ALLEGAN COUNTY – Following the unexpected death of longtime Commissioner Dean Kapenga earlier this month, the Allegan County Board of Commissioners is searching for candidates to fill the remainder of his term.
Kapenga, 69, died Aug. 5 after suffering a stroke a few days earlier. He was first elected to the Allegan County Board of Commissioners in 2006 after three decades in law enforcement and was re-elected eight times.
State law requires the remaining board to appoint a successor within 30 days. The board has until Sept. 4 to make the appointment. That person will serve for the remainder of Kapenga’s elected term, which ends Dec. 31.
Applications will be accepted until Monday, August 19th at 5:00 p.m. Interested candidates can apply through the county website at allegancounty.org/jobs. The position is advertised as “Allegan County Commissioner – Board Appointed.”
More: “He gave a lot”: Longtime Allegan County Commissioner Dean Kapenga dies at age 69
To be eligible for the seat, candidates must be residents and registered voters in Allegan County Board District 3. District 3 includes the cities of Douglas, Saugatuck and Fennville, and the townships of Casco, Cheshire Clyde, Ganges, Lee, Manlius and Saugatuck – as well as a small portion of South Haven within Allegan County boundaries.
“Experience and familiarity with the district administration” are desirable, the job advertisement states.
Duties include attending meetings of the full board and committees to which the commissioner is assigned, as well as meetings of committees of “other civic entities” to which the commissioner is appointed; preparing for meetings by reviewing documents and reports; and staying informed on national, state and local issues and policies in which county government plays a role.
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Commissioners will receive a salary — starting at $24,780 per year — and benefits. More information, including meeting schedules and board rules, can be found in the posting. Anyone with questions can contact the county administration at 269-673-0239.
The Allegan County Board of Commissioners will next meet on Thursday, August 22, with a planning session at 9 a.m., followed by a meeting at 1 p.m.
— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at [email protected].
