Search for new manager underway

The search to find a replacement for retiring Laketown Township Manager Al Meshkin is underway.

Ryan Cotton of MGT, formerly GovHR, met with the township board on Sept. 4, 2024, laying down the timeline for the search.

Deadline for applications is Oct. 9 with comparative review of resumes starting Sept. 27.

Meshkin announced in July his plans to retire Jan. 3, 2025. He has been manager for 35 years.

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The job advertisement was posted Monday, Sept. 10, at mgt.us and describes township history, government structure and role of the manager. Requirements for the job include having a bachelor’s degree, five years of administrative/supervisory experience in local government with responsibility for budgeting, personnel, purchasing and human resources.

Preferences include the candidate having experience as a township manager, deputy township manager, city manager or assistant city manager in a comparably sized or larger organization. A graduate degree in business, public administration, finance, law or related field is preferred.

The ad also seeks a candidate who has knowledge of principles and practices of public finance, budget development and control, public administration, and media relations and presentation of bills as well as grant application and administration.

The candidate should have a demonstrated commitment to quality improvement and consensus building as well as the ability to manage and/or oversee township infrastructure projects with supervisory experience using collaborative management principles.

The pay range is $115,000 to $140,000.

Cotton told the board he expects 20-24 viable applicants with six to eight qualified candidates.

Timeline

The goal is to have the new person start between Dec. 30 through Jan. 2, 2025.

Cotton has already started meeting with township officials.

The township board agreed to a special closed meeting on Oct. 23 for Cotton to present candidates. The meeting is closed to protect the confidentiality of the applicants. Once the candidates are chosen to be interviewed, and accept being interviewed, they will lose their right to confidentiality.

First interviews are planned to start at 9 a.m. Oct. 30 with second interviews starting at 3 p.m. Nov. 6.

Interviews of chosen candidates will be at public meetings.

A conditional offer could be extended Nov. 13, according to the timeline presented Sept. 11.

The final decision on a new manager is expected to fall to a newly elected township board following the Nov. 5 election. The timeline has an employment agreement approved on Dec. 11.

The board hired MGT in August for a cost of about $25,000.