Regular meeting:1/16/2024 (Email Handout – Commissioner M. Lautner, 1/16/2024)

Executive Summary:

Introduction
– The document is an email exchange regarding a climate survey conducted by Dr. John Scholten for Leelanau County.
– The email is from James O’Rourke to Jamie Kramer, with cc’s to Ty Wessell, the Board of Commissioners, and Deborah Allen.

Concerns Raised
– O’Rourke expresses frustration with the climate survey and calls for immediately separating the two departments involved, regardless of the cost.
– Kramer responds, stating that the intent was simply to request raw data from the survey, not to call Scholten’s work into question.
– Wessell had previously reached out to Scholten to inform him of commissioners’ concerns about the survey design, limited questions, and alleged investigator bias.

Scholten’s Response
– Scholten defends the integrity of his work and methodology, stating that he assured employee anonymity and designed the survey to avoid leading questions.
– Scholten declines to share his notes or data, citing the agreed-upon commitment to protect employee anonymity.
– Scholten expresses hope that the commissioners and employees can move forward to improve organizational functioning based on the survey findings.

Conclusion
– The email exchange highlights the ongoing tensions and concerns around the climate survey and the need for the county to work constructively to address the issues raised.

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