The Calhoun County commissioners are a seven-member board that governs Calhoun County, Michigan, with one commissioner elected from each district to a four-year term. The board sets county tax rates, adopts the annual budget, passes local ordinances, and oversees county departments. Meetings are open to the public and held twice a month at the county building in Marshall.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws MCL 46.410
Who Represents Your District
Seven commissioners were sworn in for the 2025–2028 term, the county’s first four-year commissioner term.2Calhoun County, MI. New County Commissioners Sworn In Each represents a single district and can be contacted directly:3Calhoun County, MI. Board of Commissioners
- District 1, Dominic Oo: 269-317-1770, DOo@calhouncountymi.gov
- District 2, Monique French: 810-814-6487, mfrench@calhouncountymi.gov
- District 3, Albert Morehart: 269-441-8184, amorehart@calhouncountymi.gov
- District 4, Dan Strowbridge: 269-967-8558, DStrowbridge@calhouncountymi.gov
- District 5, Derek King: 269-209-5161, dfkvvs1@sbcglobal.net
- District 6, Matt Saxton: MSaxton@calhouncountymi.gov
- District 7, Gary Tompkins: GTompkins@calhouncountymi.gov
For general board inquiries, Deputy Clerk Susan Connolly can be reached at 269-781-0966 or sconnolly@calhouncountymi.gov.3Calhoun County, MI. Board of Commissioners
When and Where the Board Meets
The board meets twice a month, generally on the first and third Thursday, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Chambers at the Calhoun County Building, 315 West Green Street, Marshall, Michigan 49068. The 2026 calendar lists 20 regular meetings plus several special sessions: an Organizational Meeting in January, an Equalization Session in April, the Annual Meeting in October, and a Property Tax Apportionment Session also in October.4Calhoun County Board of Commissioners. Meeting Schedule
All meetings fall under Michigan’s Open Meetings Act, which requires public notice before any gathering where a quorum deliberates or makes decisions. One point worth clearing up: the Open Meetings Act does not require an agenda and does not bar the board from acting on items that aren’t listed on one. If the board adopts its own rule requiring agenda items, it has to follow that rule, but the constraint is self-imposed.5Michigan Department of Attorney General. Open Meetings Act Handbook
How to Speak at a Meeting
Every regular meeting has a Citizens’ Time segment where any member of the public can address the board. No written request is required in advance. The Chairperson recognizes anyone who wishes to speak, and when called on, you walk to the podium and state your name and community of residence for the record.6Calhoun County, MI. Board Rules
The limit is three minutes per speaker, and you may only address the board once on the same topic during a given Citizens’ Time. Comments must relate to county government business, and the board’s rules prohibit negative personal comments directed at individuals.6Calhoun County, MI. Board Rules If three minutes isn’t enough, you can submit written materials for the commissioners to review after the meeting.
A few practical notes. Arrive early enough to sign in before the meeting is called to order. If your concern relates to a specific agenda item, mention the item number so commissioners can follow along. Lead with your specific request rather than building to it. Three minutes goes fast.
What the Board Actually Does
The board draws its authority from Michigan’s Act 156 of 1851, which defines the powers and duties of county boards of commissioners statewide.7Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws – Act 156 of 1851 The specific powers appear in MCL 46.11:8Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws MCL 46.11
- Raising money through property tax levies, and borrowing up to 50 percent of the general fund tax levy in a given year to cover current expenses.
- Purchasing, leasing, selling, or authorizing construction of county property, including courthouses, jails, and administrative buildings.
- Passing ordinances on county affairs that don’t conflict with state law or interfere with the local governance of townships, cities, or villages within the county.
- Setting compensation for county employees where salaries aren’t fixed by state law, and adjusting claims against the county.
Commissioners also appoint residents to more than 30 boards and committees, including the Planning Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission, Board of Public Health, Economic Development Corporation, Summit Pointe (Community Mental Health), the Consolidated Dispatch Center Authority Governing Board, and the Land Bank Authority. Residents interested in serving can contact the Deputy Clerk’s office about open seats.9Calhoun County, MI. Boards and Committees
Terms, Qualifications, and Vacancies
To run for a Calhoun County commissioner seat, you must be a resident and registered voter of the district you want to represent, and you must remain a resident and registered voter throughout your time in office. Moving out of the district forfeits the seat.10Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws Chapter 46
Commissioner terms were two years for decades, but Michigan changed the term length starting with the 2024 general election. All commissioners elected in 2024 and after serve four-year terms, with each term beginning on January 1 following the election.1Michigan Legislature. Michigan Compiled Laws MCL 46.410 Calhoun County’s current board took office in January 2025 and will serve through 2028.2Calhoun County, MI. New County Commissioners Sworn In
If a seat becomes vacant through death, resignation, or a commissioner moving out of the district, the remaining commissioners fill it by appointment within 30 days under MCL 46.412. The appointee must be a resident and registered voter of the vacant district. At the start of each term the board elects a Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson from among its own members to run meeting proceedings and represent the county officially.