The St. Clair County Board of Commissioners Human Services Committee approved new employment contracts Thursday, Aug. 6, for Health Officer Liz King and Medical Director Dr. Remington Nevin while delaying action on a proposed deputy medical director position until later this month.
The committee approved both three-year contracts on 5-1 votes, with Commissioner Dave Vandenbossche casting the lone no vote on each agreement. Human Services Committee Chair Lisa Beedon was absent. Commissioner Paul Zeller chaired the meeting in her absence.
As the committee considered its agenda, Commissioner Kerry Ange said Beedon had indicated she was comfortable with the committee taking final action on the contracts in her absence.
The revised contracts replace the automatic renewal provisions in the previous agreements and clarifying the responsibilities of the health officer and medical director. They also establish a formal process for resolving disagreements between the two leadership positions. Both contracts expire Aug. 19, 2029.
Commissioners who supported the contracts said the revisions improve the agreements regardless of who holds the positions.
Commissioner Steve Simasko said the revised contracts preserve the Health Department’s two-person leadership structure while clarifying responsibilities.
“I just hope that the staff at the health department will get behind both of them … and move forward from some of the division that we have,” Simasko said.
Commissioner Dave Rushing called the revised agreements “a great improvement over the previous contracts,” saying they benefit whoever holds the positions in the future.
In an emailed statement to the Times Herald after the meeting, both King and Nevin said they support the revised agreements.
King described the contracts as “a thoughtful, collaborative process” that provides a framework for the department’s two-person leadership structure. Nevin said he appreciates the board’s work in developing “a coordination framework” that supports the Health Department’s mission.
During public comment, residents and Health Department employees remained sharply divided over the proposals.
Several Health Department nurses renewed their request for an independent investigation into workplace complaints and urged commissioners to delay approving Nevin’s contract.
Nurse Katie Pringle disputed previous statements that employees failed to follow county reporting policies, saying staff followed the proper chain of command.
“We followed our chain of command, and that clearly ended with this board,” Pringle said.
Nurse Jessica Baker questioned whether employees had been adequately protected while a recent Human Resources complaint remains under investigation and urged commissioners to wait before approving Nevin’s contract.
“Please consider the message you send to employees with your actions today,” Baker said.
Nurse Kristen Hays renewed the nurses’ request for an independent investigation and asked commissioners to pause contract action.
“The people of St. Clair County are watching. Your employees are watching. We ask you to demonstrate that accountability still matters, transparency still matters, and integrity still matters,” Hays said.
Others urged commissioners to approve the contracts while agreeing the allegations should be fully investigated.
Resident Angie Defrain defended Nevin’s work with residents during the township’s solar project discussions.
“I really think you guys need to vote on this tonight, get an investigation going, and figure out exactly what’s going on, and put an end to this,” Defrain said.
Resident Beth Ely said supporters of the contracts also favor a full investigation into the allegations.
“All of us here, including those supporting Dr. Nevin, have come clean … saying that we support a full investigation, so there’s no disagreement there,” Ely said.
The committee also discussed a proposed manning table change that would reclassify a vacant nurse practitioner position into a deputy medical director role.
During discussion, Ange questioned whether the board had ever formally approved creating the position and said the proposed job description required additional review. She unsuccessfully moved to table the proposal.
Rushing said the position would help ensure medical coverage when the medical director is unavailable and noted the Health Advisory Board unanimously recommended it.
The committee voted 4-2 to remove the proposal from the committee’s final action agenda and send it to the full Board of Commissioners for consideration Aug. 20, with Ange and Vandenbossche voting no.
After the meeting, Ange said she believed the board needed more time to review the proposal.
“I don’t believe it was appropriate to vote on an important issue in Commissioner Beedon’s absence,” Ange said, adding that the proposed job description “needs some attention.”
Vandenbossche also explained his reasoning after the meeting.
“I just didn’t think we needed to rush it through,” he said of the contracts. “They’re already under contract, and these changes are fairly minuscule.”
On the deputy medical director proposal, he added, “No, I’m not going to vote for that. In any way, you think that you take services away and then you want more help? No, that’s not how it works.”
The proposed deputy medical director position is expected to be considered by the full St. Clair County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 20.
The St. Clair County Board of Commissioners holds committee meetings on the first Thursday of each month and full board meetings on the third Thursday, both beginning at 6 p.m.
Meetings are held in the County Administration Building, 200 Grand River Ave., Port Huron, and are livestreamed on the county’s YouTube channel.
Contact reporter Andy Jeffrey at ajeffrey@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Committee approves revised contracts for county health leaders
Reporting by Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald / Port Huron Times Herald
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By Andy Jeffrey, Port Huron Times Herald | USA TODAY Network
