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The Hastings Banner — Thursday, October 13, 2022 — Page 3

First monkeypox case identified in Barry County

The Michigan Department of Health and
Human Services (MDHHS) notified the Bar-
ry-Eaton District Health Department (BEDHD)
that a case of monkeypox virus (MPV) has
been identified in a Barry County resident.
More than 200 confirmed and probable
MPV cases have been identified statewide,
however, this is the first case identified in
Barry County.
The individual is currently isolated and
does not pose a risk to the public. All close
contacts to the individual have been notified.

No further case details will be provided to

protect the individual’s privacy. Updated case

counts by county in Michigan can be found at

michigan.gov/mpv.

MPV is a viral illness that spreads primar-

ily through direct contact with the infectious

rash, scabs, bodily fluids or prolonged face-

to-face contact. Infection may begin with

flu-like symptoms and swelling of the lymph

nodes that progress to a rash on the face and

body. Symptoms can also include fever,

chills, exhaustion and a rash that can look

like pimples or blisters.

MPV is contagious from the time symp-

toms start until the rash has fully healed and

a fresh layer of skin has formed. Symptoms

generally appear within three weeks after

exposure and infection, and the rash often

lasts two to four weeks. Anyone can contract

and spread monkeypox.

To complete an eligibility screening for the

monkeypox vaccine, call 517-541-2641. The

vaccine will be administered on a case-by-

case basis and by appointment only.

After joining forces months ago, Spectrum

Health and Beaumont Health have a new name

BHSH System, the new health system
formed in February 2022 when Spectrum
Health and Beaumont Health merged, recent-
ly announced its new name.
The not-for-profit health system, which
operates Spectrum Health Pennock in Hast-
ings, is now called Corewell Health. The
city’s local hospital will now be known as
Corewell Health Pennock Hospital.
A planned rollout of the new name that
includes signage will begin soon and be
phased over the next two years. The announce-
ment comes nine months following the launch
of the integrated health system.
“At our core, we are here to help people be
well so they can live their healthiest life pos-
sible,” Tina Freese Decker, President and
CEO of the new Corewell Health, said in a
statement.
“We recognize the amazing outcomes and
history from Beaumont Health and Spectrum
Health. Now together, known as Corewell
Health, we move forward unified, focused on
health and wellness for all. The name selec-
tion is especially inspiring as it was influ-
enced by thousands of ideas from our team

members who put health and wellness at the

core of everything we do.”

According to the health system, the Core-

well Health name is reflective of striving

toward an ambitious vision: a future where

health is simple, affordable, equitable and

exceptional. Corewell said that patients, fam-

ilies and health plan members can expect to

receive high-quality care, services and out-

comes with a wider breadth of services now

available across the state.

“The Corewell Health logo reflects the

increasingly synergistic relationship

between health care and health coverage,

and our ongoing commitment to continu-

ously improve the health of the communi-

ties we serve,” said Julie Fream, Chair of

the Corewell Health System Board of

Directors.

An updated palette of bright blues and

greens is a combination of existing colors

used by Beaumont Health, Spectrum Health

and Priority Health, paying homage to the

history of the organizations. Priority Health’s

name does not change with this announce-

ment.

Pierce Institute offering mobility-limited

‘hikes,’ promoting accessibility

Molly Macleod
Copy Editor
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute is making
strides to improve accessibility.
Regardless of physical ability, anyone now
has options to explore and appreciate the nat-
ural world on the grounds of the Hast-
ings-based nature center.
An off-road vehicle, called a mule, was
purchased by the Institute in 2019, but its
maiden voyage wasn’t until earlier this year.
The Institute purchased the vehicle intending
to use it to transport visitors along trails who
otherwise may not have been able to hike.
Following a delay in in-person guided hikes
due to the pandemic, the mule was able to
take its inaugural group of Institute visitors
on a wildflower tour this past spring.
Since then, the motorized mule has been
used again in the summer for another round

of wildflower tours and most recently this

week for the Institute’s Fall Fungal Foray

mobility-limited tour.

Led by Community Program Manager

Ellen Holste, the Fall Fungal Foray is a two-

hour guided hike through some of the Insti-

tute’s 850 acres, discovering and learning

about fungi found throughout the property.

Holste, a proud mycophile, leads participants

through the twists and turns of the Institute’s

wooded trails and both delights and informs

about the prolific world of fungi around us

and beneath our very feet.

For many, hiking up and down steep,

sometimes craggy trails is simply not possi-

ble. Holste said the Institute was motivated to

improve accessibility, leading to the purchase

of the motorized mule and plans for an acces-

sible trail in the future.

“My idea right now is to get people out in

nature who wouldn’t typically get out in

nature,” said Holste.

There are, as with most things, some prac-

tical limitations to the tours.

Many of the trails at the Institute are inac-

cessible unless on foot, even in the motorized

mule. Another challenge posed by the mule is

that it only has room for six passengers,

including the driver. Even so, the mobili-

ty-limited tours give patrons an opportunity

not available before.

“Even if I only get 15 people over the

course of two days,” said Holste, “to me it’s

worth it if I can get some people out on the

trails that wouldn’t normally.”

While a paved, flat trail may be far in the

future, for now, the mobility-limited tours at

the Institute give those who can’t easily clam-

ber an opportunity to experience nature and

learn about the natural environment.

In a mobility-limited Fall Fungal Foray

tour, Holste played the role of fungi tour

guide as she weaved the mule through the

narrow trails, sharply spotting mushrooms at

seemingly every corner. Tour participants

need not even leave the vehicle, as many

stunning mushrooms were found right on the

trail. For many others, Holste picked the

mushrooms and brought them to the mule,

encouraging participants to touch the mush-

rooms and learn through more senses than

just sight.

The motorized mule will hibernate this

winter but will be back in action for more

mobility-limited tours this coming spring.

Holste said the tours, while unprecedented,

have been a success so far and there are no

plans to stop them.

While today is the last day of the fall

mobility-limited tours at the Institute, there

are still spots for this Saturday’s Fall Fungal

Foray Walk, which will not be accessible or

feature the motorized mule.

One session is slated for 10 a.m. to noon on

Saturday, Oct. 15, and another from 2 to 4

p.m. Registration forms can be found at

cedarcreekinstitute.org.

County board expands its County

Facilities Review Committee to address

vacant and underutilized properties

Jayson Bussa

Editor

The Barry County Board of commissioners

originally launched an ad hoc committee to

negotiate with a developer that was looking

to bring a workforce housing development to

the city of Hastings.

With those efforts still ongoing, the board

is now expanding the focus of this commit-

tee, giving it the opportunity to evaluate

vacant, county-owned properties and

underutilized spaces in order to make recom-

mendations on their fate.

Dubbed the County Facilities Review

Committee, the three-person ad hoc commit-

tee comprised of commissioners David Jack-

son, Bruce Campbell and Jon Smelker came

together in order to more effectively handle

negotiations tied to the Tyden Lofts project,

which is still in the planning phases.

Originally, the developers of Tyden Lofts

wanted to purchase the vacant friend of the

court building located across South Broad-

way Street from the Barry County Court-

house and incorporate it into their workforce

housing development, which is going in on

the adjacent parcel of land.

The county refused to sell the building,

leading to backlash amongst pockets of resi-

dents. The county’s refusal to sell the facility

highlighted other vacant and underutilized

properties that the county is currently main-

taining.

By expanding the scope of the committee,

the members will be able to address these

facilities, making recommendations to the

board on the future use or sale of them.

“(The committee) was so narrowly defined

strictly just to negotiate with the (Tyden

Lofts) project,” Jackson said during last

week’s meting of the Committee of the

Whole. “It made sense as we started talking

about that...that maybe this would be a good

time to wrap our hands around all the proper-

ties, vacancies, opportunities, up to and

including the COA and the jail.”

“It makes sense to me,” said Ben Geiger,

chairman of the board of commissioners.

“Currently, we have a very jerky process

when it comes to county property....We heard

throughout this last political campaign that

people want the county to have a comprehen-

sive plan for what we’re doing with our prop-

erty. This is a more business-like approach.”

Commission on Aging fails

to secure money from county

for roof repairs

The Barry County Board of commissioners

on Tuesday resumed discussions tied to a

budget appeal filed by the Commission on

Aging, which request $31,000 to make roof

repairs.

Because the COA is a millage-based entity

that carries healthy fund balances, the com-

missioners ultimately decided not to vote on

the matter, which denied their hopes for the

money.

In a letter to the board of commissioners,

COA Executive Director Courtney Ziny

acknowledged that the organization does

carry healthy fund balances, but she hoped

not to dip into them.

The COA maintains a building fund of

$442,000 and an operating fund balance of

$380,000, per Ziny.

“With nearly 300 clients relying on daily

delivery of food and care, we need cash on

hand to cover emergencies, including uncer-

tainty of grant funds,” wrote Ziny, whose

millage-based department operates on a $

million budget.

Commissioner Jon Smelker was not sold.

“We do this for a millage-based entity – the

COA. (Then), are we going to replace (cen-

tral dispatch’s) roof? Transit’s roof? They’re

all millage-based and we’re starting a prece-

dent here.”

Commissioner David Jackson fell in the

middle.

“I think the Commission on Aging has

been a good steward with its money,” he said.

“They have good fund balances, they got a

future building fund. I wouldn’t mind seeing

us support them. ...Maybe instead of $31,000,

maybe we split it with them at $16,000-ish.”

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON

PROPOSED BUDGET

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that on October 25, 2022 at 9:00 a.m. the

Barry County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the

2023 Barry County budget during the regular Board of Commissioners

meeting in the Commission Chambers, located on the mezzanine level

of the Barry County Courthouse, 220 W. State Street, Hastings MI

49058

The property tax millage rate proposed to be levied to support the

proposed budget will be a subject of this hearing.

A copy of the proposed 2023 Budget is available for public inspection

during normal business hours at the County Administrator’s office, 3rd

floor, Courthouse, 220 W. State St., Hastings MI 49058, or at http://

http://www.barrycounty.org/proposedbudget

Pamela A. Palmer, County Clerk

Barry County Board of Commissioners

Holste displays a mushroom found on the Institute trails. While this mushroom has
a few bites taken out of it, it still shows the structure of a mushroom with gills. (Photo
by Molly Macleod)

A motorized mule is used to transport mobility-limited tour attendees through the Institute’s property. (Photo by Molly Macleod)

Despite refusing to sell the vacant Friend of the Court building, shown in the back-

ground, a workforce housing development is still going in. (Photo by Jayson Bussa)