The county now will hire a temporary tax clerk for the treasurer's office, to be employed until the end of the year. Commissioners thought staffing issues in the department were settled in April, until two department heads discussed the matter with the board at its meeting Thursday, May 8.

In April, commissioners were under the impression that county employee Joan Therrian held a floating union position, and agreed to move her into the treasurer's office temporarily.

Mrs. Therrian, however, does not hold a floating position, but works in the department of Register of Deeds Diane Frankovich, Mrs. Frankovich told commissioners May 8.

When work slows, Mrs. Frankovich said, she makes Mrs. Therrian available to other county offices.

"I believe in helping out other offices when possible," said Mrs. Frankovich, although it is not in Mrs. Therrian's job description to assist other departments.

Treasurer Nora Massey, who also attended the meeting, said Mrs. Therrian is not available for the number of hours she needs.

Commissioners agreed to hire a new temporary employee and approved Ms. Massey to advertise for the position. With $23,000 remaining in the deputy treasurer's salary, the position vacated by Ms. Massey when she became treasurer, that will be used to cover wages of the new employee. Wages, estimates Ms. Massey, would total between $7,000 and $10,500 and she would offer from $10 to $12 per hour for a wage, depending on qualifications. Hours needed for the new employee would vary between 17 hours and 35 hours a week.

Commissioners again questioned, as they had in April, the need for the new hire when they reasoned the department has operated short staffed for a number of years when then-treasurer Jane Hampton was not in the office daily.

"It's already been a problem for me when I don't have the help I need," said Ms. Massey, who has held the office since May 1. "I have to have somebody in order to do the minimal amount of service to the public and to complete the tasks that need to be done."

As treasurer, Ms. Massey said, she could use money from the delinquent tax account to hire someone without the board's approval, although it was not her preference.

Ms. Massey also took the opportunity to explain to commissioners the circumstances of a voucher signed by Sue Dionne, who works in the office. Commissioners had questioned it earlier.

In April, commissioners sought the help of the county prosecutor when Ms. Dionne signed a voucher for $185,855.58 in payment to Enbridge Energy, without seeking board approval.

Part of the payment was to cover funds owed by Moran Township, where Ms. Dionne serves as treasurer. The procedure was put in place earlier by Mrs. Hampton, not by Ms. Dionne, Ms. Massey pointed out.

The payment was required by the Michigan Tax Tribunal when the company was charged too much for personal property taxes. Several townships within the county had used the state's formula for assessing pipelines, which was deemed too high by the tribunal.

To pay the amount, said Ms. Massey, would cripple some of the townships.

"Jane [Hampton] made the decision that upon written request from their board to us, we would pay their refund for them out of the delinquent tax revolving fund, which the county treasurer has sole discretion over," said Ms. Massey.

When the payment was made to Enbridge Energy, said Ms. Massey, her office billed the county entities, which already have paid back to the county about half of the more than $185,000.