Good afternoon, it is 438, and it's time to call to order the special floor board meeting from scheme accountants, and we'll start this off with a roll call, that's right.
By circle.
Here.
Commissioner Sears.
Commissioner Hayes-Camp.
Excuse me.
Commissioner Herman.
Here.
Commissioner McGlagan.
Here.
Commissioner Paye.
Here.
Chair Hatch.
Here.
Thank you. First, we'll have a motion for the approval of the agenda.
Support.
Move Commission Page, supported by Vice Chair Cook.
I just have a quick question.
The minutes that we're approving is that full board minutes for May 20th.
Okay. Thank you.
Those in favor of the agenda.
Next up is the approval of the minutes for May 20, 2025.
So moved.
Moved by Commissioner Wiggin and
supported by Vice-Chair Cook.
Questions and corrections?
Seeing none, all the favor use the vote to stand high.
Aye.
All those opposed?
And that motion passes.
Next up is the approval of the minutes for May 20, 2025.
public comment on the agenda item.
We have one here, which was from Matt Coyer for First
Item.
Matt Coyer, Crockbeek Township, Iowa County. I wanted to speak about the agenda item specifically
to speak to the administrator's contractual provisions that is being come. As publicly
reported four days ago in the news, our county administrator was named as the finalist
for my county's new administrator. This came as a shock and surprise to me as sure it did
to many others. When I was hired by the ministry in 2022 to lead the IT department, I was looking
for stability and position where I could lead positive change in technology and be supported
by my supervisor. I was looking for someone who exemplified the heart of a certain leader who
sought to serve others before serving themselves. I was looking for a leader who provided gentle
coaching and direction when needed but allowed me the freedom to run the department the way
I have been trained to for 30 years.
I was looking for someone who could help me understand
the other side's point of view
without berating or humiliating me with a gentle advice.
And I was looking for someone who would have my back
in times of crisis because as we all know,
things work very smoothly in IT.
I was looking for someone who kept their word
and followed through with their promises
and I can tell you that I found all of those things
in Mark Eisenberg.
He's the reason I moved my family,
my daughter, 14 years old, and my wife,
uprooting 30 years of family and friends to live in an area where we didn't even know
a single person. Over my long IT career, I can assure you that people like your county
administrator are rare. He has a rare gift of being able to bring both sides to the
table, not just to talk, but to compromise. And that only happens when someone is deeply
trusted and he is, by the staff, by commissioners, by members of the public and across
the political spectrum. That kind of trust is hard to earn and even harder to
place. I recommend you do whatever is in your powers to retain our county administrator because
losing this kind of leadership would be a serious setback not just for the sport but for every
department and every resident in our community. I urge you to recognize what we have and to do
what's necessary to keep him leading us forward. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else?
Anyone online?
I could not say what Matt Cade just said, he better, I just want some dough.
There you go.
Thank you.
Thank you. Anyone else?
No one online.
I think I want to make some comments.
So we'll move to unfinished business. Any unfinished business?
Any new business?
Any new business coming forward?
Next up is the new business item A, discussion regarding contractual provisions with the county administrator.
This is open for discussion.
We need a motion first. We're discussing with that one.
I like that motion.
Move by condition of page.
Move this.
Yes.
What is the meeting then?
Discussion.
Okay.
I'll support the motion to discuss the contract.
There's been movement in supporting any, all those babies both say aye. Aye. All those opposed.
Any comments, discussion from anyone?
Commissioners, what are the changes to this contract?
I'll start. I'll just open that. Thank you to the public commenters. It's, it's been a week and I think as a commissioner, I think we're, I can speak for all of us that I've been very grateful for, for all the input and the hard work of everyone who has was work to get us to where we are now.
And we have met with Corporate Counsel and reviewed Mr. Eisenbar's current contract and come up with some terms that we hope will entice him to stay with us for another three years.
So that's what Sharon Ash has worked with Corporate Counsel to prepare and distribute to all of us.
And do you want to talk about the changes or I can talk about the changes?
Well, I just wanted to add that this kind of came suddenly surprising for everyone.
So I know everyone was kind of up in the air. I can tell there was a lot of attention throughout the board and with some departments.
But I think that's just a testament to the leadership that we have coming from Mr. Eisenberg.
After realizing what some of the things you said, we realized that, you know, he is in
replacement.
So, talk with Michael Wajimeshi, we took care of what he wanted done.
So if you want to add what you were looking for from the board as your support.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
item
is really to answer Mr. Sear's question. It's item 4A and B, C, items that are spelling
out the context that we are changing to the contract.
And I'll just point out that this agreement starts him into a new three-year term with
Thus, effective Monday, that's the 16th, Monday the 16th under these new terms in the week.
He's in year two right now, his current three years right now.
So what we've tried to do is, this raises pay a little bit and raise
is still deferred compensation.
Correct.
Is it deferred compensation?
Am I saying that right, Laura?
It's with a net compensation.
We'll come back to that.
Yeah.
Okay.
Right.
To be, to be very fair.
I'm not the benefits expert in our firm,
but the benefits expert in our firm directed the language.
Okay.
So this was approved by court counsel.
Yeah.
When you say.
And our hopes with doing with voting this new contract in today is that this will convince
Mr. Eisenbarff that we really value him and his work and his time here with the county
and obviously his incredible rapport with staff and the leadership team that he's developed
So I hope that he will withdraw from the running for the Ottawa County Mystery Rule.
And that was part of the agreement.
You can reach the standards that he would like to have.
We
are excited and happy about this.
What did you just say about meeting the standards?
Meeting his standards.
So he will withdraw from the office.
All right.
We do not want to lose him.
So we want to make sure that we have clear language that can make sure he stays.
So we have no doubt that we can make this agreement.
He would have read up a clear language that makes him scared.
If we can, if we can agree on this, this term with this contract agreement,
then we would draw from that.
Yes, mainly conversation and as you know, and let me
give you a background.
Years ago, Mark, and this is crazy because this brings that
something really, but we had administrative left and we had to do
administrative search. And throughout that administrative search, we narrowed it
time and at that time we just had a lot of faith in his character and we just wanted to see
the strongest candidate for the student counting that would do it. At that time Mark agreed that he
would give us 10 years. Now this was not in writing but he agreed to us commissions. That was 11 years
So, okay. So, his 10 years has been under. So, he, and he made sure to remind me of that.
I was okay with that, but I was just glad he overly fulfilled his promise and believe me,
he could have been gone before now. And I'm actually surprised that more people haven't
tried to come after him because I'll be honest, I think he's probably the strongest
administrator in the state. It may be to some in the country. So I would watch Mark go from a
director with the wastewater to administrator and a lot of people were nervous and didn't have faith
then. But I watched him continue to grow and continue to become more of an expert every day.
And then after thinking about it over the weekend, I just realized there are some places
is some people may not be able to feel for us
because we're in the middle of some big projects
and a lot of things going on.
And we need to make sure we got the right expertise
in leaving us in those directions in the future.
Plus, he, like Mr. Kelly, also made sure
his family was here and supported his family here
as long as we continue to support him.
So I'm just glad to see it continue to build
as a family and we don't want to lose.
I think Mr. Hayskamp is online and has a comment, but she is having some trouble hearing on Zoom.
Can
you guys hear me?
Yes.
I
just want to say, first of all, I want to thank everybody involved in pulling this together in such short notice.
Good work team.
And for Mark, I just want to let you know we all appreciate you so much.
Again, you are just such a highly respected administrator, and we don't want to lose you.
So we appreciate you, and I appreciate the whole board.
Thank you.
Thanks.
When you shall.
Appreciate those comments.
Anyone else?
I'm bored.
Any other comments?
I've heard of them since I've been fortunate enough to work with Kate, too.
I'm not new to politics or working in, you know, administration and organizations and then putting this type of situation. My whole thing is, it's like, yeah, I don't want to never lose that smooth operation, but, you know, who makes everything else look like this, it just runs so easily.
And it does not, you know, um, and also ask for those person, those persons to search their heart, you know, to see where they want to be to take that into consideration as well and stuff.
So I can try to see some of the dynamics that are played here.
And I never did get that from Mr. Eisenberg.
It seems as though he wants to be here. He wants to go to the manager's desk and ask Mr. Kelly says, as the board says, you know, it's just amazing that he's still here and nobody has come before now.
So, I've seen, I've said on committees,
witnesses, and I see who's back there.
Not only are I the world talent administrators
and directors have for him,
but some of the other talents as well.
And I just appreciate you giving us the opportunity
to buy food to give.
Thank you.
I just like to comment,
I come from the business community in Idaho,
what was it?
Four years ago or four years ago,
I came into county government, so I have no idea what government was all about, and Mark
made it an easy transition for me trying to hold me in shape, so it was a government leader
instead of a business leader.
But I really appreciate his work with me and his patience with me, and he's an incredible
leader.
Yes, I have a question about contract.
Yes, sir.
Number three, the Google show me a full force and effect for three years from June 25, 20, it was 20 early by one of both parties.
We're signing a new three year contract.
Correct.
That can be terminated within 120 days by either side.
So there's section five is termination and severance pay starting on the bottom of page four correct 120 days written notice given by other party.
But the termination is more than a page long for all the different provisions.
Thank you.
So the only year he's fulfilled the contract is on 20 days until either side.
Mr.
Eisenberg, do you want to comment?
I would say we'll call this after the vote.
All right.
At this time, I guess we'll close this discussion.
At this time, I will make a motion to approve the Ms. Seaton County Administrator's employment
agreement as presented, effective June 16, 2025, which is
approved and supported.
Any other discussion?
Seeing none, roll call.
Yes.
Commissioner Herman.
Yes.
Commissioner McWigan.
Yes.
Commissioner Page.
Commissioner Cook.
And Fatigues.
Commissioner Herman.
Yes.
Chair Nage.
Absolutely yes.
Six yes.
That motion passes.
Congratulations.
Mr. Eisenberg.
Mr. Moskieton County.
Yes.
And I feel sorry for I to walk through.
Yes.
I didn't have any written like Matt did, thank you Matt for that and I didn't take him to
do that.
This
is obviously a heartfelt thing, last week has been a lot of phone calls, a lot of people
reaching out to me and struggling to understand why and this decision came down to my wife
and I to talk about it and see what's best for us, our family at this time and working
with the board very closely for the staff who's in here, working with the board, talking
to them throughout the week.
So I came to parents that there is a lot we can still do and there's a lot that we
all want to do together still and be a team to make this happen.
To the commissioners, we have a lot of great staff there in the audience here
right now, a lot who are not, but they've been very supportive in the last week as well
and we're asking them to make the easy decisions they can hear and so they'll leave.
And so I really appreciate their support.
As someone said, how smoothly we run or how well we're running is the staff that makes
this happen.
I get the privilege of sitting in the seat and helping through the process, but I really
But truly, it's the staff that makes this job enjoyable and fun, even during the windstorms
or IT issues and everything in between, right?
The staff does come together and make an amp and it's good to be a part of that, and I
appreciate that.
I appreciate the analysis of sport here, it means more than you know, and especially
Mr. Hazenkamp, who's on vacation, joined the sun to take the time out of the day to be
with us today and share her thoughts. I really appreciate that as well. So yes, I'll make
that phone call after this meeting's over. Thank you.
Thank you.