OLIVE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The man who could not work with the last Ottawa County administrator will now lead the county's day-to-day operations.
The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners moved to hire Patrick Waterman as its next county administrator.
WATCH: Patrick Waterman, former deputy administrator, tapped as Ottawa County's next administrator
The final vote on Friday, September 12 split the board: seven yes votes and four nos. The four commissioners affiliated with the Ottawa Impact political action group opposed Waterman's hiring. They instead voted for Matthew Farrar the current deputy administrator in Muskegon County.
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In 2022, Waterman resigned as deputy administrator seven months after an Ottawa Impact-majority board fired then-Administrator John Shay and hired John Gibbs as county administrator.
Waterman followed Shay, who was hired as Wyoming's city manager, taking the deputy city manager position. For the past three years he oversaw multiple departments in Wyoming, a city of more than 77,000. Along with him time in Ottawa County, Waterman also served as City Manager of Hudsonville.
In his interviews with community leaders and commissioners, Waterman emphasized his priorities of connecting communities, sustainable growth management and strategic planning. Some of the challenges in Ottawa County he identified include affordable housing, retaining workers, and groundwater levels.
Commissioners opposed to Waterman's hiring told the board they would vote for any of the other four applicants and said the board's decision will "continue to divide the county."
Commissioner Jordan Jorritsma replied, "You guys are consistently asking us to change our vote to unify with you. So, I would ask you in the name of unity to change your vote to unify with us."
Ottawa Impact commissioners pointed to Waterman's job description as the deputy city manager for the city of Wyoming, which states the person in the role, "Champions diversity, equity and inclusion in all facets of the role..."
Those in support of Waterman's hiring pointed out that Ottawa County currently does not have any D.E.I policies and any proposals would need to be approved by the board first.
Chariman John Teeples says he believes opposing commissioners will warm up to Waterman and says the decision will ultimately unify the county.
"The other people are great candidates and clearly qualified, but Patrick for me I knew what I was going to get and this county can trust that," Teeples said.
The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners still needs to set contract terms with Waterman. Should he take the job, it will end a year and a half of the administrator role being empty. Gibbs was fired on February 29, 2024. Since then commissioners started three hiring attempts. This third try would be the first to result in a job offer to a candidate.
Waterman's start date with Ottawa County was not announced.
READ: Patrick Waterman's application for Ottawa County administrator
