OLIVE TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Mar. 12, 2024) – Ottawa County has a new government operational leader for the time being.
On Tuesday, the Board of Commissioners voted 5-4 in appointing Jon Anderson as interim county administrator, replacing John Gibbs, who was dismissed on February 29th. He edged county fiscal services director Karen Karasinski, who collected the other four votes from the governing panel, but the argument presented by Board Chairman Joe Moss of Hudsonville won the day.
Anderson, who will oversee county government operations until a permanent administrator is named, is a retired captain of the Riverside County, California’s sheriff’s department who has relocated to Grand Haven, and is currently the owner-operator of a gun shop in Holland. He has also filed to run for the Republican County Sheriff nomination in the August 6th Primary Election, as current Sheriff Steve Kempker will not seek reelection this fall.
During yesterday’s meeting, Moss said that the search process for selecting a permanent administrator has begun, although he did not disclose any timetable for reaching a decision.
Gibbs was sacked nearly two weeks ago for cause due to alleged threatening and disparaging remarks to colleagues, as well as questioning the actions of board members. The one-time US House hopeful from Byron Center has reportedly considered legal action against the board and the county over his dismissal.
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