By Jim Hayden
Correspondent
The Laketown Township Board Aug. 6 agreed to ask manager finalist Stephanie Fox to return for a third interview after citing new questions about her time as an Ionia County Administrator. No date or time has been set for that session.
The board voted 4-1 on July 21 to begin negotiations with pending a review of her references. Supervisor Steven Ringelberg dissented.
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.
The board must approve the contract to hire Fox. That has not happened.
More Questions
Ringelberg said at last Wednesday’s meeting the board received more information regarding Fox, obtained additional records from her time at Ionia County acquired through the Freedom of Information Act.
Fox resigned there March 2, 2022 after 11 years as administrator, per an Ionia Sentinel-Standard article, after the county board did not uphold her firing of road Department managing Director Howard White. Finance director Linda Pigue stepped down at the same time.
Ringelberg said several Ionia residents called the township that raised questions about Fox, adding he passed those callers to the township’s outside attorney for follow up.
Ringelberg said Fox should have the chance to respond to those questions.
The board voted 4-1 to ask Fox to return to be interviewed by the board and to include township attorney Ron Bultje in all discussions. Trustee Mike Koeman dissented.
“We have to do what’s right for the township,” said Tteasurer Jim Johnson.
Koeman then moved to hire Fox immediately and despite having already voted to call Fox back for an interview, clerk Jim Delaney seconded the motion. Koeman’s motion failed to pass.
Fox, who was not at last week’s meeting, is now executive assistant to the Kentwood city manager. After interviews with a total of four applicants chosen from 45 submissions, the ownship board unanimously chose to interview Fox a second time, while continuing to keep Howard Fink, manager of Park Township, and David Grumney, Graafschap Fire Department captain, as finalists.
Thirty-year manager Al Meshkin retired Jan. 3 this year 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.
