OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Ottawa County officials announced Wednesday they are launching a third attempt to hire a county administrator after two failed searches and nearly 17 months without someone in the permanent position.
The county administrator position, which oversees all fiscal and operational matters throughout Ottawa County, has remained unfilled despite multiple recruitment efforts.
"We were hoping to be successful in June that did not work out. We are now involved in internally seeking an administrator," said Ron Frantz, Ottawa County Interim Deputy Administrator.
In June, the board was considering five potential finalists, but four candidates dropped out during the final stages of the selection process.
WATCH: Third times the charm?: Ottawa County relaunches search for administrator
Frantz said the county has struggled to hire a new administrator due to confidentiality concerns for potential candidates.
"I think the issue is not whether we failed or not in the past. The applicants that we are seeking to attract are people who are already working, probably in government with sensitive jobs and for them to expose their interest in another position without some certainty that they are going to get it is very difficult," Frantz said.
According to Frantz, the ideal candidate would have experience in county government, fiscal management, department oversight, bridge-building skills, and knowledge of how to make a government institution run smoothly.
Frantz added that officials are working with the community to be more persistent and attract more candidates in this third recruitment effort.
"We are very optimistic… that we will be successful this time in September," Frantz said.
The application process for the county administrator position will close on August 11, with officials hoping to have the position filled in September.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
