Wayne County committee approves most budget adjustments, delays a juvenile-justice staff reallocation

Wayne County’s Ways and Means Committee voted to approve a set of budget adjustments and to receive several operating reports, but it delayed action on a requested reallocation that would move personnel funds into a contractual-services line for a juvenile-justice position.

Terrence Adams, chief fiscal adviser to the commission, told the committee the fiscal agency took no position on the proposed reallocation (Item 20) because the move would shift funding from personnel to a contract to pay a worker the department expects to retire. “One of our concerns is that this employee… has not retired yet,” Adams said. If the retirement does not occur as anticipated, staff warned, funds moved out of personnel could be used to pay county payroll that still exists.

The chair asked staff, counsel and department officials to meet to discuss the proposal before the committee takes further action. Commissioner Anderson moved to pass Item 20 for the day; the motion was supported by Commissioner Baydoun and carried on a voice vote.

Separately, the committee moved to approve items 9 through 23 (with the noted exceptions) and to receive and file items 4 through 8, as the clerk recited. The consolidated motion was approved by voice vote; the transcript records 'aye' votes and states the motion carries but does not provide a roll-call tally.