It’s a new year. Time to turn the page on 2024, arguably the most stressful in years, primarily due to the presidential campaign and local election cycle.
It also provides a fresh start for the county Board of Commissioners, who will have a new, full-time administrator for the first time in more than 10 months.
Northport Village manager Jim Dyer will take over for interim administrator Richard Lewis March 31.
Commissioners Ty Wessell, District 4, and Gwenne Allgaier, District 6 , are the only holdovers from the previous county Board of Commissioners.
But three other members on the board — District No. 1 commissioner Rick Robbins; No. 2 commissioner Mark Walter and District No. 3’s Will Bunek — have served on it before, and are bringing their valuable experience to the organization. Rounding out the board of seven are former Enterprise owner Alan Campbell, who will represent Leland and Centerville townships, and another new commissioner, Steve Yoder, will fill the District No. 7 seat, which was previously occupied for the past three decades by Melinda Lautner of Solon Township.
Unlike previous years, county commissioners will serve four years rather than two. This is a result of new legislation passed in 2022.
These new four-year terms have their pros and cons. County commissioners will now be able to carry out bigger projects over a longer timespan without having to worry about getting re-elected or passing the reins every two years. Some of the outgoing commissioners have hesitated over their actions, saying that the next board could easily make the opposite decision at their very first meeting in January.
But if this board regularly fails to reach a consensus, the next four years could be marked by more heated arguments and widening rifts between commissioners.
It is our hope that the new board will leave any baggage behind them and work together to represent the people of Leelanau County.
