Board calls back manager candidate for more questions

The Laketown Township Board of Trustees on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, agreed to ask manager finalist Stephanie Fox to return for a third interview after citing new questions about her time as a county administrator.

No date or time has been set for that interview.

The board voted 4-1 on July 21 to begin negotiations with Fox pending a review of her references. Supervisor Steven Ringelberg dissented. The township and Fox negotiated a tentative 2-year contract setting Fox’s annual salary at $110,000 with the possibility of a bonus up to $15,000 if she meets agreed-upon objectives set by the board in her first 30 days. The proposed contract also includes added vacation days requested by Fox.

The board must approve the contract to hire Fox. That has not happened.

More questions

At the Aug. 6 meeting, Ringelberg said the board received additional information regarding Fox, obtained additional records from her time as Ionia County administrator acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, and several Ionia County residents made phone calls to the township that raised questions about Fox. Ringelberg passed those callers to the township’s outside attorney for follow up. 

Ringelberg said Fox should have the chance to respond to those questions.

The board voted 4 to 1 to ask Fox to return to be interviewed by the board and to include township attorney Ron Bultje in all discussions. Trustee Mike Koeman dissented.

“We have to do what’s right for the township,” said Treasurer Jim Johnson.

Koeman then moved to hire Fox immediately and despite having already voted to call Fox back for an interview, Clerk Jim Delaney seconded the motion.  Koeman’s motion failed to pass.

Fox was not at the Aug. 6 meeting.

Fox is currently executive assistant to the mayor of the City of Kentwood. After interviews with a total of four applicants from 45 overall submissions, the Laketown Township board unanimously chose to interview Fox a second time, while continuing to keep Howard Fink, manager of Park Township, and David Grumney, Graafschap Fire Department captain, as finalists. 

Longtime Manager Al Meshkin retired earlier this year. After finalists for the manager position declined offers in January, the board put the search on hold while members received training on the manager-council form of government from an outside firm and learned to better work together.

On June 11, the board unanimously agreed to begin advertising the full-time manager position.