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Board divisions over severance terms surface in Ottawa County closed sessions
Summary
During two Dec. 10 closed sessions, commissioners proposed a wide range of severance terms for two employees, revealing divisions over how to balance legal exposure, budget impact and a 'clean break' for staff.
The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners’ closed sessions on Dec. 10 showed significant differences among members over how to resolve personnel separations and how quickly departures should occur.
Commissioner Jacob Bonnema argued for no severance in the Epperson matter: "$0," the minutes record. Commissioners expressed a range of positions elsewhere: some prioritized a "clean break" and immediate separation; others emphasized fairness and comparables HR counsel had cited. Commissioner Roger Bergman suggested a conditional formula for Epperson — six months with an additional year if he did not find work in the first six months — while Commissioner Chris Kleinjans proposed halving the HR recommendation to three months and $75,000. Commissioner Sylvia Rhodea characterized the alleged resume release as malicious, calling it "political collateral damage." The differing proposals culminated in a consensus offer for Epperson of five months and $75,000 and a separate consensus to offer Wetmore 12 months’ pay with no insurance.
The minutes record multiple brief recesses and commissioners stepping out during the deliberations, underscoring how closely divided the board was on the fiscal and reputational trade-offs of settlement amounts. The record provided does not include signed settlement documents or responses from the employees to the offers.
