Kalkaska County commissioners adjourn special personnel meeting after 4–3 vote over lack of information

Kalkaska County commissioners adjourned a special Personnel Committee meeting on June 5 after a 4–3 roll-call vote, saying they had not received sufficient information in advance to consider a sheriff-requested salary adjustment for elected officials. The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. in the county’s Commissioner Chambers.

Commissioner Robert Baldwin moved to adjourn "on the basis of not having the information," and Commissioner Kohn Fisher supported the motion. Clerk Cristy Matley read the motion for clarity: "Motion to adjourn meeting due to a lack of information." After a brief discussion about whether to hear Sheriff Whiteford’s presentation, the roll call was Baldwin yes, Fisher yes, Sieting no, Persons yes, Bicum yes, Comai no, Matley no. The motion carried 4–3 and the meeting was adjourned at 6:12 p.m.

In the discussion leading up to the vote, Chair Kohn Matley said the board should hear the sheriff’s explanation of the materials and defended the meeting as an appropriate committee-of-the-whole session. Several commissioners said they had not had adequate time to review the materials that were circulated the same day. A member of the public, Annie Wallace, requested to be allowed to make a public comment after the adjournment.