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In September, the Sanilac board voted 4-3 to forbid Construction & Land Use Department employees from taking county cars home at the request of Finance Committee Chairman James Ruby.

The employees have been allowed to drive county cars in order to be able to do inspections on weekends, and before or after hours to accommodate customers. The practice has been in effect since 1984 and was used as part of the compensation package to make up for the lower wages compared to inspectors in other counties. The department is funded entirely through permit fees, not county funds.

Commissioners Norton Schramm, Gary Russell and William Walters protested, claiming that action was micro-managing.

County Administrator John Males, who had been the unpaid department head, resigned this summer when he came back from medical leave after learning of the board's intentions.

On Monday, the county board voted to adopt an ethics policy for the department and stipulate that department hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The commissioners also voted 4-2 to post and fill the position of construction and land use department head, a position that comes with no compensation or benefits. They agreed to send the issue to the November finance meeting if no one volunteers to take the uncompensated position.

Commissioners Gary Russell and Norton Schramm voted no, and Vice-Chairman Donald Hunt was absent.

"I am totally against this, but I am voting yes to get it on the road," Walters stated.

"I feel this came about because of what I call micro-managing, because we didn't trust the former department head...I'm sure they (other department heads) are wondering is my department next," stated Schramm.

"This all came about because of micro-managing by commissioners who do not understand their roles...Your job is to do the budget and watch the spending, not say what happens there," added Walters.

Commissioner Judy Vincent conceded they probably were micro-managing, but on the other hand they needed to make cuts to save the county money.

Males defended his actions at Monday' meeting.

"I was presented with meddling in my department...Were there going to be future situations with interference with my role as department head? I allowed them to take vehicles home because the community was served well," he explained.

In the meantime, the inspectors have told Males they're going to stop using their own equipment in testing for security reasons, if the county vehicles have to be parked at the courthouse. They are preparing a list of equipment the county will have to buy to replace theirs.

Males explained he thought the existing ethics policy should be in writing.

The policy forbids inspectors from performing private work in areas of Sanilac County where they would have to inspect their own work. Two communities have their own construction inspection department.

Males said the state has a lower standard, but he does not want to risk any perception of conflict of interest. In addition, allowing an inspector to do private work would require the county to hire another inspector to check the employee's work.

In other business, the board rescheduled their special finance meeting for 1 p.m. Oct. 29 to avoid a conflict with a rural development funding workshop.

*They approved a letter retracting their support for a rails-to-trails program in Sanilac County. They instructed Males to fax and e-mail the letter to Tuscola County commissioners Ðwho are also discussing the issue Ðas well as the Thumb Tourism Council, which proposed the plan.

Property owners in Moore, Lamotte and Custer townships, who would be affected, oppose the proposal because of tax issues, the possibility of property devaluation, the loss of farm-land and various other reasons.

The commissioners maintain they were mislead about the plan, and only gave their permission to approach property owners about rights of way.

*The board authorized the sheriff department to buy a narcotics detection and tracking dog from Mid-Michigan Kennels of Eaton Rapids and obtain training for a deputy at a total cost of $7,500.

Under-sheriff Garry Biniecki explained the entire cost will be underwritten by a $2,500 donation from Citizens Bank and $5,000 from Worth Township.

In return, he said the deputy assigned to Worth Township will handle the dog, which the township wants assigned there. The dog and deputy are available for emergencies elsewhere in accordance with the contract with Worth.

Biniecki said the department will now have two drug-tracking dogs available