Candidate Beth Drost emphasizes teamwork, rule-following and budget experience in Cook County administrator interview

Beth Drost, an applicant for Cook County administrator, told county commissioners during a public interview that her leadership centers on building teams, following rules and stretching limited budgets.

Drost, who identified herself as a former Grand Portage resident and tribal leader, said Cook County is “my home” and described administrative roles at the National Park Service, the Minnesota Chippewa tribal organization and economic development positions that she said prepared her for the job. She told the board she had led budget creation, strategic planning and audits in past roles and that “we had to make the hard cuts” during financial crises, including asking tribal council members to accept pay reductions to keep government services running.

The interview focused on several recurring themes: how an administrator should communicate with commissioners and staff, handling declining revenues, relations with tribal nations and whether the candidate had experience with unions and collective bargaining. Drost said she “does not have experience working with union employees or collective bargaining,” but that she has experience following state laws and working with audits. She described her management style as collaborative and consensus-oriented: “My leadership style brings people together, and it gets people working as a team towards one common goal.”

Commissioners pressed Drost on specifics. She said her approach to budgeting includes asking department leaders to prepare “dream budgets” that are then adjusted as a group; she described completing a three-year strategic plan with financial projections at a prior employer and participating in a forensic audit procurement.

On relations with tribal governments, Drost said she already has working relationships with tribal leaders and would “offer to be there for them” while respecting tribal sovereignty. She also urged open, legal communication between commissioners and staff, emphasizing compliance with Open Meeting laws and the need to avoid surprising the board or staff at public meetings.

Commissioners asked about priorities for the county; Drost listed budgeting, doing more with less and improving countywide communication. She also identified the capital improvement plan and strategic plan as projects she would expect to work on immediately.

No formal action or vote on hiring took place in the interview session. The board completed a question-and-answer round and invited a second finalist to interview later in the meeting.

The board will next consider the candidates as part of its hiring process and has not announced a timetable for selection.