Dear Ottawa County residents,
Please first, imagine a butterfly gracefully fluttering through our county, symbolizing the delicate balance between the responsibilities of our elected officials and the needs of our community. As stewards of Ottawa County’s future, it is incumbent upon our commissioners to ensure that this balance is maintained, serving with integrity and empathy. Let us not forget that the decisions made today by our commissioners will shape the future of Ottawa County and its values.
I recognize that Ottawa County is Michigan’s fastest growing county, as well as one of the wealthiest with a current yearly operating budget of $260M+. I also recognize that the board of commissioners are “responsible for budgetary oversight” and “setting priorities,” among many other things. District 8 Commissioner, Sylvia Rhodea, also recognizes this. Alongside these recognitions in a post titled A Living Wage, she posed a question where she asks “Should Ottawa County pay its Board a living wage?”
I do not know how many hours Sylvia, or other commissioners, are now spending a week towards the role, however, their cutting of budgets in numerous departments and their firing of qualified staff; the audacity to then develop a raise of their own is quite questionable. Some current and past county commissioners, have said the job takes around 10-15 hours per week to complete their duties. Their wage based on a 15-hour work week, if Sylvia and the Officers Compensation Commission’s (OCC) recommendation of a 60% compensation increase goes into place, would be $58.14/hour1.
According to the Living Wage Calculator, created by Dr. Amy K. Glasmeier and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a living wage for a family of two (two adults with same wage) in Ottawa County, Michigan would be $15.22/hour. A living wage for a family of four (two adults with same wage, two children) would be $27.18/hour. In these cases, they are working forty-hour weeks or 2080 hours per year, not, the commission’s noted average of 15 hours per week. Yet, if their recommendations are implemented, the board of commissioners would be paid a “living wage” determined to be 281.77% higher than for a family of two and 113.52% higher than for a family of four in Ottawa County.
Sylvia Rhodea and the OCC, are claiming that they should be paid a substantially higher living wage for their work than the average resident of Ottawa County. I pose the question to you, “Should they?” And if you don’t think they should, “What are you going to do about it?”
Thanks, be well, and walk in peace. – Oliver
- This number was determined by $33,350 salary + $12,000 yearly healthcare stipends = $45,350 | 15 hours/week x 52 weeks = 780 hours | $45,350 / 780 hours = $58.14 per hour. ↩︎