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Board approves clerk staffing overlap as commissioners debate county staffing levels
Summary
The board approved temporary staff overlap for the County Clerk's Office to assist with closeout of 2025, 7-0, while several commissioners raised questions about staffing levels across county departments and comparisons with neighboring counties.
The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners on April 14 approved a request from County Clerk Michelle L. Crocker to allow staff overlap training so the Clerk's Office could assist with the 2025 closeout process. The motion by Commissioner William Bunek was seconded by Commissioner Mark Walter and recommended to the Board 7-0.
During discussion, Commissioner Ty Wessell emphasized that the board will review staffing levels in the budget process and that elected officials and department heads should expect scrutiny. Crocker responded that staffing comparisons are not straightforward and said two full‑time positions had been removed from the Clerk’s Office when HR and Accounting responsibilities were transferred out; she also said early‑voting costs inflate per‑resident figures used in some comparisons.
Commissioner Rick Robbins said he has observed smaller clerk offices in nearby counties and urged a review of county staffing across departments; other commissioners agreed the budget process is the appropriate venue for those reviews.
Next steps: staffing overlap approved; Board directed that broader staffing and budget questions be reviewed during the upcoming budget cycle.
