Leelanau Commissioner Update March 2026
As of the first of April, winter has not lost its grip on inland lakes. Lake Leelanau remains ice-covered, and snow continues to carpet many of the woodlots and forests of Leelanau County.
Leelanau Commissioner Update March 2026
Provided by Alan Campbell
Leelanau County Commissioner
District No. 5 (Leland and Centerville Townships)
Happy Easter and happy start to spring! It’s a blessed, albeit at times cold, time of year. For our family, it’s a reverent time of year.
And the weather… well, it’s been mostly unpleasant, with a few days of sun and warmth that we all greatly appreciate.
This is my 15th newsletter since being elected, and I’d say it is the most informative so far in keeping constituents up to date on the business of county government. I write and distribute the newsletter to keep folks informed about your local government, and I welcome your feedback. Please consider providing your thoughts and comments through the link below.
Also, please consider forwarding this email to others with more than a passing interest in Leelanau County. A sign-up link is provided. It’s also easy to stop receiving the newsletter through another link.
Past emails and reports can be found on my website, leelanaucommissioner.com.
Much is happening in county government. My goal is to inform, although I do include my thoughts on some issues. Please don’t hesitate to let me know what I got right, wrong, or ignored.
Alan Campbell
Leelanau County Commissioner
District No. 5 (Leland and Centerville Townships)
When Commissioner Silence Is Not Golden
March 31st, 2026
Is the fog lifting or settling over county government?
As a county commissioner, I understand and believe in the need to present a positive outlook and to push for forward movement. I’m not one to offer a gilded opinion, either.
The latest controversy to hit the public — and commissioners — was the exit letter written by former finance clerk Elizabeth Gray. The Ticker led with the story and published the letter for readers in its entirety.
It was not flattering, blaming a “toxic” work environment on our county administrator and warning of a disregard for financial safeguards following the suspension and eventual firing by the administrator of the former county finance director. I’m duty-bound not to reach conclusions until completion of the investigation the letter triggered.
However, I can explain to constituents the role of myself as a commissioner in the process, and shed light on the process itself.
The letter was dated March 9. The first real opportunity commissioners had to publicly discuss the letter came at our rescheduled regular meeting held Thursday, March 19. The meeting was delayed two days by the blizzard.
By then, the public had received copies through Freedom of Information Act requests, and constituents didn’t hold back. Comment was harsh and accusatory during the allowed times at the meeting.
Commissioners, myself included, did hold back. We had been warned that discussing the issue in any form could compromise the investigation, which was to be undertaken by the county-hired law firm of Cohl, Stoker and Toskey, P.C.
Usually I catch blame for talking too much. This time, staying mute was a mistake. I don’t know how other commissioners feel, but we owe our constituents more than the avoidance of difficult subjects (often while touting accomplishments). Some commissioners struck back at public comment, leaving the impression that our office puts us and other public officials above scrutiny.
We can’t run from our responsibilities, leaving the people we serve to feel we value safety over duty — or worse, that we’re smarter than them.
I screwed up at the meeting. I should not have retreated. I’ve been contemplating what did and what should have occurred.
Here’s what I should have said:
“First, thank you to Leelanau County residents who rose and spoke tonight, and thank you to those who came with the same anguish but chose not to publicly express it. Your concerns are taken very seriously, as is the content of the letter written by a former employee. Ms. Gray was a valued employee and praised up to and including her last day on the job.
“I do not consider her words as those written by a ‘disgruntled employee,’ as some are suggesting. Unless proven otherwise, I am taking her words as measured and sincere. Current and past employees should be encouraged to express their thoughts about the efficiencies and deficiencies of county government and its leaders.
“Likewise, I do not take the allegations in the letter as a verdict against the county administrator. He flatly denies them. Allegations are just that — unproven assertions. If they are shown to be false following a thorough, fact-finding investigation, Mr. Dyer deserves not only public apologies but public acknowledgment that his reputation has been unduly soiled. It’s an uphill struggle to rebuild a reputation, but we as a community should do just that.
“Regardless of the outcome, I take what is occurring very seriously. My job as a commissioner is to keep tabs on and ensure a thorough investigation, aid in the investigation if asked, and then to fully consume the finished product. It is my anticipation that we as a board will be making a public decision following review of the investigation’s conclusions and other factors that may come before us.”
That’s what I should have said. I should have ensured constituents and county employees that we as a Board will not shrink at this big moment for Leelanau County.
Special Meeting Request Unpopular
March 25th, 2026
(Commissioner note: My full request for a special meeting is filed on the LeelanauCommissioner.com website under the tab named Reports.)
I really thought it was a no-brainer.
Last Wednesday morning, I composed and emailed a request for a special meeting to receive updates on and discuss with fellow commissioners three topics that I felt needed our immediate attention.
One of those topics was the drain commissioner position. Former commissioner Tim O’Non could not continue because of an illness in his family and tendered his resignation. A panel consisting of Clerk Michelle Crocker, Prosecutor Joseph T. Hubbell, and County Probate Judge Steven Paciorka on Tuesday selected former county administrator Chet Janik to fill the position until the General Election in November. The panel was created through state law to fill vacancies that occur between elections.
Neither Mr. Janik nor Tim Lodge, an engineer with a Traverse City address who also applied, plans to put their names on the ballot.
Instead, Mr. Janik would like commissioners to consider options for changes in the part-time position, which requires much more attention than when held by retired drain commissioner Steve Christensen. During most of Mr. Christensen’s tenure, only two drainage districts existed in the county; the number is ballooning to six, causing growing pains and a need for better communication with drainage district landowners.
I would like commissioners to meet with Mr. Janik to hear his recommendations. I’ve been told that the position must remain static through its term, which doesn’t end until 2028. But we do have tools available — offering staff, possibly increasing wages, and providing help in seeking requests for proposals to consider hiring a new engineering firm. Road Commission crews may also be authorized to help with drainage problems to an extent.
Our monthly meeting schedule and the election filing deadline dictate holding a meeting sooner rather than later.
We’re next scheduled to meet on the second Tuesday in April — which would be April 14. That’s the latest date possible in a month. And that’s the date of our executive committee meeting, at which only recommendations may be made. Actions cannot occur according to board rules until our regular meeting that starts at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 21.
The timing couldn’t be worse for someone considering tossing their hat in the race to fill the position of drain commissioner. The nominating deadline ends 2½ hours earlier.
Also on the special meeting schedule would have been:
The investigation instigated by the exit letter submitted by former finance clerk Elizabeth Gray. The board has not broached the subject as a body. Instead, the investigation was launched without board approval. It wasn’t until last Thursday, March 26, that commissioners received written notice from county attorneys that they planned to investigate. You would think commissioners should have more information and say than has been given so far.
I also felt it appropriate to begin discussions leading toward an evaluation process for the administrator, considering his one-year anniversary is tomorrow (April 1). That’s what our contract says. Unfortunately, I think fellow commissioners may have linked the above topics together. I did not intend for them to be linked. The contract is the contract, and the calendar is the calendar. Yes, the investigation should conclude before an evaluation begins. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t discuss evaluation options now to prevent the process from falling into May or even later in our calendar.
Perhaps the special meeting mantle will be picked up by another commissioner and materialize.
I hope so. We have things to discuss as a whole rather than through phone calls and one-on-one encounters.
Much Happened at March County Meetings
March 31st, 2026
Until I looked back at agendas and minutes, I didn’t realize what a busy month we had in county business. Following is a synopsis (under separate headings) of activities undertaken by the Leelanau County Board of Commissioners.
Board Offers Support to GTB Initiatives
Ty Wessell and I were moving in the same direction and didn’t even know it. The end result may turn into something positive for Leelanau County.
Mr. Wessell had been in contact with Grand Traverse Band attorney John Petoskey, who was seeking a letter of support from the County Board for a $1.6 million “safe sidewalk” project in Peshawbestown being considered by Congress. The letter was directed toward Cong. Jack Bergman.
A concern mentioned in the letter was the 55 mph speed limit on M-22 through Peshawbestown, which the Michigan Department of Transportation has stubbornly refused to lower, at least partly because the community is not incorporated as a village or city in the state — actually, Peshawbestown is within the GTB Indian Reservation, which places it in a separate nation. Lacking incorporation status, the GTB has no authority to petition MDOT for a reduced speed limit.
The tribe was simultaneously looking for ways to influence MDOT to reduce the limit to 45 mph. Peshawbestown is home to a busy casino and concert venue, tribal government offices, and 380 homes. I worked with Tribal Councilor Brian Napont toward a resolution requesting MDOT, the Michigan Legislature, and the Michigan Attorney General to work toward lowering the speed limit through Peshawbestown.
I’m happy to say the letter and resolution, a copy of which can be found under “Reports” at LeelanauCommissioner.com, were approved.
Why I Voted Against Finance, HR Resolutions
Much was made by some fellow commissioners and Administrator Jim Dyer about the need to “officially” transfer the responsibilities of payroll, accounts payable, and Human Resources from the clerk’s office to the administration. The process began in 2021; it’s already been accomplished, although personnel turnover and, of late, a lack of bodies in finance has slowed progress toward upgrading software.
Commissioners had before us in February a heavy-handed resolution that went way beyond the stated goal of moving finances to the administration. The clerk spoke to us about redundancy in the proposal; it was like taking a sledgehammer to a tack. She was given very little, if any, opportunity for input.
The county attorney was brought in as a mediator of sorts. Many, or perhaps most, of the original provisions went away.
But somehow, between meetings, the resolution evolved into authorization of a “finance team” consisting of the administrator, finance director, and county treasurer with new power that had been vested in the individual offices or the County Board.
I wrote a lengthy piece about my concerns regarding the creation of a new body that includes an elected official. You may recall that the publicly stated reason for removing finance from the clerk’s office was that it was not a statutory duty of the office. Now comes the creation of a new body with that same structural flaw.
I wrote a lengthy response to the resolution that’s published among Reports at LeelanauCommissioner.com. Other concerns with the resolution are expressed there.
I voted against the Human Resources resolution because I had not seen the final version until the night of our meeting held March 19, and it had not been published with the meeting agenda for the public to read and express its opinions. I did not receive the resolution until sitting in my chair for the evening meeting. There was simply no reason to rush through a resolution five years in the making without proper vetting by commissioners or our constituents.
We Have Another New Finance Director
It’s been a revolving door in the county finance department for five years, and that door swung once more over the course of the last couple of weeks. Recall that previous finance director Cathy Hartesvelt was placed on leave in early January, then fired for insubordination by Administrator Jim Dyer on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Commissioners and media outlets learned on the same day that Mr. Dyer had convinced Sean Cowen, who had twice resigned from the position, to come aboard as finance director for a minimum of 60 days.
I would be remiss if I did not thank former account clerk Elizabeth Gray for keeping the finance department afloat following the firing of Ms. Hartesvelt and the resignation of former assistant finance director Mike Birkmeier. And for not welcoming aboard account clerk Clara Ellis, who comes with an impressive list of credentials. In an email provided to commissioners on March 7, Mr. Dyer praised the work of Ms. Ellis, who he said “continues to show growth in the position and enthusiasm for employment with Leelanau County.” In that same email, Mr. Dyer wrote that he had identified a highly qualified person to become the assistant finance director during Mr. Cowen’s tenure.
On Wednesday evening, March 25, commissioners received an email update on staffing from Mr. Dyer. Mr. Cowen was “out of the office” that week, and the person we thought would become the assistant finance director had assumed the duties of finance director on her first day, March 23.
The email overall was positive considering what was apparently a hasty change of events. The new director is Rio Risbridger, who “has jumped right in to coordinating her first payroll, documenting the process as we go along … in the end we will have a fully integrated process for payroll.”
Mr. Dyer also announced the hiring of Brigitte Weller as a part-time account clerk. He informed commissioners that he had “made an offer to a candidate with local government finance experience.” He added, “He is a recent accounting graduate with four years of government auditing experience. He also is a certified fraud examiner. As a result, he has a wealth of experience with fund accounting.”
Senior Citizen Millage Increased and Lengthened
The County Board unanimously voted to place on the Primary Election ballot a proposal to increase the millage rate for the county senior services program to .32 mills for four years (ending in 2029). That’s the rate approved by voters two years ago; it had been eroded by .006 mill due to an amendment to the state constitution that prevents local governments from growing property tax revenue faster than the rate of inflation.
Unlike the early childhood millage, which collects a surplus, the senior program has been running even or a little short of revenue compared to expenses. The millage has traditionally been requested in two-year increments; this time senior services director Lena VanderMeulen suggested a four-year format.
While I preferred the two-year request, I did vote to approve ballot language as recommended by Ms. VanderMeulen and a senior services committee. Ultimately, voters will determine the outcome.
The senior services department is also preparing to roll out its “Senior Produce Program,” which will provide county seniors with coupons to purchase locally grown food from county vendors. Ms. VanderMeulen and staff take pride in the work they’ve put into getting the program off the ground, and they should. They are in the process of signing up local vendors who will become eligible to accept the coupons. Success will be partially reliant on signing up as many vendors as possible — think outlets from rural roadside stands to farmers markets to local stores. Congratulations to the department and others who came together on behalf of the people we serve.
Parks Update
There’s so much going on with the Parks and Recreation Commission, I’m proud to say. Please refer to my update provided to commissioners, filed again under Reports on the website.
Child Care Pilot Update
March 31st, 2026
The Leelanau County Board received a report showing progress toward a new program to help families with childcare needs. When implemented — which I fully believe will happen — it may be the only county-operated program of its kind in Michigan.
Child care costs in Leelanau County run from $55 to $70 per day, with most of the variance attributed to the age of the minor. The bolts of the program call for Leelanau County to contribute $30 per day, with funds to come from the already approved Early Childhood Development millage of about one-quarter mill.
The property tax has proven popular in two elections. Its original mission was to pay for home health care services and prepare children to become successful young students. Organized playgroups have evolved.
But the property tax produced far more revenue than could be spent through its original mission, and still does to the tune of about $200,000 annually.
So what to do? Commissioner conversations about reducing the millage or not collecting it during COVID when expenses plummeted proved unpopular. It was the reason stated on recall petitions filed against Will Bunek.
Well, Bunek was re-elected to the board and has been a supporter of offering child care vouchers. I, too, have been active on that front through discussions with Michelle Klein, director of mental health with the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department. I like the idea of offering vouchers to young families, which then select their own child care provider. I think it empowers people to make the best decisions for the children they love. There are 14 licensed child care providers in Leelanau County.
It’s no coincidence that the anticipated program cost is $200,000. That was the design. The plan is to provide financial aid to families with an income at or below 225% of the poverty level set by the federal government. The eligibility level would be $48,690 for a family of two, $61,470 for a family of three, $74,250 for a family of four, and on up from there. Children ages six and under will be eligible.
If not enough families enroll for help, the maximum income level would be increased with the goal of spending the $200,000 annual excess in the Early Childhood Development property tax. Parents should be able to apply for scholarships in May and June, with scholarship payments beginning on Aug. 1, 2026.
All seven commissioners have spoken glowingly about the concept of the proposal. They are Chair Steve Yoder, Vice Chair Mark Walters, Ty Wessell, Gwenne Alguire, Rick Robbins, Bunek, and myself.
On two separate issues, I appreciated notices I received from District Health Office Daniel Thorell about a dangerous chemical that a homeowner reported in the family garage. The situation is being handled by the EPA, which will be moving the unsecured drums of calcium carbide.
During our discussion, I brought up the concept of involving the Leelanau County Board in health department budget talks. Leelanau County’s budget begins on Jan. 1; the health department’s budget starts on Oct. 1. Consequently, the boards have very few conversations prior to the writing of a proposed health budget, even though the county pays for about half of the department’s costs not covered by fees or grants. Benzie pays the other half.
After all, it never hurts to talk.
Please comment, attend
Please plan to attend one of our regularly scheduled meetings. And consider contacting me through the leelanaucommissioner.com website or by calling my cell at 231 492 4972.
Content published on the Leelanau Commissioner Newsletter will become part of Leelanau Commissioner Alan Campbell website. Please visit at leelanaucommissioner.com.
