IONIA — Ionia County is offering its administrator position to an Iowa city official.
The Ionia County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to extend a conditional offer of employment to Dennis Durham and to direct the Michigan Municipal League to complete a background investigation and conduct further reference review.
Commissioners also voted unanimously to authorize District One Commissioner and Chair David Hodges and Interim Administrator Jason Eppler to initiate discussions with Durham on an employment agreement. The board will approve the contract prior to signature.
More:Ionia County will interview candidates, select a new administrator Saturday
In the event Durham does not become Ionia County administrator, the county will offer the position to Patrick Jordan, who is the Escanaba city manager.
Durham is the current city administrator of Windsor Heights, Iowa. He has served in the position since September 2020. He has 27 years of experience. Durham decided to apply for the job in hopes of being closer to his family in the Kalamazoo area.
“My wife and I are really keen on getting back to West Michigan for family reasons,” Durham said. “Ionia County has a lot of challenges coming in the near future. Any municipal manager who likes a challenge is looking for communities or county organizations that need them. That’s where I thrive. I’m really excited about what is coming up for the county and what role I could play.”
The county board had a special meeting Saturday, Sept. 24, that lasted roughly six hours to determine its next administrator. Commissioners interviewed Jordan; former Middletown (Ohio) City Manager James Palenick; St. Ignace City Manager Darcy Long; and Durham.
Commissioners selected Durham and Jordan as their top two candidates. After deliberation, they decided to offer the position to Durham, who was the lone candidate to interview remotely over Zoom. Durham said he was participating in a festival in Windsor Heights.
District Six Commissioner Jack Shattuck believes Durham fills many of the skillsets the county is looking for.
“I think he’ll be here for (a little bit longer) than some of the other candidates,” Shattuck said.
District Three Commissioner Karen Banks said Durham stood out — believing he interviewed the best of the four candidates.
“In my mind, he is a very good communicator,” Banks said. “He’ll be a good collaborator.”
District Seven Commissioner Georgia Sharp did not have Durham as one of her top two candidates, saying she didn’t believe Durham researched the county prior to the interview based on some of his answers. Hodges also didn’t have Durham in his top two, but said he would support whomever the board decides.
“I trust the judgment of this board,” he said.
Durham previously served as city manager of Parchment, located in Kalamazoo County, from November 2007 until March 2017. He later served as city manager of Carlton, Oregon, from June 2018 to September 2020, when he took over the position in Windsor Heights, Iowa.
Durham graduated with a bachelor's degree from Michigan State University in 1991. Durham had aspirations of becoming a sportswriter, but said it would be “more fun to be making news than writing the news.”
Durham said he wants to make sure the county’s financial situation is at its best, develop relationships and put in place the county’s strategic vision. He said he wants to interact with officials to find out their goals. Durham believes his subordinates would describe him as “loyal.” He also said being out in the community is vital.
Durham said he must give about 60 days’ notice to Windsor Heights before departing, per his employment agreement.