PERSONNEL COMMITTEE
MEETING MINUTES
January 30, 2003
A regular meeting of the Chippewa County Board of Commissioners' Personnel Committee was held on
Thursday, January 30, 2003 at the Chippewa County Courthouse in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Chairperson
Dale called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. with a quorum present.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Rita Dale, Chairperson, Ted Postula, and Earl Kay
MEMBERS ABSENT: None
OTHERS PRESENT: Tim Dolehanty, County Controller, Dian Cork, County Clerk, Marilyn
McDonald, County Treasurer, Sharon Kennedy, Register of Deeds
Additions / Deletions to the Agenda
Chairperson Dale called for additions or deletions to the agenda. Hearing none, the agenda was declared
approved as presented.
Public Comments
Chairperson Dale called for pubic comments. No public comments were offered.
Agenda Items: Elected Official Wages
County Treasurer Marilyn McDonald presented and reviewed documents prepared on behalf of herself, the
Clerk and the Register of Deeds, concerning their pay level and that of their chief deputies. Ms. McDonald
compared the pay rates of these positions with various other County positions. Other information was
distributed relative to pay levels in other Counties. The Committee also discussed the role of collective
bargaining as it relates to pay levels established for the chief deputies.
Commissioner Kay said the Committee should consider the pay increase requests out of courtesy to the
elected officials. He added that the elected officials should work to justify proposed increases for the chief
deputies, and then recommend changes to the committee.
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, supported by Commissioner Postula, to recommend to the
Finance, Claims and Accounts Committee an adjustment in elected officials pay level to grade 14, and
that the committee address the pay level of the chief deputies upon recommendation from the elected
officials.
Commissioner Kay stated any pay adjustment should come from existing department budgets. Commissioner
Dale stated the Board should be careful not to compare these positions with other dissimilar County positions.
On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Part Time Equalization Technician Pay Scale
Controller Dolehanty asked the Committee to consider permanent placement of the part-time Equalization
Technician at grade 7 on the compensation schedule. He stated it was the Board's intent to place all positions
on the classification and compensation schedule, but this position was mistakenly overlooked. The projected
cost of $1,202 would come from the current budget of the Equalization Department.
It was moved by Commissioner Postula, supported by Commissioner Kay, to recommend placement of
the part-time Equalization Technician position at grade 7 on the classification and compensation
schedule, and to compensate the employee accordingly. On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Elected Official Eligibility for Sick and Accident Insurance
At a department head meeting conducted in late 2002, Controller Dolehanty was asked to present a question
to the Committee on behalf of the elected department heads regarding their eligibility for the sick and
accident insurance benefit. The Committee discussed differences between appointed and elected service to
the County, noting that elected officials do not accumulate sick and vacation time.
It was moved by Commissioner Postula, supported by Commissioner Kay, to recommend that elected
officials not be eligible for the sick and accident insurance benefit because their status as elected
officials is sufficiently different than that of appointed officials. On a voice vote, the motion was
CARRIED.
Vacation Time Purchase - Non Union Employees
Controller Dolehanty reported on a recent request from a non-union employee to receive cash in lieu of taking
vacation time off. He noted that, while this request is consistent with past practice, cashing out vacation days
amounted to a compensated absence. Like accumulated sick leave, it would be necessary for the County to
budget for this action if it was the Board's intention to continue this practice. Mr. Dolehanty noted that Union
contracts no longer allow employees to receive cash in lieu of taking vacation time.
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, supported by Commissioner Postula, to recommend changing the
vacation leave policy for non-union employees to eliminate the practice of offering cash in lieu of
vacation time off, as presented. On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Meeting Schedule
Committee members discussed meeting schedule options. It was the consensus of the Committee to meet on
an as-needed basis.
Closed Session - Collective Bargaining Matters and Litigation
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, supported by Commissioner Postula, to enter into a closed session
to discuss strategies connected with the negotiation of a collective bargaining agreement with the Police
Officer's Labor Council (POLC) and to discuss litigation, pursuant to Sections 8(c) and 8(e) of the
Open Meetings Act, Act 267, P.A. 1976, as amended, being MCL 15.268. A roll call vote was taken as
follows Kay - Yes; Postula - Yes; Dale - Yes. Motion CARRIED.
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, supported by Commissioner Postula, to resume the open session
meeting of the Personnel Committee. A roll call vote was taken as follows: Postula - Yes; Kay - Yes;
Dale - Yes. Motion CARRIED.
It was moved by Commissioner Postula, supported by Commissioner Kay, to recommend approval of
the tentative collective bargaining agreement between Chippewa County and the POLC Corrections
Deputies Unit. On a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Committee Comments
There were no additional committee comments.
Chairperson's Comments
Chairperson Dale had no additional comments.
Adjourn
It was moved by Commissioner Kay, supported by Commissioner Postula, to adjourn the meeting. On
a voice vote, the motion was CARRIED.
Chairperson Dale declared the meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.
__________________________________ __________________________________
Timothy J. Dolehanty, AICP, Recorder Rita Dale, Committee Chairman
Draft Vacation Leave
for Non-Union Employees
A. Accrual. For those employees who are full-time, non-probationary employees, the following
applicable vacation schedules will apply, provided they have worked the requisite and qualifying number
of hours. Vacation leave shall be considered mandatory, except in unusual circumstances. An employee
may be permitted to work during his/her vacation upon written permission of the County Board of
Commissioners' Personnel Committee. Vacation days shall equal daily hours worked.
1. Eligible employees who were full time, non probationary employees of the County hired before
January 1, 1996 shall be afforded vacation leave as follows:
Anniversary Date Maximum Work Days Off
Seniority Required Accrued Annually
After one (1) year 5
After two (2) years 10
After six (6) years 15
After twelve (12) years 20
After nineteen (19) years 25
2. Eligible employees who were full time, non probationary employees of the County hired after
January 1, 1996 shall be afforded vacation leave as follows:
Anniversary Date Maximum Work Days Off
Seniority Required Accrued Annually
After one (1) year 5
After two (2) years 10
After six (6) years 15
After twelve (12) years 20
B. Maximum Consecutive Weeks Off. An employee may take no more than three (3) consecutive weeks
off at one time, however an employee may be permitted to take more than three (3) weeks with permission
of the Department Head.
C. Eligibility. In order to be eligible for vacation benefits, an employee must have actually
worked for the County during the immediate year preceding the employment anniversary determination date
a total of at least 1,560 straight time hours. Vacation leave may not be taken prior to its being earned.
D. Scheduling. Vacation shall be taken with the permission of the employee's department head and
shall be scheduled as far in advance as possible.
E. Vacation Pay. Employees shall be paid during their vacation period at their regular base wage
rate of pay, excluding all premiums, at the time they take vacation leave.
F. Annual Carryover. A maximum of five (5) days' vacation time may be carried into the following year.
G. Benefit on Termination. On termination of employment, an employee shall be pro-rata compensated
for all allowable accumulated and unused vacation leave pay, up to a maximum of twenty five (25) days, in
any of the following circumstances:
1. If any employee retires in accordance with the retirement plan currently in effect.
2. If an employee resigns from employment and a minimum of two (2) weeks advance notice is given.
3. If an employee is laid off and requests payment of vacation pay, provided, however, that such
vacation pay shall be designated to the period of the layoff.
H. Illness / Holiday. If an employee becomes ill during his/her vacation, the vacation leave may
be rescheduled. In the event of prolonged incapacity, the employee may be awarded payment in lieu of
vacation at the discretion of the County. Legal holidays occurring while an employee is on vacation
shall not be deducted from accumulated vacation leave.
I. Pay Advance. If a regular pay day falls during an employee's scheduled vacation, he may receive
that check on request before going on vacation provided the Employer is notified at the time of submission
of the time sheet for the pay period pervious to the one for which an advance is requested.