By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com


Many Livingston County Department heads can now begin to fill vacant positions on their rosters.

The Livingston County Board of Commissioners, at their last online meeting lifted the hiring freeze that was instituted as the pandemic grew. In March, they instituted the freeze in response to the unknown financial implications and the belief that budgeted revenues would be negatively impacted because of mandated “stay home” orders. The newly approved resolution lifting the freeze states that recent County financial forecasts reflect a stabilization of revenues in a more positive financial position than was expected earlier this year.

County Administrator Nathan Burd told commissioners he feels they are now in a position to fill existing vacancies. He said he wants everyone to understand this is not growing their staff, but rather allows them to fund positions that have been existed but were frozen, due to coronavirus. Burd said that financially they can do this to finish the year, and as they start 2021, they’ve already budgeted for these positions to be staffed for the new year.

Burd thanked the county Personnel Committee for recommending this and said he believes this decision will be well received by department heads. He estimated that there are around 30 positions that need to be filled, with a mix between part-time and full-time. Burd said he doesn’t know how many will be filled by the end of the year, but he knows “there are a lot of anxious directors who are ready to get started on this now.”

Commissioners approved the resolution to lift the moratorium unanimously.