank Flieschman. Mac Elliott of Buchanan is resigning from the position. Elliott was elected to the county board in November.