Council extends contract for interim manager

By Megan Kelley
Staff Writer
LAKE ORION — The Lake Orion Village Council is holding their first round of interviews for their ongoing village manager search this Friday beginning at 4 p.m. at Village Hall in downtown Lake Orion.
The council is expected to interview five candidates with up to 40 minutes each set aside for each candidate, with a five minute break in between interviews.
These interviews will not be televised but instead will be recorded and are expected to be viewable by the public after all interviews have taken place.
Interviews should be available 24-48 hours after completion on the Orion Neighborhood Television website, www.orionontv.org.
The Lake Orion Review will have coverage of the interviews in the Oct. 5 issue.
During the council’s regular meeting on Sept. 26, Councilmember Michael Lamb spoke out again saying that he believes the village manager search should be postponed until after the November election, stating that a change in council could impact the decision.
Lamb added that if there is a change in the makeup up the council, a new council might not want the manager selected by the current council.
“I think we’re rushing this,” said resident Nancy Moshier, who is running for village council on the November ballot, during public comments. “This is a very important position that is going to impact everybody in this community and I don’t want to rush it.”
Council President Ken Van Portfliet said that he did not see it as “rushing” and he wished to continue the search process.
“I think that our community is strong and as much as we tend to disagree upon certain items that we have, we have a good community that everyone is participating in is, with consideration, in the best possible behalf and future of the community,” Van Portfliet said.
The final candidate selection will not take place on Friday; rather, the council will decide if they would like to do second round interviews after all council members have had the opportunity to watch and review first-round interviews.
Council Member Teresa Rutt said she could not attend the interviews and would review the interviews later. She asked if there would be an opportunity for all council members to vote or if the council was anticipating making a selection on Friday.
Council Member Doug Hobbs said he would not be in favor of making a selection until all seven council members had an opportunity to weigh in on the candidates.
The council is expected to address the village manager search and interviews during its Oct. 10 meeting.
Interim manager contract extended
In the same vein, the council also voted to extend interim manager D. Wayne O’Neal’s contract by up to 90 days.
O’Neal started as interim manager on June 28 for a 90-day period putting his end date at Sept. 26.
O’Neal is expected to interview for the village manager position on Friday.
Should he not be selected, he can be dismissed from the interim position without cause with a two week notice.