OLIVE TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Nov. 26, 2024) – It’s back to square one in the search of a new operational leader of Ottawa County government.
On Monday, Sparta village manager Jim Lower withdrew his name from consideration for the administrator position. He had been the “last man standing” after Port Huron city manager James Freed withdrew for family concerns. Since Freed’s decision became known last Thursday, Lower claimed that he had been contacted by members of the incoming county board, and he was given the impression that, although it was nothing personal, the new board would be committed to terminating or forcing out whoever was hired, regardless of qualifications or efforts.
In a Monday meeting of the Executive Transition Committee, Current Board Chairman Joe Moss fingered two persons for being behind this “intimidation” – incoming board member John Teeples and current board member Jacob Bonnema.
Teeples told the Holland Sentinel that it was Lower who contacted him, and while he was against the hiring process, he told the candidate that he would have been treated fairly, and that nobody was holding it against him for applying for the job at this time. Bonnema told the newspaper that one of the first tasks of the new board is to reestablish an administrator search committee.
For the time being, Deputy Administrator Ben Wetmore will continue as the interim administrator.
The Ottawa County Board meets on Tuesday morning at 10:30 AM at the County Administration Building on the Fillmore Street Complex (12220 Fillmore St.) in West Olive.
Video of Nov. 25, 2024 Ottawa County Executive Transition Committee meeting courtesy Ottawa County, Michigan.
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