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Ogemaw County narrows administrator search to two finalists after round of interviews
Summary
After interviews with four finalists, the Ogemaw County Board of Commissioners selected two candidates — Jody Hullbrook and Jeffrey Wharton — to return for a staff meet-and-greet and second‑round interviews on Thursday the 29th. The board cited experience in municipal finance and an emphasis on transparency and staff relations.
The Ogemaw County Board of Commissioners narrowed its search for a permanent county administrator/controller to two finalists on Thursday, selecting Jody Hullbrook and Jeffrey Wharton to return for a meet‑and‑greet with county staff and second‑round interviews.
Commissioners heard from four finalists during a series of interviews that ran through the meeting. Candidates described varied municipal experience in budgeting, audits and personnel management. During his remote interview, Adam Thompson, one of the applicants, said transparency and accountability would guide his work: "I think just transparency and being open and honest with the community, working with the board," Thompson told commissioners when asked about the most important responsibility of the county administrator/controller.
Why it matters: The administrator/controller role will run day‑to‑day county operations and oversee finances; commissioners framed the selection as critical to sustaining recent improvements in the county’s financial position and implementing personnel and policy updates.
Commissioners said they would use the second round both to give department heads a chance to meet finalists and to probe candidates’ fit for the county’s small‑staff environment. The board agreed on a two‑step next phase: a staff meet‑and‑greet during business hours followed by public interviews starting at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday the 29th. The meet‑and‑greet will allow staff to raise operational questions and let commissioners evaluate how candidates interact with department teams.
What candidates emphasized: Candidates consistently pointed to budget experience and collaborative leadership. One candidate summarized the dual responsibilities the board expects from the role: ‘‘Your job is to run the day‑to‑day operations — you guys set policy and it’s my job to enforce those policies and ensure staff and residents understand why and where resources are directed,’’ the candidate said when asked about the administrator/controller duties.
The process: Commissioners used a straw poll at the meeting to identify finalists to advance. Those results were compiled by staff and announced during the meeting; commissioners who wanted two finalists to return scheduled the follow‑up sessions.
What’s next: The two finalists will appear for a staff meet‑and‑greet and follow‑up interviews on Thursday the 29th; the board said it hopes to make progress toward a final appointment after those sessions.
The board also asked staff to prepare materials and a schedule for the next stage so commissioners and department heads can plan to attend.
