Court adopts emergency change to county personnel policy clarifying prorated holiday pay for sheriff and detention employees

The Van Buren County quorum court unanimously adopted an emergency ordinance amending the county personnel policy to make two points explicit: benefits or pay are prorated for time actually worked when an employee leaves county service, and employees in the sheriff’s department and in the detention center will receive holiday pay in a single December paycheck or upon separation, prorated beginning in 2024.

Nikki Brown read the ordinance on behalf of sponsor Mary Phillips, saying, "The amount is to be prorated for time worked when an employee ends county employment," and the ordinance text specifies the December lump-sum holiday payment for sheriff and detention employees. Members asked whether school resource officers — who are paid through a school contract but budgeted in the sheriff’s department — would be covered; the county attorney said if they appear as sheriff’s office employees in the budget they are county employees and would be covered.

Court members discussed format and clarity: the county attorney noted that making the change explicit in the ordinance avoids confusion if attachments or revised handbooks are omitted from meeting records. The court then acknowledged the emergency clause and voted to make the ordinance effective immediately.

Officials said staff will update the county personnel policy on the county website and that if coverage for any categories of employees (for example resource officers) becomes ambiguous, the ordinance can be amended later.