Summary
The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners held a special session on December 10, 2024, chaired by Ty Wessell, to determine whether Commissioners-Elect could participate in County Administrator candidate interviews scheduled for December 12, 2024. After extensive discussion, the Board reached consensus (no formal vote or motion) on a process allowing Commissioners-Elect to ask questions after Board members complete their questioning, followed by an informal straw poll where Commissioners-Elect would submit ranked choices to Interim Administrator Lewis. The meeting was called to order at 1:04 p.m. and adjourned at 1:28 p.m.
Public Comments
No public comment was offered during the agenda-specific comment period at the start of the meeting. At the end of the meeting, during general Public Comment, Rick Robbins and Alan Campbell spoke, though their specific remarks were not detailed in the minutes.
Other Business
The sole substantive agenda item concerned whether Commissioners-Elect (Mark Walters, Alan Campbell, Steve Yoder, and Rick Robbins) should participate in County Administrator candidate interviews on December 12, 2024. Interim Administrator Richard Lewis explained that Commissioner-Elect Campbell had requested greater involvement beyond observing from the audience. MLI Consultant Chet Janik confirmed no legal barrier exists to Commissioners-Elect asking questions, but only the six sitting Commissioners can vote on the final selection. One of three original candidates had withdrawn, leaving two finalists.
Discussion covered seating logistics (chairs to be added on the sides of the Commissioner area, with Lewis's seat available for comments), the interview format (Board questions first, then Commissioners-Elect questions, one-hour time slot with flexibility), and a plan for an informal straw poll: Commissioners-Elect would submit first- and second-choice rankings to Lewis, who would report the results. Commissioner Rexroat emphasized that the Commissioners-Elect's opinions must be solicited, or the exercise would be pointless. The Board agreed by consensus to this process, with no formal motion or vote taken.
Janik noted the new administrator contract is limited by law to one year, with a 90-day opt-out clause, running through December 2025; a longer three-year contract with opt-out protection could be negotiated the following year. Chairman Wessell asked Janik and Commissioner Rexroat to begin contract negotiations, potentially starting Thursday afternoon (December 12) after interviews; Janik agreed and said he would participate via Zoom that day. The contract must be finalized by December 31, 2024, or authority to select the administrator would pass to the incoming Board.
Action Items
- Interim Administrator Lewis to arrange room/seating logistics for the December 12, 2024 interviews, including additional chairs for Commissioners-Elect near the Commissioner area.
- Commissioners-Elect to submit ranked first- and second-choice candidate preferences to Lewis following the interviews.
- Lewis to prepare a proposed motion for the Board regarding candidate selection.
- Chairman Wessell and Commissioner Rexroat, with MLI Consultant Janik, to begin negotiating the administrator's contract, potentially as early as Thursday afternoon, December 12, 2024.
- Contract with the selected candidate must be finalized by December 31, 2024, or the incoming Board will select the next County Administrator.