COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County Commissioner Tom Matthew brought up what he said were seven citizen concerns about the rollover contract for County Administrator Bud Norman during the County Commissioners final regular meeting of 2021 on Tuesday.
Norman’s current contract, which was drawn up in 2018, runs out at the end of the month. Since there has been no action by Commissioners, terms call for it to roll over for another three years with the same contract provisions.
Under terms of the contract, a recommendation on whether or not it should be renewed is supposed to be made to Commissioners by the Board Chair no later than 90 days before it expires. Commissioner Jon Houtz said the contract was discussed in a closed session two months ago and there were no concerns back then.
Matthew said he has requested the Administrator’s complete contract for over a year in order to answer citizen concerns but has received only the part covering a dollar amount. He pointed out another there was another concern about the Administrator’s compensation and salary not being in the contract and he said there was a concern about the county meeting the fair labor standards act when it came to the pension.
Matthew said he and others felt Norman should be retained but the contract should have been addressed by all of the Commissioners in October.
Commissioner Tim Stoll said he did not get a copy of the contract either when they were sent out in August.
Commissioners Leonard Kolcz felt the Board should talk about the contract in an open meeting which led to a discussion involving Stoll, Houtz and Kolcz.
It was agreed by Commissioners to put the matter on their organizational meeting agenda January 4, 2022.
Fire that bum!