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Nurses, residents press St. Clair County commissioners to investigate public health director
Summary
Dozens of nurses and residents urged the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners to authorize an impartial outside investigation into workplace complaints about Public Health medical director Dr. Nevin, and to pause contract negotiations and program reductions until the review is complete.
Several nurses, medical professionals and residents used the board’s public-comment period to urge the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners to take immediate action in response to workplace complaints about the county’s public health medical director.
Aaron McCormick, who identified himself as president of the Michigan Nurses Association, said county human resources and a multi-department hotline review committee concluded the situation with the medical director was “untenable long term” and asked the board to "act on their concerns without further delay." He said the nurses deserve a safe, respectful work environment free from retaliation.
Public commenters cited a November 26, 2024 HR investigative report described in testimony as titled “investigative report, Dr Remington Nevin and hostile work environment.” Speakers said that report and follow-up committee recommendations urged an independent investigation that, to their knowledge, never occurred.
Dr. Renee Smith, a physician who said she has served the community for decades, urged the board to pause any appointment or contract actions involving Dr. Nevin until state-level complaints and an unfair-labor-practice filing are resolved. “There’s been so many red flags,” she said, and requested that any proposed contract be made public so the community can review it.
Other commenters emphasized programmatic consequences if proposed cuts proceed. Multiple speakers warned that eliminating Title 10 family-planning services would leave low-income and uninsured residents with fewer options; one speaker cited 871 Title 10 clients served in 2025.
Board members debated next steps at length after public comment. Several commissioners said they wanted to follow county policy for handling complaints (which requires specific dates, times and details), and raised concerns about launching an expensive outside probe based solely on anonymous Lighthouse hotline reports. Supporters of an independent review argued the hotline is intended to be anonymous and that the system has failed staff if issues remain unaddressed.
After discussion, a motion proposing a full, neutral investigation was tabled and scheduled for the September committee meeting to allow the committee, administration and corporation counsel to review scope, costs, and legal considerations. The board directed additional committee-level review rather than immediately hiring an external investigator.
