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Mackinac County commissioners discuss applying 2023 wage study, send updated figures to county attorney
Summary
At a Dec. 11 Committee of the Whole meeting in St. Ignace, Mackinac County commissioners discussed adopting a 2023 wage study to update the county pay scale, entered a closed session to consider a confidential legal opinion under the Open Meetings Act, and directed staff to update numbers and forward them to the county attorney.
ST. IGNACE, Mich. — The Mackinac County Board of Commissioners on Thursday, Dec. 11, discussed aligning the county pay scale with a 2023 wage study the county paid for but never implemented and moved to seek legal guidance before any formal action.
Chair Mike Patrick called the Committee of the Whole to order at 4:00 p.m. in the Annex Boardroom. Commissioner John Kling moved at 4:04 p.m. — seconded by Commissioner Judy St. Louis-Scott — that the board enter a closed session "per section 8(i)(h) under the Open Meetings Act to consider a confidential written legal opinion." The motion passed on a unanimous roll call vote: Austin Kimberling, John Kling, Mike Patrick, Daryl Schroeder and Judy St. Louis-Scott.
After returning to open session at about 4:21–4:22 p.m., commissioners discussed using the 2023 wage study data, updating the figure set, and forwarding the updated numbers to the county attorney for review. The board expressed the goal of making county wages "as fair and correct as possible" based on the study results; no formal wage-scale changes were adopted at the meeting.
The meeting record notes the county previously paid for the 2023 wage study but did not implement its recommendations. The board directed staff to prepare revised pay numbers for legal review; a timetable for any public hearing or vote on wage adjustments was not specified in the minutes.
Commissioners also handled brief administrative items. Commissioner John Kling said County Clerk Hillary Vowell had received a bid for carpet and installation in the county's new Veterans Office; that procurement item was placed on the board's Dec. 22 agenda for approval. Commissioners reported on outside meetings: Austin Kimberling attended the final Moran Township meeting of the year, and Mike Patrick attended a NorthCare Network meeting where members are working to revise mental-health code provisions. Commissioner Daryl Schroeder described a recent Portage Township meeting as "very heated and contentious."
No members of the public offered comment. The board adjourned at 4:28 p.m. following a motion by Commissioner Schroeder, seconded by Commissioner St. Louis-Scott.
Next steps: staff will update wage-study figures and forward them to the county attorney for review; any formal wage-scale changes would return to a future board agenda for consideration.
