OLIVE TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Nov. 20, 2024) – Four finalists from 19 applicants for the vacant Ottawa County Administrator post were interviewed by an Executive Transition Committee on Tuesday.
Jim Lower, Christopher Estes, James Freed and Patrick Jordan were queried by panel members Roger Belknap, Gretchen Cosby, Allison Miedema, Joe Moss and Sylvia Rhodea as to why they should be chosen as the county government’s operational leader.
Lower is Sparta’s village manager.
Estes is an executive at several banks and credit unions.
Freed is Port Huron’s city manager.
Jordan is Ionia County’s current administrator.
Ottawa County has not had a permanent administrator since John Gibbs was relieved of his duties on February 29th. Jon Anderson held the position on an interim basis before resigning last month, with Deputy County Administrator Ben Wetmore holding down the post at the present time.
No decisions were made, as the committee is expected to make a recommendation to the full board, perhaps as soon as the governing panel’s next scheduled business meeting next Tuesday. The new administrator will hold the post for one year, until the newly comprised county board that is seated in January decides whether to extend the tenure or not.
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