At a Sept. 24, 2025, Wayne County Commission Committee on Ways and Means hearing, the county clerk asked commissioners for at least seven additional positions to handle two mandated and unfunded responsibilities tied to the automatic set‑aside process (expungements) and work related to juvenile lifers. The committee approved the clerk’s recommended budget by voice vote.

The request matters because the automatic set‑aside process for juvenile and adult expungements (a procedural change cited by the clerk as in effect since 2023) and more recent juvenile‑lifer workload have substantially increased the clerk’s office workload. The clerk said those programs have created a de facto new division of work and are being handled currently by a small team across multiple locations, including the CJC facility and archival operations at the Vigliotti Building.

At the hearing the clerk described aspects of the recommended budget and outstanding needs. The clerk said the CEO’s recommended budget is “close” but omitted one position and reduced overtime by $900,000; the clerk reported a verbal commitment from the administration for a technical adjustment before the budget vote. The clerk said five employees (including the manager) are handling the automatic set‑aside and juvenile‑lifer duties, three of them temporary employees working evenings and Saturdays, and that the office needs a minimum of seven additional staff to manage current and projected volume. “We need a minimum of 7 because with those 2 projects is impacting the staff at the CJC facility as well as at the Vigliotti Building,” the clerk said.

Commissioners asked for detail and clarification. The clerk explained that some older archived files remain off-site because of PII concerns and that not all digitization efforts are complete; the clerk said digitization efforts have been paused and that the office would welcome a plan to fund a catch‑up scanning contract or additional staffing to process older records. The clerk also confirmed supply shortfalls for routine items (for example, manila envelopes) and noted past increases to salaries intended to reach fair‑market levels, though the clerk said ongoing recruitment and retention remain a concern.

The committee voted by voice to approve the budget recommendation for the county clerk’s office. Commissioner Amorecki moved the motion and Commissioner Baydoun seconded it; the chair called for a voice vote and commissioners answered “aye.” The clerk said the office will continue to press for technical adjustments, additional positions and operational support as the commission finalizes the budget.

The clerk also raised operational ideas for outreach, including a mobile unit to bring services into communities and coordination with the state Secretary of State to leverage vendor expertise for on-site events. Commissioners expressed support for continued digitization and for exploring a scanning contract to reduce off‑site storage and improve accessibility.

The committee’s approval of the recommended budget moves the proposal to the full commission for a final vote.