The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners decided this week to table action approving a Police Officers Association of Michigan union contract with the Leelanau County Sheriff’s Department despite a recommendation from the board’s executive committee last week that the pact should be approved.

County administrator David Gill told commissioners that he had since been advised by the county’s corporate counsel that the board should hold off approving the contract until Sheriff Mike Oltersdorf can work out a disagreement with a union negotiator over contract language related to seniority issues.

The Leelanau County Deputy Sheriff’s Association had voted last week to ratify the union contract.

As reported last week, nine Leelanau County sheriff’s deputies have grievances pending over a seniority issue that may affect the promotion and retention of certain officers in the coming weeks. The grievances stem from a union arbitrator’s determination earlier this year that a deputy fired by Oltersdorf in April 2006 must be reinstated.

If Deputy Bruce Beeker is to be retained by the Sheriff’s Department, he will also retain his seniority. Meanwhile, the Sheriff has already decided to retain another deputy, Mark Stevens, who in 2005 was convicted of drunk driving. Under current contract language as interpreted by union officials, Stevens lost his seniority when the Sheriff transferred him from the road patrol to the corrections division and back again. If both deputies are retained, the Sheriff’s Department will be over authorized staffing levels.

The Sheriff and other county officials are awaiting a determination from a psychologist regarding whether Beeker is psychologically fit and should be returned to duty. Beeker had been fired for what the Sheriff termed “inappropriate contact” with a female crime suspect.

The psychological evaluation was conducted last month in keeping with a union arbitrator’s order. However, the psychologist has yet to provide a report of his findings, county officials said.

In a memo to the county board, Gill wrote: “The staffing level approved by the Board of Commissioners for Law Enforcement Deputy Sheriffs is eleven (11). Since the return to payroll of Bruce Beeker, as ordered by the Arbitrator at the end of February, twelve (12) Law Enforcement Deputies are employed.”

The overstaffing of one position prompted Gill to notify the county board formally in keeping with county budget rules.

“I believe the Sheriff is awaiting the decision concerning Mr. Beeker’s ‘fit for duty evaluation’ before taking action to correct the problem,” Gill wrote.

Although Sheriff Oltersdorf was present at the County Board meeting Tuesday evening, he offered no public comment.