Grand Traverse County Administrator Dave Benda is a finalist for the open position of Traverse City manager, Benda confirmed to The Ticker.

City staff are expected to release the names of confidential applicants today (Thursday) who earned a first-round interview May 1-2 based on commissioners' votes Monday night. One candidate who did not request confidentiality, James Drumm of Florida, also made the final cut. Benda says he was notified his name is on the short list.

“I’ve always wanted to try working as a city manager versus a county administrator,” Benda says. “I think it would be an interesting job. I have good relationships with most of the folks I’d be working with. It would be an easy transition.”

The news comes as a “silver lining” for Benda after Grand Traverse County commissioners abruptly voted 5-2 last week to inform the county administrator of their intent to non-renew his contract, which expires at the end of 2015. The decision generated less than 10 minutes of discussion and did not include a performance review nor detailed explanation. Under his contract terms, Benda could either stay until December 31 or leave anytime prior to seek other employment while collecting six months’ salary and benefits.

Though Benda told The Ticker last week he hoped to stay on long enough to oversee the hiring of new directors for human resources and the Commission on Aging and to finalize other county affairs, he said further discussions with some commissioners this week “made it clear” his involvement in those decisions was no longer desired. In a Tuesday meeting with Commissioner Christine Maxbauer and Deputy Civil Counsel Christopher Forsyth to review separation agreement terms, Benda agreed to depart effective May 1.

Following that meeting, Maxbauer asked Commission on Aging Director Georgia Durga – who had announced her retirement effective May 15 – to stay on as leader of that department. Durga confirms to The Ticker she accepted and announced to her staff Wednesday she’d be “postponing her retirement,” though the county is in the midst of an active search process for her successor -- and personnel decisions still technically remain under Benda’s jurisdiction.

Commissioners Ron Clous and Addison “Sonny” Wheelock – who both opposed Benda’s ouster last week – expressed concern Wednesday over Benda’s accelerated departure date and the offer to Durga.

“I believe both of these issues should have been discussed publicly by the county board before any of these offers were made,” says Wheelock. “It’s absolutely not (appropriate). Hopefully we will have more discussion at next week’s board meeting.”

Maxbauer did not return email and phone requests for comment.

While county commissioners will have one more opportunity to retain Benda’s services at their April 29 board meeting, Benda says he expects the vote to remain 5-2 and that a May 1 separation agreement will be finalized. But with other opportunities on the horizon, Benda calls the split with the county an “amiable” one and says he believes he can work with county commissioners in the future should he be offered the position of city manager.

“I believe I’d actually be very effective working with the county,” Benda says. “I don’t have any animosity toward any board members. They didn’t say I did a bad job; they said they wanted to go in a different direction.”

Benda says that his career “has always been about figuring out what the community needs and wants” and working to make that happen. “Whether it’s with the county or the city doesn’t matter to me,” he says. “I’d like to keep doing good work with the public’s business.”