Traverse City News and Events

Alger To Start As County Admin July 1; Commissioners To Ratify Contract

By Beth Milligan | June 25, 2018

New Grand Traverse County Administrator Nate Alger is scheduled to begin in his position July 1, with county commissioners set to ratify his contract in a special meeting Wednesday.

Alger, currently serving as the county’s undersheriff as well as interim administrator, was chosen from a field of 92 applicants to take over the county’s top role. Commissioners voted 4-3 earlier this month to offer Alger the job. Those commissioners who supported Alger – including Chair Carol Crawford, Dan Lathrop, Sonny Wheelock, and Ron Clous – cited his extensive history in Grand Traverse County, relationships with county employees and area elected officials, and his leadership skills as reasons for his hiring.

Alger told commissioners last week he had discussed his departure date from the Grand Traverse Sheriff’s Office with Sheriff Tom Bensley and had received Bensley’s blessing to start in the county administrator role beginning July 1. Alger has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 1995.

Commissioners will meet at 5:30pm Wednesday to ratify Alger’s contract, which was negotiated by an ad hoc committee of commissioners and must be approved by the entire board. The contract calls for Alger to be paid a salary of $124,000, with an annual increase of $3,000 the next two years if Alger meets or exceeds performance expectations. He will receive 20 days of paid vacation each year, his regular county health/fringe/retirement benefits, and a $500 per month car allowance to cover gas and mileage. Alger will also receive up to $2,000 to cover memberships in civic and community groups.

According to the contract, if Alger is terminated by the county without cause, he will receive six months’ salary as severance pay (cause includes but is not limited to “official misconduct, willful neglect of duty, habitual drunkenness, extortion, or conviction of a felony or a misdemeanor related to official duties or bearing upon fitness for duty,” the contract states). If Alger voluntarily resigns, he must provide at least 45 days’ notice – unless commissioners approve otherwise – and will not receive severance pay. If he intends to retire, Alger must provide at least 120 days’ notice and will not receive severance pay.

In a first review of the contract last week, both commissioners and Alger indicated their support for the terms. Alger thanked the board for their unanimous backing of the agreement. “I’m very pleased to have us moving forward,” said Wheelock. Added Commissioner Bob Johnson jokingly to Alger: “Now get to work.”

In other county news….
> County commissioners will soon decide how to allocate enough financial resources to cover state obligations for funding the county’s retirement debt. Commissioners last week discussed a recommendation from Alger and County Finance Director Dean Bott on how to ensure the county funds its other post-employment benefits (OPEB) – or retiree healthcare costs – at the 40 percent level required by the state. The county will need to have approximately $1,088,000 to be 40 percent funded.

Bott and Alger suggested that a combination of existing retirement funds, the county’s planned 2018 payment of $300,000, and another $249,000 from the general fund could get the county to $1.1 million and reach the funding requirement. However, commissioners opted to wait on making a decision on the funding plan until the Municipal Employees Retirement System (MERS) provides its annual evaluation to the board on the state of the county’s projected pension debt – expected by the end of the month. Commissioners will also need to ensure the county is 60 percent funded on its MERS plan; the board hopes to create a plan to address both the OPEB and MERS funding requirements simultaneously once the report is received.

> County commissioners approved joining with Traverse City commissioners in establishing a needle exchange program through partnerships with Harm Reduction Michigan and Addiction Treatment Services. The program allows users to turn in used needles and syringes for safe disposal, as well as to obtain sterile needles and syringes free of charge. 

> Finally, county commissioners rejected a proposal to create an advisory committee that would offer input on running the county’s animal control department – but indicated a public support group could form if citizens were interested in supporting the department.

Commissoner Cheryl Gore Follette proposed forming an advisory committee similar to those that provide guidance for county departments like the Commission on Aging and Veterans Affairs. “We would have a citizen group that would be involved in keeping us apprised of what they're hearing about animal control or what concerns they have about animal control,” Gore Follette said, adding the group could help advocate for the upcoming animal control millage and assist with public educational outreach campaigns.

But several commissioners expressed concerns about members of the public advising a department that has both law enforcement and health regulations to follow. “Animal control has two functions: a public health function and a law enforcement function,” said Wheelock. “I don't believe I want a citizens committee telling either one of those functions how to do their job.” Johnson added: “If we do an advisory board we need to make sure that their powers are in check, because there's a lot of emotion in that group with animals and animal control…to me it's got the makings of being a real mess at some point.”

Commissioners ultimately opted not to form an advisory board, but said members of the public could still weigh- in on animal control. 

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