Grand Traverse County's planning and facilities directors have announced their resignations this week.

County Planning Director John Sych approached the microphone during public comment at the county commission's organizational meeting Wednesday to announce he was stepping down. "Some of you may know that I have submitted my letter of resignation for my position," Sych told commissioners. "My last day is January 12. I just wanted to take a moment to thank the people of Grand Traverse County for the opportunity to serve them. I took my 12 years of public service seriously, and it was an honor to work for such an engaged and mindful community."

Sych did not give a reason for his resignation. However, during his comments he expounded on the importance of the role of planning in a county that is the third fastest-growing in Michigan. "This community will continue to face the challenges of growth and change," Sych said. "While I understand the financial concerns faced by the county, I do hope that the county considers its critical role in land use development, land redevelopment and land preservation. Within the next several years the county's population will exceed 100,000. It's time to put in place the systems and processes to manage continued growth, but more importantly to address the challenges, such as access to housing and strengthening our local economy. Communities that plan for the future are stronger and more resilient."

In the commission's regular meeting immediately following the organizational meeting, County Administrator Vicki Uppal told commissioners she did not intend to fill Sych's position. "We think that we can get all the bits and pieces of that position covered in other areas," Uppal said. "We do have the planning commission. Since there are planning commissions within each of the other municipalities, there's not a great deal going on in that area, other than potentially the annual or every five-year plan. And we can hire that out at a rate cost through Networks Northwest, so that would be the plan." Uppal and commissioners indicated in their discussion that Sych was leaving the county to take a position with Networks Northwest.

Uppal also told commissioners County Facilities Director Marty Dunham submitted his resignation this week and would depart sometime within the next month. "We don't plan on filling that position either," Uppal said. "We plan on doing a restructure and are going to be posting a position of a deputy building inspector/facility manager, so that person will be able to do inspections as well as be the orchestrator of all the work activities for facilities. We're posting that...tomorrow or the next day, and should be doing some interviewing within the next couple weeks."

Sych's and Dunham's exits come on the heels of several other recent high-profile departures from the county, including former Deputy Administrator Jennifer DeHaan and former Finance Director Jody Lundquist. Interim Deputy Administrator Jean Derenzy is also in negotiations to leave the county for a position as executive director of Traverse City's Downtown Development Authority.