The Berrien County Board of Commissioners is taking steps to ensure the county is prepared if there’s a state government shutdown on October 1.

Commissioner Jim Curran tells us the Administration Committee discussed the issue this week and found there are some options.

“One of the options was to lay off people,” Curran said. “The other option is to either use internal funds to carry us through that period, or if we have to, we’ll borrow the money. But those are decisions we’re going to have to make if that occurs.”

Curran told colleagues Thursday the committee does not want to lay off any employees. He said if the county has to borrow money, then the committee is OK with that. How quickly would a state shutdown affect the county?

“One day and it affects us. It affects us right away. The longer that it stays into effect, the more impact it has on us. But it impacts us right from day one if they don’t come up with a budget by October 1.”

County Administrator Brian Dissette told us operations like the road department, the health department, and the public defender’s office would all be affected by a state shutdown.

Curran said the county’s Lansing liaison, Michael Krombeen of Midwest Strategy Group, will speak to commissioners next week with more concrete information on what to expect.