Grand Traverse County Administrator Nate Alger is meeting or exceeding expectations in most areas of his job, according to a majority of county commissioners in an annual performance review discussed Wednesday. Commissioners also voted Wednesday to support creating an inter-municipality committee – part of the process of establishing a new metropolitan planning organization to oversee regional transportation projects – and discussed cash flow issues at the Grand Traverse Pavilions.

Administrator Review
County Administrator Nate Alger, who has held his position since 2018, received a positive annual performance review Wednesday – with a majority of commissioners saying he meets or exceeds expectations across most categories.

Commissioners responded to a series of survey questions about Alger’s performance that were compiled into an anonymous report included in Wednesday’s meeting packet. Alger received the strongest marks in leadership and relations with staff, with six commissioners saying he exceeds and three commissioners saying he meets expectations in modeling professional excellence, collaborating internally and externally, and encouraging innovative thinking and solutions. One commissioner said Alger’s “ability to deliver on commitments has been consistently above and beyond expectations,” while another called him “decisive and effective” and “a leader that inspires others to want to follow him.”

Commissioners all agreed Alger was also meeting or exceeding expectations in maintaining positive and effective working relationships with the board, conforming to board policies and directives, understanding the difference between administration and commission responsibilities, delivering on commitments, sharing knowledge with others, and demonstrating an ability to foresee problems and use preventative problem-solving strategies.

On the financial front, commissioners unanimously agreed Alger is meeting or exceeding expectations in overseeing the county’s financial strategies, developing the annual budget, and ensuring the county operates in accordance with best accounting and auditing practices. “I believe that the excellent financial position of the county is due in large part to the guidance of our administrator and his team,” one commissioner wrote.

The review also flagged some areas of needed improvement, though those categories typically had just 1-2 commissioners choosing that rating. Two commissioners felt Alger could improve on communicating information in a timely and organized fashion, with one saying he could better synthesize information and frame issues and questions to the board. “I would like the county administrator to be more forthcoming about issues that we need to know about in board meetings and not just one-on-one,” one commissioner wrote. Some commissioners also felt Alger could better provide regular updates on the county’s financial status and better assist the commission on strategic planning. “There currently is no list of goals or objectives, nor do we have a strategic plan,” one commissioner wrote. “I'm anxious to see this process started soon.”

With five of the nine commissioners new to the board as of January, several acknowledged they were only a few months into their working relationship with Alger and would be able to provide more detailed feedback next year. Commissioners discussed expanding the performance review process next year, with some stating they’d like to see key staff or department heads surveyed about working for Alger and also to have Alger perform a self-evaluation. Alger’s contract requires him to receive a review annually at least 60 days before his July 1 anniversary date. He currently earns a salary of $183,518. Alger’s contract is set to expire at the end of June 2024, meaning next year’s performance review could also tie into his contract renewal.

MPO
County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday – with Commissioner Brian McAllister absent – to support creating an intermunicipality committee, part of the process of establishing a new metropolitan planning organization (MPO) to oversee regional transportation projects. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, the Traverse City area has reached the population threshold required to become a MPO – a status that will mean an influx of more federal dollars for road projects and the ability for local governments and agencies to come together on one board to make regional transportation decisions.

The Traverse Transportation Coordinating Initiative, an existing regional board, will morph into the intermunicipality committee for the MPO. Local units of government that agree to be part of the committee – including not just the county but local townships, the City of Traverse City, the GT Band, and organizations like BATA and the Northwest Regional Airport Authority – will each have a representative seat on the committee and a voice in area transportation planning. Once up and running, the committee will begin working on Traverse City’s long and short-term transportation plans, which are slated to be developed by the end of 2026.

Pavilions Cash Flow
In addition to dealing with significant inspection violations in recent months, the Grand Traverse Pavilions is facing a cash flow problem that could require temporarily borrowing money from the county, staff told commissioners Wednesday. County Finance Director Dean Botts said the cash flow problem stemmed from two outside revenue sources the Pavilions was supposed to have received but hasn’t yet: a federal payment of over $6 million for an employee retention credit and a Medicaid payment of over $3 million. Bott said other facilities have received similar payments but the Pavilions hasn’t, though he didn’t know why. He alluded to government bureaucracy, particularly with the IRS, as the reason for the delay.

“There’s no logic behind this,” he said. “We’re just hoping and praying that those funds are received soon.” Without them, Bott said, “the timing here is getting critical (for the Pavilions). They still have cash, but they don’t have a lot of cash to work with.” If the funds aren’t released to the Pavilions soon, Bott and Alger said it was possible for the county to provide the Pavilions a short-term, low or no-interest loan to float the facility until the expected revenues arrive. Alger told commissioners that any type of loan or financing arrangement would come to them first for input and approval.