News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Alpena County Commissioner Bob Adrian, left, commissioner Brenda Fournier, center, and commissioner Marty Thomson conduct business at the county’s annual organizational meeting on Monday. Adrian was elected to serve as chairman for another year, and Thomson as vice-chair.

ALPENA — The way Alpena County conducts business will look a tad different in 2022.

At the county’s annual organizational meeting on Monday, the commissioners voted to consolidate several of its committees and add a second full-board meeting each month.

On the first Tuesday of each month at 9:30 a.m., the full board will meet as what will be known as the ways and means committee, which will handle much of the county’s financial business.

A committee made up of an entire governing board is known as a committee of the whole. It will allow for all of the commissioners to be involved in money matters.

The second meeting of the month will be the regular commissioners meeting on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m., with the exception of four quarterly meetings that begin at 5:30 p.m.

County Administrator Mary Catherine Hannah said other municipalities utilize the ways and means committee and it seems to help them in economic matters and the decision making process.

“In talking with some other counties that are about our same size, a little bigger or smaller, this is a structure that seems to work well,” Hannah said. “It allows for all of the commissioners to get all of the financial information and can have a full and robust discussion about it.”

The commissioners were on board with the idea.

“I like the idea personally, ” commissioner Don Gilmet said. “I think it is good to get everyone here to learn the same thing at the same time.”

The county is also doing away with some other committees such as the airport and IT committees.

Hannah said department heads will provide updates to her – instead of the committees – and then when necessary take the information, requests, or updates to the full board for action.

To kickoff the meeting, the commissioners voted to make commissioner Bob Adrian chairman for another year. Marty Thomson will be vice-chair.