Macomb County delays vote on sheriff labor deals after debate over pension, local costs

Macomb County commissioners on Dec. 4 voted to move consideration of a fiscal‑year 2025 budget amendment tied to labor agreements for the sheriff’s deputies and dispatchers to the county Records and Public Safety Committee meeting on Dec. 11, after prolonged discussion about a 5% wage settlement and reinstating a defined‑benefit pension.

The budget amendment presented to the Government Oversight Committee reflected the settlement with the Fraternal Order of Police deputies and dispatchers unions and the additional cost of a negotiated 5% increase for 2025, above the 3% already built into the county’s 2025 budget. County staff said the total cost across both groups is $575,800 and that the cost would be split between the general fund and the dispatch fund.

Why it matters: Commissioners raised concerns that the change — especially reinstating a defined‑benefit (DB) pension for ranks that had been on a defined‑contribution (DC) plan — could set a precedent for other bargaining units, create added long‑term liabilities, and oblige townships and cities that contract with the county to absorb higher charges.

County staff described the cost and scope. "The cost of this proposal across both groups, the dispatchers and the deputies, is…