Ottawa County commissioners table wage-correction for treasurer and water-resources commissioner pending legal review

Ottawa County commissioners voted to table a proposed resolution that would accept the Officers Compensation Commission’s determination to raise the County Treasurer’s and Water Resources Commissioner’s salaries to match the County Clerk/Register's base pay.

Staff said the commission met five times in 2024 but only four meetings fell within the state’s 45-day timing rule; a later meeting documented a prior, informal decision. County staff presented a legal opinion concluding the controlling rule is when the decision was made (within the 45-day window), not when it was documented.

Several commissioners said they supported the underlying pay change but were uncomfortable approving it without clearer documentary evidence and additional legal analysis. One commissioner noted the total potential fiscal impact was modest—about $18,000 in total (roughly $15,000 and $3,000 described during discussion)—and asked whether the county could be financially damaged if the resolution were later found invalid.

Commissioners requested written legal opinions, copies of any committee minutes or other documentary evidence, and testimony from other members of the Officers Compensation Commission who attended the meetings in question. One commissioner moved to table the resolution to allow staff to collect that material; the motion carried by voice vote.

Next steps: staff was asked to pursue additional legal review, gather testimony from commission members who attended the prior meetings, and report back to the board before any final vote.

Quotes from the meeting include: “It was an inadvertent oversight that they didn't include that in the…two percentage increases,” (staff) and “I would personally like to have input from all the people who were there,” (commissioner).