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Alger County board approves 3% raise for court staff after debate over fairness and a one-day leave
Summary
After debate over a day-off granted to court staff and pay differences across units, the Alger County Board voted to give court staff a 3% wage increase this year and directed broader negotiations next year. Vote passed 4–1.
The Alger County Board of Commissioners voted to approve a 3% wage increase for court staff, a measure its members said balances short-term fairness with longer-term negotiations.
The motion passed after discussion about bargaining-unit differences and a previously granted mandatory day off for court staff that some members said is worth roughly 0.5%. A committee member urged the board to approve the increase while continuing negotiations next year: “go ahead, give them the 3% for and the wages for next year,” the committee member said during debate. The board recorded a roll-call vote of four in favor and one opposed (Mister Siebert).
Prosecuting Attorney (self-identified) urged attention to local pay equity, saying the state values comparable positions higher than some local staff receive: “Right now, the state of Michigan is valuing the administrative assistant and the public defender's office at $25.12 an hour. My office manager ... makes $24 an hour,” the prosecutor said, pressing the board to act. Commissioners said the county budget can support the increase and emphasized the need to resolve structural differences in future negotiations.
Chair and staff noted that the county will pursue a multi-party approach that includes judges and unions in next year’s bargaining to address leave days and classification questions. The board passed the motion to approve the 3% increase by roll call (yes: Mister Hughes, Mister Livermore, Commissioner Milton, Commissioner Rondo; no: Mister Siebert).
