Summary
The Leelanau County Board of Commissioners met in Special Session on November 12, 2024, to interview candidates for the Road Commission and to review County Administrator applications. Mel Black was appointed to the Road Commission to fill the unexpired term of John Popa. The Board also reviewed 37 applications for the County Administrator position and voted to interview nine candidates, with interviews scheduled for November 18-19, 2024.
Public Comments
During the agenda-specific comment period, no public comments were made. During the general public comment period, Steve Mikowski and Bill Wiesner spoke; the minutes do not record the substance of their remarks or any response from the Board. No written public comments or handouts were submitted for either comment period.
Other Business
The Board interviewed two candidates for the vacant Road Commission seat: Mel Black (interview began 1:36 p.m.) and Tim Lodge (interview began 2:09 p.m.). Commissioner O'Rourke left during a recess and was absent for the remainder of the meeting. Following discussion, Commissioner Rexroat moved to appoint Mel Black to the Road Commission for the term ending December 31, 2026; seconded by Lautner. The motion carried 4-1, with Rexroat, Wessell, Allgaier, and Lautner voting yes and Ross voting no (O'Rourke absent).
MLI Consultant Chet Janik reported that the County Administrator position, posted October 2, 2024, drew 37 applications by the November 7, 2024 deadline. Because several candidates requested confidentiality, the Board voted 5-0 (O'Rourke absent) to enter closed session under MCL 15.268(F), including Janik and Interim Administrator Richard I. Lewis. The Board returned to open session (motion by Lautner, seconded by Allgaier, carried 5-0). Janik then listed nine candidates for interview: Kipling C. Belcher, Mark J. Brown, Eric Ceci, James L. Dyer, Brandon Fewins, James C. Kiessel, Matthew A. Marske, Robert J. Reinshuttle, and Jeff Thornton. On motion by Rexroat, seconded by Allgaier, the Board voted 5-0 (O'Rourke absent) to interview these nine candidates. Commissioner Lautner thanked the other applicants who were not selected.
Action Items
- Administrator candidate interviews scheduled for November 18-19, 2024, beginning at 9:30 a.m., with one hour allotted per candidate; Janik to finalize and email the schedule.
- Commissioners to select candidates for a potential second round of interviews at the conclusion of the November 19 session.
- County Clerk to post the applications of the selected interview candidates on the County website.
- Board discussed inviting Commissioners-elect (once the election is certified) to the November 18 meeting and encouraging a staff meet-and-greet, and encouraged public and incoming Commissioner input be directed to current Commissioners.