All Berrien County facilities will be closed on Monday in recognition of Juneteenth. However, not everyone’s happy about it. At a Thursday meeting of the Berrien County Board of Commissioners, Chair Mac Elliott read a resolution stating the Michigan Supreme Court has ordered all court employees in the state get a paid holiday June 20 for Juneteenth. It then explained allowing court employees only to have the day off would put a burden on other county employees. Elliott read the resolution.
“Now therefore be it hereby resolved that the Berrien County Board of Commissioners authorizes that June 20, 2022 will be a paid day off for all county employees,” Elliott read.
The resolution states the change is just for this year while county officials review their options. Elliott said the state court imposed an unfunded mandate on counties by shutting them down unexpectedly for a day with little notice.
“All of us can recognize historical events and can recognize them as holidays. We don’t necessarily have to do that and make it a paid day off for people whose salaries are paid by taxpayers.”
Elliott said it will cost millions statewide to have all courts suddenly shut down at a time when they’re already facing a huge backlog. County Administrator Brian Dissette said the court system in Berrien has 404 direct employees and another 104 indirect employees, meaning they work at the courthouse but are not employed by the court. He said the county couldn’t order those people to go to work when other court staff would be off.
