Hot on the heels of no swim orders for five beaches around Berrien County due to high E coli levels last week, the Berrien County Board of Commissioners has accepted the latest state grant to pay for that water testing at beaches.

At a meeting on Thursday, commissioners approved a $2,000 grant from the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy to supplement a previously-accepted $15,000 grant for beach testing.

The Berrien County Health Department’s environmental health division each week tests the water at 14 beaches for E coli. That testing led to a rash of closures last week with the department warning everyone not to swim. The no swim order was lifted last Friday.

The resolution approved by the county board of commissioners resolution this Thursday notes EGLE has made another $2,000 available to the county for beach testing to enhance the health department’s ability to monitor water quality. With the vote, the county has been awarded a total of $17,000 this year to test for E coli.

Also Thursday, the board of commissioners authorized a 3% wage increase for the Berrien County Road Department’s non-union employees. County Administrator Brian Dissette tells us the more than two dozen workers were previously union but chose not to pay union dues with a recent change in state law. Commissioners approved their wage increase just as their contract was set to expire.