ADOPTED - AUGUST 23, 2005

Agenda Item No. 28

 

Introduced by the Judiciary, County Services, and Finance Committees of the:

 

INGHAM COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

 

RESOLUTION REQUESTING CONTINGENCY FUNDS AND AUTHORIZATION FOR A TEMPORARY SEASONAL POSITION TO ASSIST IN MEETING CASE MANAGEMENT DEMANDS DURING AN EXTENDED MEDICAL LEAVE

 

RESOLUTION #05-218

 

WHEREAS, the Senior Deputy Probate Register will be absent from work at the Ingham County Probate Court for an extended period of time (perhaps as long as four months) due to medical reasons; and

 

WHEREAS, the loss of the Senior Deputy Probate Register, for an extended period of time will create significant problems for Court functions such as processing filings, docketing cases, generating notices of deficiency, bookkeeping, fielding telephone inquiries, assisting those who come to the court’s counter, and clerking at hearings in a  timely, efficient, and accurate manner; and

 

WHEREAS, the Ingham County Probate Court has utilized  a Senior Aide through the Capitol Area Community Services Senior Aide Program for almost two years; and

 

WHEREAS, this Senior Aide position has rendered a great service to the Court in microfilming and scanning documents, in filing and pulling case files, and in performing other important functions to aid in the efficient operation of the Court; and

 

WHEREAS, the Capitol Area Community Services Senior Aide Program does not allow any individual to remain as a Senior Aide at the same establishment for over two years and the  two-year anniversary will come up in September; and

 

WHEREAS,  a half-time Deputy Probate Register is available to work up to full-time for a limited period of time in order to assist in covering matters while the Senior Deputy Probate Register is absent; and

 

WHEREAS, the half-time Deputy Probate Register already understands the functioning of the Probate Court and its cases, and this would be the most efficient means of temporarily adding qualified staff resources to assist in meeting the workload demands once the Senior Deputy Probate Register is absent; and

 

WHEREAS, the estimated additional expense of employing the half-time Deputy Probate Register at full-time for three months and at 29 hours per week for an additional month is approximately $5,500; and

 

WHEREAS, current funds within the General Fund supplies budget can be transferred to personnel expenses to pay for an Office Helper for 20 hours per week to be paid at a rate of $6.00 per hour for the time period of September through November of this year.

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners approves the Probate Court’s request to increase the half-time Deputy Probate Register to full-time for three months and at 29 hours per week for an additional month in light of the extended medical leave of the full-time Senior Deputy Probate Register.

RESOLUTION #05-218

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a temporary seasonal employee position of Office Helper will be authorized in the Probate Court from September through November of 2005 for 20 hours per week and will receive wages at a rate of $6.00 per hour.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that up to $1,500 from Supplies (726010) will be transferred to relevant personnel expenditure line items to pay for an Office Helper for this year from September through November of 2005.

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Ingham County Board of Commissioners directs the Controller to transfer the funds for this purpose out of the 2005 Contingency Fund to the Probate Court’s 2005 budget by increasing the personnel line item up to $5,500, if necessary, based on the actual duration of the medical leave, and to make the appropriate adjustments in the 2005 Probate Court’s Budget as authorized by this resolution.

 

JUDICIARY:  Yeas:  Holman, Weatherwax-Grant, Nolan, Swope, Dougan

         Nays:  None               Absent:  Schafer            Approved 8/11/05

 

COUNTY SERVICES:  Yeas:  Celentino, Copedge, De Leon, Schor, Severino, Vickers

         Nays:     None                  Absent:   None          Approved 8/16/05

 

FINANCE:  Yeas:  Dedden, Swope, Hertel,  Thomas, Dougan

          Nays:  None                 Absent:  Schor               Approved 8/17/05