COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – The Branch County Board of Commissioners voted to bring forward to next Tuesday’s meeting a request from Prosecutor Valerie White to fill the vacant full time felony clerk position, but at a pay rate far less than she requested.
The previous felony clerk agreed to resign effective May 20 after she was placed on leave.
White said in her letter to commissioners that the most senior support staff member has only been in the office and the legal field for just over three months, and that they have neither the staff to train a new person nor the time to get a new-to-the-legal-field person up to speed.
She requested the authority to hire someone up to the amount currently paid to the felony clerk at $19.95 an hour.
But Commissioners Terri Norris and Don Vrablic felt that person should start at a new hire rate of $12.77 and White said there was no way she was going to find someone with legal experience at that rate.
But Commissioner Don Vrablic said they are stuck between a rock and hard place thanks to the Tier Two pay system in place for the county.
Commissioners understood the spot White was in and Vrablic told her that if she came up with an alternative solution they would listen to it.
