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Administrator Alger outlines county role and large direct-report span as commissioners press for review
Summary
Administrator Alger described county administration duties and an organizational chart showing roughly 19 direct reports; commissioners asked whether the reporting structure is sustainable and suggested a facilitator or outside review to consider deputy roles and clearer performance metrics.
Administrator Alger told the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners at a study session that county administration handles budgeting, personnel, policy implementation and intergovernmental coordination and presented an organizational chart showing 17 departments, 10 elected offices and roughly 570 employees.
"We have 17 departments, 10 elected officers, 23 appointed boards, and about 570 county employees," Administrator Alger said, describing the scale of administration and its responsibilities for budgeting, finance and oversight. He characterized the county's executive structure as a chief administrative officer model, in which the board may hire an administrator to manage day-to-day operations.
The presentation drew immediate questions from commissioners about the number of direct reports. One commissioner noted "there's 19 people who report directly to you," asking, "Is that sustainable? Is that a good idea?" Administrator Alger acknowledged the challenge and said other counties use deputy administrator models and that the county has historically split duties among deputies and senior staff.
Several commissioners recommended a structured review rather than ad-hoc discussion. A commissioner urged using a professional facilitator to gather input from department heads and produce options, saying a facilitated strategic exercise would be more effective than a rapid in-meeting review. Commissioner comments repeatedly emphasized outcomes and measurable objectives as the criterion for any organizational change.
Administrator Alger said informal check-ins with direct reports are common but acknowledged room for improvement in formalizing expectations and documentation. He described short-term steps to improve communication and suggested the board could consider whether to add deputy roles or consolidate functions to increase efficiency.
The board did not take formal action but directed staff to consider next steps, including a possible outside review or facilitated strategic planning session to examine the org chart, delegation and workload distribution.
The board will decide whether to pursue a formal review or RFP for consulting support at a future meeting.
