The Laketown Township Board will interview manager candidate Stephanie Fox for a third time Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. in the township hall, 4338 Beeline Road.
Members voted 4-1 July 21to begin contract negotiations with Fox pending a review of her references. Supervisor Steven Ringelberg was the only “no” vote.
The township and Fox negotiated a tentative 2-year contract setting her annual salary at $110,000 with the possibility of a bonus up to $15,000 if she meets agreed-upon objectives set by the board in her first 30 days. The proposed contract also includes added vacation days requested by Fox.
On Aug. 6, Ringelberg said the board received additional information regarding Fox, obtained additional records from her time as Ionia County administrator acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, and received phone calls from several Ionia County residents that raised questions about Fox. He passed those callers to the township’s attorney for follow up.
Ringelberg said Fox, currently executive assistant to the Kentwood city mayor, should have the chance to respond to those questions.
After interviews with four applicants from 45 overall submissions, the Laketown board unanimously chose to interview Fox a second time, while continuing to keep Howard Fink, then manager of Park Township, and David Grumney, Graafschap Fire Department captain, as finalists.
Thirty-year Manager Al Meshkin retired earlier this year. After finalists for the manager position declined offers in January, the board put the search on hold while members received training on the manager-council form of government from an outside firm and learned to better work together.
On June 11, the board unanimously agreed to begin advertising the full-time manager position.
