Wednesday Ticker: A Q&A With Leelanau's New Administrator

After about a year and half of serving as Northport's village manager, Jim Dyer starts next Monday as Leelanau County administrator. Dyer, who was selected after a start-and-stop search for a new administrator, hopes to bring stable, open and efficient government to the county.

The Ticker connected with Dyer to see what's on his mind as he prepares to step into his new role. 

Why were you interested in the county administrator position?

As an attorney, I spent a good part of my career representing county governments all over the state. In the eight years prior to working as Northport manager, I was the Calhoun County Corporation Counsel. I know how counties work. In particular I know the challenges inherent in county government, where elected officials exercise authority independent from the county commission.

At Calhoun County, I was successful in helping people work together. At Northport, I learned a great deal about municipal management, community engagement and leadership. I thought this combined experience would serve me well as a county administrator anywhere. When that opportunity arose in my newly adopted home, I could not resist.

What's on your agenda for the first six months?

I believe that the two most important aspects of managing any enterprise are (1) understanding the operation, and (2) understanding the people. The first item entails a deep dive into the financial records, existing contracts and commitments, past audits, and other historical information, to understand where we, as a county, have been.

Next is to understand the people. How they work together (or not) their strengths, their hopes for the future, and their successes and disappointments from the past. Knowing these things helps to identify opportunities for the future. I hope to get a handle on these two items in the first 90 days. After that, we can start building a work culture that focuses on where we want to go in the future. At the bottom of every monthly report I prepared for the Northport Village Council were the words “Our goal is Persistent Positive Action; to live in the future and only learn from the past.” I want to bring that attitude to Leelanau County.

Finally, I would like to see a strategic planning/team building retreat during those first six months. That would give us an opportunity to focus on the statutory roles of the administrator and the board, and to set process and performance expectations for the administrator. I would love to include the elected county department heads as well.

What would you like to accomplish in the long term?

Long-term goals are more difficult to define. Still, since moving to Leelanau County eighteen months ago, the most obvious challenge to me is the lack of attainable housing. We are approaching a crisis. Many would say that we are already there.

As Northport manager, I sure loved the non-homestead taxes that seasonal residents paid. But there comes a point when year-round residents disappear, and with them, so do year-round services. What becomes of communities that practically only exist for thirteen or fourteen weeks out of the year? When I was a seasonal owner before becoming a full-time resident, I thought nothing of bringing our groceries from 240 miles away or stopping in Traverse City on the way here. Is that what we want our year-round future to look like?

This is a statewide problem made more acute in Leelanau because of the high cost of land and construction here. I am not suggesting that the county is responsible for fixing this issue or interfering with existing market forces in a way that favors certain types of development. I am told housing has been a local concern for at least the last 20 years. It is time to stop talking about it and get into the action box. The county is in a good position to act as a leader, an educator, and a facilitator; to participate in solving the issues that are unique to our county. I hope the county can make some tangible progress on this issue.

What are the county's biggest assets?

This may be the easiest question: The natural beauty and recreational opportunities afforded by West Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan, the abundance of trails, wine country, Agri-tourism and rural charm. It is pretty spectacular to live in the most beautiful place in the world, right?

Beyond that, I was pleasantly surprised and very I am impressed by the abundance, quality, and depth of service provided by the many non-profit organizations in the county. I do not want to single out any one group, because they all do great work. But I am also mindful that the work they do would likely fall to the local government’s if they did not exist. So, I am incredibly grateful for the work they do, and that I live in a very generous county.

What are the county's biggest challenges?

As a current outsider looking in, I think my biggest challenge will be employee recruitment, retention, and satisfaction. I have preached throughout my career that government employment is a unique and special calling because our government customers come to us as involuntary shoppers. If you want a building permit, a marriage license or any government service, you cannot go anywhere else. You might even be angry that you have to be shopping for that government service at all. That kind of service takes a skilled, and highly satisfied employee. That is not likely to be the case when an employee feels like they must answer a direct supervisor, an elected official down the hall, a county commissioner who got a call from an angry constituent, and an administrator that knows nothing about their job. I do not know whether that is true or not in Leelanau County, but I am told that is a common employee perception.

Beyond that wages and benefits have a big impact on both recruitment and retention. Competition from nearby jurisdictions has a clear and measurable impact on both recruitment and retention in law enforcement, and that may be the case in other fields as well. Also, in my experience, enticing an entry level employee to accept a job might have no impact on the retention of a long-serving and experienced employee. I expect this to be my biggest challenge.

How do you plan to interact with and involve county residents?

In Northport I was very visible in the community, and I intend to continue that, but obviously with a broader scope. I am currently a member of the Suttons Bay Rotary Club and a few other service clubs, volunteer boards and similar organizations. I also attend many charitable and cultural events in the county. I find that a good way to interact with county residents. I have been surprised that frequently when I introduce myself at these events, people say they have heard my name and that gives me a chance to discuss my job, and what they think about their government.

On a more targeted basis, when addressing specific issues or decisions, I ask around and identify the numerous stakeholders that are interested or potentially impacted by our actions. I seek them out to engage them to get their viewpoint before the meeting or at least alert them that their issue is under discussion. I often advocate public hearings, even when they are not required by law. I keep a pretty packed contact list on my cell phone.

Since this job involves the entire county, I plan on occasionally attending township and village meetings, with the appropriate county commissioner, or in their place, to introduce myself and update them on issues that might affect them. I also plan to visit every village manager, township supervisor or tribal official willing to meet with me. I do not hide in the office. This is a high visibility job.