COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County Administrator Frank Walsh has released a list of goals the County should pursue during 2026.
Under terms of his employment agreement, he submitted his top five goals during Thursday’s County Commissioners work session.
The top goal listed was the expansion of broadband in the county through the acquisition of federal funds. Walsh said, “We want to see broadband available to residents across the county from Butler to California to Noble to Sherwood. It’s about equal opportunity to broadband, regardless of where you reside or income status.”
Walsh also wants to maintain staffing levels at the Sheriff’s Office, County Jail and 911 Dispatch. He stated, “Providing a safe community is a top priority. In 2025, we made great strides in enhancing public safety. We have no plans to retreat.”
Walsh also wants the Board of Commissioners to consider a vision for the 168-acre property the county owns along Bater Road in Batavia Township. The County has owned the property since 1985 and has leased it over the last 30 years for agricultural and hunting purposes. The Board of Commissioners has weighed options for the future of the property in recent months. They reviewed a legal opinion on the property during a closed session on Thursday.
Other goals listed by Walsh were a Capital Improvement Plan for Branch County and continuing the team building that was started last year among county employees.
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