OLIVE TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Jan. 29, 2025) – It took the Ottawa County Board half the time to hold its biweekly business meeting on Tuesday night as it did when the panel revised its rules two weeks ago.
Before the session adjourned around 11 PM, Commissioners unanimously approved an employment agreement with Interim Administrator Gary Rosema that will see him earn $14,000 monthly, along with a $500 vehicle allowance, for handling the operational controls of county government until a permanent administrator is appointed. The former Sheriff took over these duties earlier this month after two interim administrators had left the position following last February’s dismissal of John Gibbs.
That dismissal and subsequent federal lawsuit filed by Gibbs was the other major piece of business handled by the board. Eschewing going behind closed doors, as allowable under the state’s Open Meetings Act, the governing panel had an open discussion about the proposed $190,000 settlement with Gibbs that would change the dismissal to a resignation, as well as removing any reference to what led to the termination of his contract from his employment file, and settle any legal issues stemming from this matter.
The board voted 7-4 in favor of the proposed settlement, with chairman John Teeples expressing the sentiments of the majority.
The four incumbent members of the previous board’s majority – Joe Moss, Sylvia Rhodea, Allison Miedema and Kendra Wenzel – voted no to the settlement.
Gibbs was appointed to the administrator’s position by Moss and the board on January 3, 2023, in one of a number of actions taken on that date that set the tone for the last two years of Ottawa County government.
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