The Kalamazoo County Board appointed Deputy County Administrator Terrell Cole as interim County Administrator/Controller for six months, following Dr. Kevin Catlin’s departure to lead Chesterfield County, Virginia.
The board reviewed feedback gathered from employees, municipal partners, and community stakeholders on qualities desired in the county’s next leader, which commissioners said praised the current organizational culture under Dr. Catlin and deputies Terrell Cole and Lyndi Smith.
Discussion turned to whether the county should permanently separate the administrator and controller roles, which have been combined under one person since 2022. Chair Jen Strebs and Commissioner Abigail Wheeler argued the roles should eventually be split for long-term structural stability, while Vice Chair John Taylor and Commissioner Dale DeLeeuw said the board should decide on structure before selecting personnel, not after. Commissioner Monteze Morales, who put forward the motion to appoint Cole, said an interim period should prioritize continuity rather than restructuring while the county enters its budget season.
The motion passed 6-3, with Taylor, DeLeeuw, and Vice Chair Pro Tem Jeff Heppler opposed. During public comment, one resident criticized the board for making the appointment without a public comment period beforehand. Cole’s interim appointment allows the board time to determine whether to separate the roles permanently as part of a future national search for an administrator.
