Kalamazoo County Administrator/Controller Dr. Kevin A. Catlin has resigned, and the Board of Commissioners is moving quickly to determine what the county’s leadership structure will look like once he departs.
The board held a special meeting on June 23rd — mostly in closed session — to review legal counsel’s advice on administrative succession options. When commissioners returned to open session, Chair Jen Strebs confirmed that Dr. Catlin will remain with the county through August 14th and is already relocating to Chesterfield, Virginia.
“We’ve been very fortunate in the service of Dr. Catlin,” Strebs said. “Been a very skilled and qualified administrator and we’re very grateful for that.”
The board passed two motions before adjourning. The first directs administration to gather input from county department heads, employees, municipal leaders, and township supervisors on the qualities sought in the county’s next administrator — whether that position is filled on an interim or full-time basis — and to bring that feedback to the board by July 7th. The second motion directs Dr. Catlin to work closely with the county’s finance department on preparation of the 2027 budget during the transition period.
Commissioners were clear that July 7th is not a decision meeting. The board intends to receive and discuss the stakeholder feedback at that meeting, with the appointment decision coming later — and with all nine commissioners present.
Commissioner John Gisler noted at the meeting that he planned to personally reach out to all 15 township supervisors in Kalamazoo County to encourage them to submit input through whatever channel administration establishes.
One member of the public offered perspective on the moment. Jane Ghosh of Discover Kalamazoo noted that the county’s leadership transition is part of a broader wave of administrative change across the region — with new leadership arriving or pending at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, the city of Kalamazoo, and the city of Portage all within the past year. She offered Discover Kalamazoo’s assistance in supporting the transition.
County employees and community members who wish to provide input on the administrator search can contact the Board of Commissioners at 269-384-8111 or through the contact form at kalcounty.gov.
