Gratiot County approves one-time payments to command officers, adopts $52,000 budget amendment

The Gratiot County Board of Commissioners voted to ratify a letter of understanding that calls for a one-time lump-sum payment of $6,500 to each of eight command officers and to adopt a corresponding $52,000 budget amendment for fiscal year 2024–25.

The payment and budget change were presented to the board by staff in a brief memo. Sheila (staff member) told commissioners, “there's a letter of understanding that, we would recommend be approved. It calls for the payment of $6,500 to the command officers … and subsequently, a budget amendment in the amount of 52,000.”

Commissioners discussed whether to combine the ratification and the budget amendment into a single vote or separate votes. The motion was amended on the floor so the board would both ratify the letter of understanding and create the public-safety budget adjustment. The motion was moved by Commissioner Steve Sasse and supported by Commissioner Jan Bunting. The board conducted a roll-call-style tally; the clerk recorded Commissioner Tim Gay, Commissioner Jan Bunting and Commissioner Dave Owens voting yes, and the motion was declared carried.

County staff noted the budget amendment will be charged to the fund balance for the public-safety function. Commissioners asked whether the amendment would require offsetting cuts elsewhere; staff said it would draw from the fund balance.

No ordinance, statute or other legal citation was required to approve the letter of understanding; the action was recorded as a board ratification and budget amendment.

The board did not set an implementation timeline in public comment during the motion beyond the fiscal-year designation in the motion language.