Outgoing commissioners bid farewell as county board to have a new look next year

GAYLORD — When the Ostego County Board of Commissioners convene in January, several familiar faces will be missing as six of the nine members will be newcomers.

Departing commissioners include the following: Bruce Brown, Jason Caverson, Ken Glasser, Paul Liss and Rob Pallarito. Glasser decided not to seek another term while Brown, Caverson, Liss and Pallarito lost their bids for re-election in the August primary. Commissioner Julie Powers, who also declined to seek another term, resigned earlier this year so her successor, Terra Deming, could assume office.

Doug Johnson, Henry Mason and Brett McVannel are the only commissioners who will return in 2023.

At the board's final meeting of 2022 on Tuesday, Dec. 20, county administrator Matt Barresi thanked the departing commissioners for their service and presented those in attendance with a plaque. Brown and Pallarito did not attend the meeting.

The board will be losing a lot of experience as Glasser, who presided over his last meeting as county board chairman, put in 16 years, Liss had 22 years, while Caverson served the last two years.

"Be open minded and listen to the people and be true to yourself," Caverson replied when asked if he had any advice for his successor.

"Always listen to the end before you make a decision on a matter," said Glasser.

"We've left the county in great financial shape and we hope it continues," said Liss, paraphrasing Glasser's earlier remarks.

The new county board will hold an organizational meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 4, 2023, at the Otsego County Library in Gaylord to select a new county board chairman.

In other matters before the board, Jon Deming, the county emergency manager and director of the emergency medical service (EMS), said EMS is dealing with an employee shortage.

This is straining the remaining EMS workers as many have had to work overtime. Deming said in 2019 before COVID-19, EMS has 36 staffers.

"Now we are down to 27, which includes me," he said.

Deming said he has to compete with other EMS departments in Northern Michigan and in the state when he attempts to recruit new employees.

He also said that supply chain issues have delayed the arrival of a new ambulance, which he hopes to receive sometime next year.

SubscribeCheck out our offers and read the local news that matters to you

Lisa McComb, executive director of the Otsego County Economic Alliance, said the county had $42 million of private investment this year. It included new or expanded buildings for existing businesses, new health care facilities, a new motel, several restaurants and a tavern.

McComb said the county is scheduled for $100 million in investment in 2023, led by a new Marriott hotel that is slated for the property formerly occupied by the Otsego County Grand Event Center on Wisconsin Avenue in Gaylord, the development of a solar panel field on the old Georgia Pacific property, new apartments and single-family housing, and an expansion at the Kirtland Community College MTEC Center in Gaylord.

— Contact reporter Paul Welitzkin at pwelitzkin@gaylordheraldtimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Outgoing commissioners bid farewell as Otsego County looks to next year