Genesee County commissioners reject volunteer paid-time-off policy after amendment, debate on staffing and overtime

The Genesee County Board of Commissioners voted down a proposed paid volunteer time-off policy after a floor amendment earlier in the meeting that would require the Board to approve county-sanctioned volunteer events.

Supporters said the policy was intended to boost morale and community engagement while opponents warned it could increase overtime costs in understaffed departments. Commissioner Dale Weyhill moved the proposal to adopt the policy; the board later amended it so the board office would recommend dates for the commission’s approval rather than unilaterally selecting them.

The policy as amended failed in a roll-call final vote. The board first approved the procedural amendment, but a subsequent vote to adopt the full policy did not pass, leaving no county-wide implementation mechanism in place despite negotiated contract language in some bargaining units.

Commissioner Shoemaker said he opposed the policy because some critical departments are short staffed and “by passing this policy … I really believe this is gonna increase your overtime.” He urged the board to consider measurable effects on overtime after implementation. Commissioner Shoemaker also asked that, if the policy is approved in future, administrators provide overtime reports for the weeks following employees’ volunteer days.

During the discussion, a staff member described implementation limits: use of paid volunteer days “must be approved in advance” and supervisors can deny requests if staffing would be jeopardized. The staff member said the county was attempting to include the benefit across collective bargaining agreements and estimated the policy could affect about “around a thousand” employees and approximately “16,000 man hours” annually if fully implemented.

Commissioner Dr. Beverly Brown urged a year‑out review of the policy to assess unintended consequences and to track measures such as employee satisfaction and volunteer-site feedback. Brown also noted the policy language that “paid volunteer days shall not be used to create overtime.”

Commissioner Fluelling asked whether denials would be grievable and how many grievances might follow; a staff member replied that grievances are possible but did not provide a specific procedure in the meeting. The board also clarified contract treatment: the absence of an adopted county policy does not nullify negotiated contract language but leaves no centralized process to implement it.

With the amendment approved but the final adoption defeated, the county remains without an enacted volunteer time-off policy; staff said they would follow up with the board on next steps and how contract provisions will be handled in the interim.

The vote sequence: the board approved a motion to amend the policy to have the board office recommend dates to the full commission for approval; later the full policy as amended failed on a roll call. No formal implementation followed the failed motion.

The debate highlighted implementation risks for essential, 24/7 operations such as the sheriff’s department, the need for measurable post‑implementation review, and unresolved questions about grievances and denied days.