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County selects executive search firm, outlines citizen work group for administrator search
Summary
Ottawa County managers recommended DoubleHall Solutions for an executive search to fill the county administrator role and the committee outlined a citizen work group and next steps for candidate review and public interviews.
Ottawa County staff brought forward the results of an RFP to hire an executive search firm to support the county administrator recruitment. Following interviews with vendors, staff recommended DoubleHall Solutions; the committee agreed to proceed with the contract and discussed a citizen work group to assist in candidate review.
Staff described a multi‑step process: the search firm will accept applications, pre‑screen and present candidates to a recruited citizen panel for review and interviews; the full Board of Commissioners will then conduct interviews and make final selections in open session. Commissioners and staff discussed confidentiality of applicants and Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act implications. County counsel advised the process is designed to allow initial, individual candidate evaluations by non‑deliberative citizens while reserving the board’s statutory hiring authority for open‑session final interviews and selection.
The tentative citizen work group includes municipal officials and managers from across the county: Sally Greppen (Zeeland councilwoman and mayor pro tem), Gord Gallagher (Spring Lake Township manager), Mark Bennett (Tallmadge Township supervisor), Amanda Price (former Park Township supervisor and state representative), Rob Blitchock (Georgetown Township superintendent) and Karen Lowe (Grand Haven council member). Staff said Gary and other county executives will participate alongside that group.
Staff and the search firm’s representative, Mitch Foster of DoubleHall, said they will solicit input from commissioners, department heads and municipal partners; Mitch Foster offered to meet individually with commissioners and scheduled in‑person and virtual opportunities to gather input from county staff.
The committee authorized proceeding with the vendor recommendation and established the outline for the citizen work group and next steps for public interviews and board selection.
