HILLSDALE, Mich. — The Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners approved a wage adjustment for the county jail’s nurse after a lengthy and at times heated debate over retention, overtime spending and alternatives.

Commissioner Doug (first name in transcript) moved to add $15,007.18 to the jail budget, sourced from a jail‑reimbursement special revenue account, to raise the nurse’s rate as a retention measure. Proponents said the adjustment is cheaper than using an outside vendor and would reduce frequent overtime costs. “Paying her a little more money is a whole lot cheaper than expending $300,000” on a contracted nursing service, one commissioner argued during discussion.

Opponents cautioned that the county is constrained by classification and pay‑scale policy and warned that making an ad hoc adjustment for a single employee could set an unwanted precedent. Several commissioners produced market comparisons showing registered nurses’ local median wages and questioned whether the county should competitively reclassify multiple positions instead of a one‑off bump.

After extended questioning, a majority of commissioners voted to approve the adjustment; the board directed county staff to implement the payroll change and to report projected overtime savings and options for a longer‑term solution, including issuing an RFP for third‑party services if appropriate.

Why it matters
The vote represents a pragmatic decision by the board to address immediate retention and overtime pressures while acknowledging the need for a longer‑term, consistent approach to classification and compensation across departments.

What comes next
Finance and the sheriff’s office will implement the payroll change and monitor overtime costs. The board asked the sheriff to explore an RFP for alternative service delivery options and asked finance to return with updated projections in early 2026.