The Cass County Board of Commissioners approved committee, board and commission assignments for the 2026 calendar year at its regular meeting Thursday.

Each commissioner will serve on at least one standing committee and at least one board or commission. Standing committees are comprised of County commissioners, elected officials and County employees, and are designed to review and discuss board business before action is discussed by a committee of the whole. 

Standing committee assignments are as follows:

• Appointments Committee: Tom Langley (District 1), Jim Lawrence (District 2), Sam Barrera (District 6)
• Capital Project Committee: Sam Barrera, Roseann Marchetti (District 7) 
• Policy Committee: Alan Northrop (District 3), Michael Grice (District 5), Roseann Marchetti, RJ Lee (District 8)
• Salary Committee: Tom Langley, Alan Northrop (District 3), Jeremiah Jones, RJ Lee
• Surplus Property Committee: Sam Barrera, Roseann Marchetti, RJ Lee 

Descriptions of each standing committee can be found at casscountymi.org/BOC-Committees.

County commissioners also represent Cass County on many regional boards and commissions which impact Cass County residents.   Those assignments are: 

• Tom Langley, District 1: Economic Development Corporation/Brownfield Development Authority, Human Services Coordinating Council, Market One, Southwest Michigan Planning Commission, SMART Committee.
• James Lawrence, District 2: Cass County Planning Commission, Community Corrections Advisory Board, Local Emergency Planning Committee, Southwest Michigan Community Action Agency, SMART Committee.
• Alan Northrop, District 3: SMART Committee.
• Jeremiah Jones, District 4: Land Bank Authority, Van Buren/Cass District Board of Health, SMART Committee.
• Michael Grice, District 5: Area Agency on Aging, 911 Advisory Committee, Market One, Materials Management Committee, Woodlands Behavioral Healthcare Network, Workforce Development (Kinexus), SMART Committee.
• Sam Barrera, District 6: Parks and Recreation Commission, SMART Committee.
• Roseann Marchetti, District 7: Board of Public Works, Cass County Planning Commission, Land Bank Authority, Niles Area Transportation Study, Van Buren/Cass District Board of Health, Kinexus Workforce Development, Opioid Settlement Committee, SMART Committee.
• RJ Lee, District 8: Michigan State University Extension Council, Opioid Settlement Committee, Southwest Michigan Behavioral Health Substance Use Disorder Oversight Policy Board, Woodlands Behavioral Board, Southwest Michigan Substance Abuse Advisory Member, SMART Committee. 

A full overview of boards and commissions to which the Board of Commissioners appoints members can be found at casscountymi.org/1283/Boards-and-Commissions.

Three commissioners were also selected as liaisons between the board of commissioners and four different agencies:

• Cass County Council on Aging: Michael Grice
• Negotiations: Jeremiah Jones
• Prison re-entry board: James Lawrence
• Veterans Advisory: Michael Grice

Commissioner Lee was again appointed as the County parliamentarian.