Commissioners Reach Admin Contract With Uppal; Menzel To Leave In September

Following a 4-3 vote Wednesday by Grand Traverse County commissioners to approve her contract terms, Vicki Uppal is set to start in her new role as county administrator September 5. Current County Administrator Tom Menzel, meanwhile, reached a separate agreement with commissioners to leave his employment September 1 and work on a consulting basis for the county for the rest of the year.

Following negotiations between Uppal and Commission Chair Carol Crawford this past week to hammer out contract terms, commissioners debated the proposed agreement before signing off on a contract that includes an annual starting salary of $130,000. Crawford originally proposed paying $135,000, noting Uppal’s contract does not offer benefits common to past administrator agreements, such as car and cell phone allowances. “Lots of things went into this particular number,” Crawford said. “I thought carefully about what we’re asking her to do. I know that in the interview process, it was very clear that some commissioners feel she may be required to do this job without a deputy (administrator)…I don’t want her to feel devalued right out of the gate.”

But other commissioners expressed concerns the figure was at the top end of the posted salary range and incompatible with Uppal’s level of experience. While Uppal has served as the county administrator of Mississippi’s Washington County since 2015, most of her work experience has been in the private sector, including as a senior financial analyst and assistant to the chief financial officer at TI Automotive in Auburn Hills and as a program business manager and sales account manager at Troy's Delphi Corporation.

Commissioners agreed to lower Uppal’s salary to $130,000 – with some board members reiterating their desire to see that figure go even lower – and also reduced Uppal’s proposed severance pay from six months to three months of salary. Other approved benefits include a one-time reimbursement of up to $5,000 for moving expenses and 20 days of paid vacation annually. As with other non-union county employees, Uppal will be required to contribute 10 percent to her pension fund and 20 percent toward her health insurance premiums.

Commissioners Johnson, Ron Clous and Dan Lathrop – who all opposed offering Uppal the job at their August 2 board meeting – also opposed her contract terms. “When she gets here, I’ll do my best to help her be successful,” said Lathrop. “But I really don’t think she’s qualified for this. I hope she proves me wrong.”

Deputy Civil Counsel Christopher Forsyth reached Uppal by phone immediately following the board’s vote approving the contract. Uppal verbally agreed to the amended terms, clearing the way for her to start in her new role in just over three weeks.

Menzel, meanwhile, will vacate his desk days before Uppals’ arrival. Commissioners voted 6-1 to approve an agreement negotiated through both the county’s and Menzel’s lawyers to terminate his employment effective September 1. While the terms of Menzel’s employment contract call for him to receive three months’ severance pay, he and commissioners agreed instead that he'd receive his monthly salary of $9,375 through December in exchange for providing consulting services to the county. Commissioner Tom Mair opposed the motion, saying he preferred to see Menzel’s arrangement end after the prescribed three months instead of adding on a fourth.

Menzel’s consulting agreement calls for him to provide transitional support to Uppal, continue analysis of potential county cell tower agreements, and flesh out a training management and development plan for employees with the county’s human resources department. Under the terms of the termination and consulting agreement, Menzel is prohibited from making any county hiring or firing decisions without the approval of the board of commissioners between now and September 1.

“Mr. Menzel has worked hard for the county, and this is a really fair way to help the transition,” said Commissioner Cheryl Gore Follette of the agreement. “I have every confidence he’s going to be available to Vicki if she needs him.” Lathrop agreed Menzel “will be an invaluable person” to Uppal during the transition, while Crawford said she didn’t “want to lose (Menzel’s) knowledge” during the leadership changeover.

Menzel told The Ticker in a statement he was “grateful” for the opportunity to have worked for Grand Traverse County.

“I have always been given unending community support, which I am most appreciative of,” he said. “It has been most gratifying working with people who really care about their community. Being able to work with, mentor and learn from bright young professionals…tells me we have a bright future in this county, and I feel blessed that I was a part of that growth and development.”