Jim Dyer's tenure as Leelanau County administrator has officially ended under a separation agreement signed this week, closing out a departure that began with his placement on paid administrative leave in June amid two workplace complaints.
“I am proud of what the Board and I accomplished, and I am happy to be moving on,” Jim Dyer said.
The agreement, effective July 20, characterizes Dyer's exit as "a mutually agreed separation without cause."
Dyer signed the document July 28; Yoder signed on behalf of the county July 29.
"Great man, great administrator and the right person... James Dyer, we failed him," Commissioner Rick Robbins said.
A calculation sheet attached to the agreement puts Dyer's total gross payout at $68,442.85: $60,438.92 in lump-sum severance, equal to six months of his base pay; $5,439.50 as a corresponding contribution to his 457 deferred-compensation account, calculated at 9% of the severance amount; and $2,564.42 for 45 hours of accumulated, unused personal leave.
Dyer's annual salary is listed as $127,000.
"I would like to say he was an excellent administrator, as no person was perfect," Commissioner Gwenne Allgaier said. "(Dyer) did an excellent job and he's been screwed over." Allgaier said that for the past year and a half, "the red shirts" in the audience have directed unfounded criticism at Dyer every meeting.
"There have been land mines set for him and we will most likely have a very difficult time finding any person willing to serve as our administrator," she said.
Under the agreement, Dyer had been on paid administrative leave since June 9 and was barred from reporting to work, accessing county systems or acting on the county's behalf during that period, other than as the county expressly authorized. The document sets July 20 at 5 p.m. as his official separation date.
"Everyone in county government seems to have an opinion about Mr. Dyer's tenure. I think he is a very smart attorney whose leadership style did not fit the needs of his position. If he was hired by the previous board to create a level of unity, he had the opposite effect. Due to the whistleblower complaint about poor financial management, which was upheld in its basic concerns, and after consulting with our attorney, we really had no choice but to push for separation," Campbell said. "Could we have let him go with grounds? You can argue that, and we would be better off financially. I'm hoping with this settlement that we can separate amicably, and put the gloves down. Good luck to Jim. For commissioners, it's time to get beyond the last 16 months and look toward the future of Leelanau County. Litigation, even when you're right, ties your hands for years.”
Lauren Cypher is the current Leelanau County Interim Administrator, who recently received an extension to the post through August earlier this month.
Dyer's leave began one day after county Finance Director Rio Risbridger filed a written whistleblower complaint with the Board, invoking the Michigan Whistleblowers' Protection Act in June.
Her complaint raised concerns about wage payment procedures, benefit deductions, delinquent invoices, credit-card controls, contract issues and the absence of an adequate transition plan.
A separate complaint came from Elizabeth Gray, a former county employee, who submitted a letter March 9 alleging a hostile work environment and disparate treatment tied to "the treatment of female employees in leadership positions" at the county.
The Lansing law firm Cohl, Stoker & Toskey P.C. investigated both complaints on the county's behalf; findings were presented to the Board on July 9 and detailed in letters sent by attorney Sarah K. Osburn July 14 that were released publicly last week.
On Risbridger's complaint, the review found certain concerns constituted protected activity under the WPA and identified potential compliance issues under the Michigan Wage and Fringe Benefits Act, "including concerns regarding final paycheck and wage deduction practices," Osburn wrote. "The information gathered supported certain of the concerns described," the letter states. The county said some issues were already addressed before the review concluded.
On Gray's complaint, investigators interviewed 22 witnesses over three months.
The review concluded the evidence "did not support a finding that the alleged conduct constituted a sex-based hostile work environment or disparate treatment because of sex."
Both reviews separately flagged broader workplace climate, communication, governance and employee-relations concerns that have plagued Leelanau County administrations and the finance department since at least 2021, well before Dyer.
"I wish him the best and he did a lot for the county," Board Chair Steve Yoder said.
