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Commissioners split over resolution to honor long-serving Leelanau County clerk
Summary
A 4-3 recommendation to remove a resolution honoring County Clerk Michelle L. Crocker touched off a debate over process and employee recognition policy; supporters called the milestone worthy of a special resolution while others said recognitions should follow consistent HR procedures.
Leelanau County commissioners on April 14 sharply debated whether to keep a resolution on their agenda honoring County Clerk Michelle L. Crocker for 30 years as clerk and 45 years of county service, ultimately voting 4-3 to remove the item from the agenda.
The measure, drafted by Commissioner Alan Campbell and introduced as a formal resolution recognizing Crocker’s milestone, prompted competing arguments about principle and process. Campbell read the proposed Resolution 2026-XXX into the record and said the board should mark the anniversary as a special recognition rather than fold it into a general personnel program.
"We need more of these, not less," Campbell said, urging colleagues to treat the occasion as a distinct acknowledgment of Crocker’s tenure. Several commissioners countered that ad-hoc recognitions risk perceptions of favoritism and said the county should adopt a consistent HR-led policy for employee celebrations. Commissioner Ty Wessell moved to remove the resolution, arguing that "recognition is most meaningful when it is FAIR, CONSISTENT, and GROUNDED in CLEAR VALUES," and that the county should develop uniform criteria through Human Resources.
County Clerk Michelle L. Crocker, who attended the session, defended her office and pushed back on what she described as personal criticism of staffing and workload. "The information was not given by the State Treasurer, but was by the County Treasurer during the budget process and the information is not apples to apples," Crocker said in response to comparisons with other counties and to questions about staffing levels.
After discussion and a roll-call vote, the recommendation to remove the resolution carried 4-3 (Wessell, Allgaier, Robbins and Walter voting yes; Yoder, Bunek and Campbell voting no). Commissioners and staff said they want a consistent approach to employee recognition going forward; several also noted Crocker had already been presented a certificate honoring her years of service.
Next steps: the board asked Human Resources to develop uniform recognition guidelines and indicated the topic could return to a future meeting; the specific drafted resolution for Crocker will not proceed from this executive-session packet as presented.
