Ottawa County's search for a new administrator hit a snag when one of the two remaining candidates, James Freed, withdrew his name from consideration. Freed, the current city manager of Port Huron, cited his strong family ties and sense of purpose in his current role as reasons for his decision to stay put, "This is where we want to raise our two little girls. No raise or promotion can change that fact. Furthermore, I believe that God has placed us here for such a time as this," Freed said in a letter to commissioners, as per FOX 17 News.
The now solo finalist, James Lower, the Village Manager of Sparta with both county and state government experience, remains in contention for the position, although the Executive Transition Committee's next steps are uncleared following the cancellation of what would have been a second interview session last Friday, however, Ottawa County Chairperson Joe Moss assured FOX 17 that they plan to "continuing the hiring process and interviewing Lower."
The unexpected withdrawal forced the county's Executive Transition Committee to reconsider its options. Initially, several candidates, including Security Credit Union CEO Christopher Estes and Ionia County Administrator Patrick Jordan, were excluded from the running after the initial interview phase, as reported by Holland Sentinel. Freed had declined to participate in certain assessments conducted by the search firm W Talent Solutions, citing concerns about their expertise in municipal hiring. These issues, combined with the abrupt end of Freed's candidacy, have placed the committee in a challenging position. They must carefully navigate the complexities of the administrative transition while adhering to state law, which limits the selected candidate to a one-year contract unless the commissioners wait until January when the new board is seated.
In the interim, Benjamin Wetmore serves as the acting administrator following the resignation of Jon Anderson, who stepped in after John Gibbs was fired in February, WHTC reports, that Wetmore’s tenure is temporary until the new administrator is appointed this short-term stewardship underscores the transitory nature of the position and poses unique challenges and opportunities for leadership in Ottawa County as it anticipates the arrival January's fresh assembly of county commissioners.
