St. Clair Co. RNs call on board to investigate medical director

Public health nurses to give comment on “untenable” situation at commissioners’ meeting 7-23

PORT HURON, MI – St. Clair County Health Department nurses are calling for the County Board of Commissioners to take action to protect employees and the community’s access to services in light of the “untenable” situation with the county Medical Director.

The nurses, who are members of the Michigan Nurses Association (MNA), will speak out during public comment at the commissioners’ meeting Thursday (July 23).

County officials investigated serious complaints about Medical Director Remington Nevin’s conduct, concluding that the work environment is “toxic” because of his insults and threats to employees. Their 2024 report also found that Nevin repeatedly violated well-established safety protocols, “endangering staff, patients and the broader community.” The report concluded that multiple factors make the situation “untenable long term.”

In that report, county officials recommended that the County Commission arrange for an impartial investigation – yet nothing has been done. Separately, the state is investigating a nurse’s charge that the Medical Director retaliated against her. In addition to his unacceptable conduct, the Medical Director’s policies are out of line with public health, including proposing to cut the health department’s Title X program, a federally funded resource for family planning and reproductive health care.

“We’re asking the board of commissioners to do what their own county officials recommended, which is to launch an independent, impartial investigation of the Medical Director’s conduct,” said Jessica Baker, RN, a public health nurse at St. Clair County and president of the local MNA union.

“Nurses want a workplace environment where we can focus on keeping our community safe and healthy, not live in fear of ridicule or retaliation," Baker continued. "This isn’t personal, and it isn’t political – it’s about enabling us as nurses to do our jobs and it’s about serving the best interests of public health.”

Nurses will share their concerns during the public comment period at the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners meeting tomorrow (Thursday, July 23), urging the board to: 

• Commission an independent, neutral investigation conducted by an outside party through a secure process that protects employees from retaliation
• Pause any contract negotiations involving the Medical Director until that investigation is complete; although Nevin’s employment contract auto-renewed on June 23, the board is currently negotiating possible new terms.
• Pause any reductions to Health Department programs, including Title X services, until those decisions can be evaluated through a transparent process informed by evidence and community need

WHO: St. Clair County Health Department nurses (members of the Michigan Nurses Association); MNA statewide President Aaron McCormick, RN
WHAT: Nurses participating in public comment at the St. Clair County Board of Commissioners’ meeting
WHEN: Meeting starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, July 23
WHERE: Board of Commissioners Room, Administrative Office Building, 2nd Floor, 200 Grand River Ave., Port Huron, 48060
WHY: To call on the Board to take action regarding the Medical Director and pause cuts to Health Department services
 
County Board meetings are livestreamed at SCCountyIT - YouTube.

The Michigan Nurses Association (MNA) is the largest union and professional association for registered nurses and healthcare professionals in the state. MNA is an affiliate of National Nurses United and AFL-CIO.

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