LAKETOWN TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Feb. 7, 2025) – The process will begin again for a Lakeshore community to seek a new operational leader, but not immediately.
Instead of holding a special meeting last Thursday evening, which was supposed to formalize the hiring of Bob Genetski as a new full-time manager, the Laketown Township board agreed to restart the process of accepting applications for the post. It will be consist of a search committee assisted by the retained consultant MGT, represented by former Holland City Manager Ryan Cotton. That firm helped in the first search last fall when Al Meshkin gave notice of his retirement after 35 years, which took effect on January 3rd, and under terms of the initial agreement with MGT, there will be no additional cost to the township in retaining such services until a new person is found.
During the first search, three finalists emerged – Allegan County Clerk/Register of Deeds Genetski, Bronson City Manager Brandon Mersman, and Grand Haven Assistant Manger Karen Sherwood. One by one, for various reasons, those three pulled out of the process, with Genetski’s withdrawal coming earlier this week.
Since Meshkin’s retirement, supervisor Steven Ringelberg has assumed the managerial reins on an interim basis, and in a statement, he expressed his intention that, “we should take some time to make sure we are all aligned on Laketown’s requirements for the position, and the most important qualifications that a new manager must possess.”
The Laketown Township Board went over interim manager solutions, and determined when the managerial search should restart, during a workshop this past Wednesday. It was agreed by the panel to hold off on restarting the selection process, with Ringelberg to remain as interim manager through June 30th. He will oversee the drawing up of the Fiscal 2026 budget for the municipality, which is due at the end of March, so the managerial search will resume on April 1st.
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