OLIVE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The effort to find a new administrator in Ottawa County hit a new gear on Monday with the five finalists answering questions from professional and community partners.
On Monday, community partners conducted the first round of interviews with the finalists. The observations they made will be used to help commissioners decide the next administrator.
Last week, Ottawa County's Board of Commissioners whittled down their finalists to lead the county's government.
The finalists are: Paul Sachs, Matthew Farrar, Kurt Dykstra, Patrick Waterman, and Chris Kulkulski
Waterman previously served as Ottawa County's deputy administrator. He resigned in August 2023, citing an inability to work with then-Administrator John Gibbs. Waterman went on to take the deputy city administrator role with Wyoming, working with former Ottawa County administrator John Shay
Sachs has worked for Ottawa County for more than two decades. He is currently the director for the Department of Strategic Impact and was previously considered to served as an interim county administrator.
Farrar is the current deputy administrator for Muskegon County.
Dykstra was Holland's mayor from 2009 to 2015.
Kukulski is the city manager for Billings, Montana and the only candidate who does not currently live in the state.
This will be the third time commissioners have interviewed candidates for the county administrator position.
Interim Deputy Administrator Ron Frantz said he is “nearly 100 percent positive” the county will find its next administrator this time.
The finalists will be going through another public interview Wednesday, September 10. The board of commissioners will hold in-person interviews during a public meeting starting at 9 a.m.
The interviews will once again be live-streamed by the county.
