Josh Eggleston
By Greg Chandler
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland Township Board has approved the establishment of a three-member team to coordinate the township’s managerial transition process.
Township Manager Josh Eggleston, who submitted his letter of resignation to the board July 7, will serve on the transition team with Township Supervisor Kerri Bosma and attorney David Eberle of Bloom Sluggett.
Eggleston, who was Zeeland Township’s first manager, has accepted the manager job in neighboring Holland Township and will begin his new job Aug. 24. He plans to remain with Zeeland Township through Aug. 21.
“He’s not abandoning us. He’s committed to ensuring a smooth transition,” Eberle said.
The transition team will work on several issues, including identifying potential candidates to serve as interim manager and evaluating search firms who could assist the township in searching for Eggleston’s permanent replacement. They will also assist Eggleston in getting “urgent tasks” checked off before he leaves, and communicate back to the board.
“In a transition time like this, it’s important that the board be more apprised of the day-to-day operations, just to ensure that everybody’s on the same page, everybody can take confidence in the fact that the transition is on pace, so that we don’t have any hiccups down the road,” Eberle said.
“I think one way to think about it is the transition team is trying to work with Josh, one to keep the board informed, but then to set up the interim (manager) the best we can, so that the interim can then set up the full-time replacement the best he or she can,” Eberle added.
The board would have to approve the hiring of an interim manager and search firm.
“There’s steps in this (process) of having to report back to the board, having the board approve the different steps,” Bosma said. “This isn’t just asking for a full runway for the three of us to do anything.”
The transition team is expected to report back to the board at its meeting next Tuesday with a recommended job description for the interim manager.
“The board could also have a discussion at that time about what kind of characteristics are they looking for in an interim manager, so that when we’re sifting through the resumes and trying to narrow the field, we have some idea of what the board is looking for in a manager,” Eberle said.
The board could also possibly discuss how long they would want an interim manager to serve, Eberle said.
Eggleston offered his appreciation to the board and to the residents of the township for their support during the July 7 meeting when the board voted to accept the manager’s resignation.
“Obviously, being the first manager is not an easy row to hoe at times,” Eggleston said. “This is bittersweet. I have enjoyed my time here, and I want to continue to enjoy the last month or so.”
Bosma offered her thanks for Eggleston for helping her transition into her role as supervisor after she was appointed to the position in January.
“Personally, it’s hard to say goodbye, but professionally, I can see why you’re accepting the offer from Holland Charter Township,” she said.
In related action July 7, the board approved an updated engagement letter with Bloom Sluggett that expands the firm’s role in addressing certain legal matters facing the township beyond its earlier scope of responding to the Silver Maple solar project and discussions on a renewable energy ordinance.
“From our perspective, our goal is to provide the board with as much flexibility as it wants,” Eberle said.
The Township Board had retained Bloom Sluggett as a special counsel last fall to guide the township through the process of developing a solar ordinance. The firm is representing the township’s interests in its opposition to Silver Maple, and recently filed suit against the project’s developers that challenges the constitutionality of Public Act 233.
Ron Bultje remains the township’s general counsel, but the action “would simply allow us to work on a plethora of matters, as directed by the township, as opposed to simply focusing our efforts on those matters pertaining to solar energy facilities, renewable energy facilities and things like that,” Eberle said.
Township Treasurer Melissa Veldheer said she is confident in the work of Bloom Sluggett.
“I feel like we’ve needed (Eberle) in other areas, where unfortunately, Ron Bultje is not independent from,” Veldheer said. “There’s a lot of municipalities that use Ron Bultje within Ottawa County. If we run into matters where he’s not independent, I feel like we need to have someone that we know, that we trust, and who is easily available, that the board’s approved of, so the supervisor or manager can engage with an attorney when needed.”
Zeeland Record
The Zeeland Township Board has approved the establishment of a three-member team to coordinate the township’s managerial transition process.
Township Manager Josh Eggleston, who submitted his letter of resignation to the board July 7, will serve on the transition team with Township Supervisor Kerri Bosma and attorney David Eberle of Bloom Sluggett.
Eggleston, who was Zeeland Township’s first manager, has accepted the manager job in neighboring Holland Township and will begin his new job Aug. 24. He plans to remain with Zeeland Township through Aug. 21.
“He’s not abandoning us. He’s committed to ensuring a smooth transition,” Eberle said.
The transition team will work on several issues, including identifying potential candidates to serve as interim manager and evaluating search firms who could assist the township in searching for Eggleston’s permanent replacement. They will also assist Eggleston in getting “urgent tasks” checked off before he leaves, and communicate back to the board.
“In a transition time like this, it’s important that the board be more apprised of the day-to-day operations, just to ensure that everybody’s on the same page, everybody can take confidence in the fact that the transition is on pace, so that we don’t have any hiccups down the road,” Eberle said.
“I think one way to think about it is the transition team is trying to work with Josh, one to keep the board informed, but then to set up the interim (manager) the best we can, so that the interim can then set up the full-time replacement the best he or she can,” Eberle added.
The board would have to approve the hiring of an interim manager and search firm.
“There’s steps in this (process) of having to report back to the board, having the board approve the different steps,” Bosma said. “This isn’t just asking for a full runway for the three of us to do anything.”
The transition team is expected to report back to the board at its meeting next Tuesday with a recommended job description for the interim manager.
“The board could also have a discussion at that time about what kind of characteristics are they looking for in an interim manager, so that when we’re sifting through the resumes and trying to narrow the field, we have some idea of what the board is looking for in a manager,” Eberle said.
The board could also possibly discuss how long they would want an interim manager to serve, Eberle said.
Eggleston offered his appreciation to the board and to the residents of the township for their support during the July 7 meeting when the board voted to accept the manager’s resignation.
“Obviously, being the first manager is not an easy row to hoe at times,” Eggleston said. “This is bittersweet. I have enjoyed my time here, and I want to continue to enjoy the last month or so.”
Bosma offered her thanks for Eggleston for helping her transition into her role as supervisor after she was appointed to the position in January.
“Personally, it’s hard to say goodbye, but professionally, I can see why you’re accepting the offer from Holland Charter Township,” she said.
In related action July 7, the board approved an updated engagement letter with Bloom Sluggett that expands the firm’s role in addressing certain legal matters facing the township beyond its earlier scope of responding to the Silver Maple solar project and discussions on a renewable energy ordinance.
“From our perspective, our goal is to provide the board with as much flexibility as it wants,” Eberle said.
The Township Board had retained Bloom Sluggett as a special counsel last fall to guide the township through the process of developing a solar ordinance. The firm is representing the township’s interests in its opposition to Silver Maple, and recently filed suit against the project’s developers that challenges the constitutionality of Public Act 233.
Ron Bultje remains the township’s general counsel, but the action “would simply allow us to work on a plethora of matters, as directed by the township, as opposed to simply focusing our efforts on those matters pertaining to solar energy facilities, renewable energy facilities and things like that,” Eberle said.
Township Treasurer Melissa Veldheer said she is confident in the work of Bloom Sluggett.
“I feel like we’ve needed (Eberle) in other areas, where unfortunately, Ron Bultje is not independent from,” Veldheer said. “There’s a lot of municipalities that use Ron Bultje within Ottawa County. If we run into matters where he’s not independent, I feel like we need to have someone that we know, that we trust, and who is easily available, that the board’s approved of, so the supervisor or manager can engage with an attorney when needed.”
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