TRAVERSE CITY -- Michael Stein's negotiated departure as director of court services for Grand Traverse County's Family Court Division represents the latest in a string of payouts to forced-out county employees.
Grand Traverse taxpayers paid out more than $110,000 for departing employees since the board hired county Administrator Dennis Aloia in 2001.
Stein's $68,833 buyout last year was negotiated by the county's outside legal counsel, Rachel Roe, and approved by Probate Court Judge David L. Stowe, who fired Stein but sought a settlement after Stein threatened a whistleblower lawsuit.
That wasn't the first buyout Roe negotiated for the county.
Aloia in 2006 requested that Dale Stevens, director of the building code department, be given two months' pay and two months of paid health insurance in exchange for his resignation. The package, including accrued vacation pay, was worth $17,000.
The previous year Aloia paid former Resource Recovery Manager Randy Smith two months pay worth $9,100, and $2,200 worth of paid health insurance in exchange for his resignation.
The first county employee to receive a buyout under Aloia was then-deputy administrator Michael "Mac" McClelland. McClelland in 2002 was given four months severance pay worth $16,550, plus six months of health insurance coverage to quit. He left 15 months after the county board hired Aloia.
Aloia said such severance packages are typical for departing managers in both the private and public sectors.
County board Chairman Addison Wheelock said he agreed with some of the deals to pay off employees, but when pressed acknowledged he voted in favor of payoffs to McClelland, Smith and Stevens.
The county board did not have to approve Stein's buyout.
