The abrupt dismissal Friday of Grand Traverse County’s second highest-ranking official drew surprised reactions and criticism from some county commissioners, who felt the termination was politically motivated.

Deputy County Administrator Jennifer DeHaan was presented with a termination letter late Thursday afternoon by County Administrator Vicki Uppal and Deputy Civil Counsel Christopher Forsyth, who told DeHaan she could either resign or be fired. After thinking over the decision overnight, DeHaan declined to resign, leading to her termination Friday, according to accounts from both DeHaan and Uppal.

Uppal stated in the termination letter she harbored concerns about DeHaan’s “poor performance as deputy administrator” since starting in her role as county administrator September 5. “Specifically, you have shown unprofessionalism and poor communication skills when engaging with individuals both inside and outside the organization, and have been resistant to the direction of the new administration,” Uppal wrote to DeHaan. “Unfortunately, you have not shown improvement. Given this poor performance and lack of improvement, effective immediately, you are terminated as deputy county administrator.”

DeHaan, who was hired in January 2016 by former county administrator Tom Menzel, says she believes her firing was politically motivated and driven by new incoming commissioners who disagreed with Menzel’s administration and associated her with it.

“Since January 1, 2017 when the new board took control, I have known that there is a target on my back, as several board members have publicly and vocally attacked and disparaged me and refused to meet with any member of county administration,” DeHaan wrote to Uppal. “This has been an issue and concern that other staff and I have communicated on numerous occasions to various members of county leadership, including the board chair, human resources director and you as the county administrator.”

DeHaan objects to the characterization of her firing as performance-related, telling The Ticker “there had been no documented performances issues that were indicative that this action was pending” or disciplinary or probationary measures taken prior to her termination. In her memo to Uppal, DeHaan outlines a list of activities she undertook to help the new county administrator transition into her role and contribute to the administrative operations of the county.

“Over just the past two months that you have been the county administrator, I have worked to draft memos on your behalf to the board and to employees, I have worked to strategically address budget and operation concerns such that you could present a balanced budget, I have driven the success of a much-needed program for our seniors for transit (COAST), I have led the charge to implement an electronic records system at the Commission on Aging, and I have worked to transition the COA to a new director,” DeHaan wrote. Calling performance criticisms an attempt to “discharge (her) for unfounded reasons,” DeHaan said she would leave holidng her "head up high to the standards, ethics and integrity of serving in the position of deputy county administrator.”

County Commissioners Ron Clous and Dan Lathrop expressed disappointment in DeHaan’s firing Friday, saying they agreed with her assessment the decision was politically motivated. They also had harsh words for Uppal, for whom the firing was one of her first major personnel decisions on the job.

“I knew (DeHaan) had a target on her back from day one of Vicki being there,” says Lathrop. “The tone toward Jen when Tom left by many of the other commissioners was very accusatory and negative and fault-finding. I think it was inevitable….but a big mistake.” Lathrop says Dehaan did an “A-plus job” and that he heavily relied on her expertise when making decisions. “When Vicki says she was unprofessional, I’ve never seen anything like that come out of Jen,” he says. “I think that statement was contrived and somehow the administrator felt pressured by certain board members.”

Clous concurs, specifically naming Chair Carol Crawford and Commissioners Sonny Wheelock, Tom Mair and Cheryl Gore Follette as the board members he believes influenced the firing. “Vicki is a puppet for other commissioners,” he says. “Jen did a fine job, and anytime I needed information, Jen was the one I would ask who would get it to me.”

While Mair and Gore Follette – along with Commissioner Bob Johnson – did not return requests for comment, Crawford denies influencing DeHaan’s termination, saying hiring and firing decisions are the purview of Uppal and not commissioners. While she says “it’s possible” other commissioners spoke with Uppal about DeHaan, Crawford says she herself “didn’t pressure Vicki in any way to do anything. Those are her employees, and I don’t have anything to do with that. I made it clear it’s not my place to make those decisions.”

Wheelock – who has publicly questioned the need for the county to employ a deputy administrator in the past – says he has “not been happy with (DeHaan’s) performance from the beginning,” He declined to elaborate further on his assessment or discussions surrounding it.

DeHaan says she hopes to remain in Grand Traverse County, but is exploring employment opportunities in other communities as well as here. Menzel says he believes “there will be a lot of organizations who will look favorably on her joining their team.”

“She was the cream of the crop…she was very ethical, honest, professional and competent,” he says. “She is very forward-thinking, which is badly needed in the public sector today.”

Uppal could not be reached for comment Friday, but told The Ticker by email that she plans to hire a new deputy administrator in the future. Several commissioners indicated they wanted to have discussions about the position prior to another deputy administrator being hired, but were willing to talk about it as part of this fall’s budget planning process for 2018. Uppal announced in an email to commissioners Friday that County Director of Community Development and Codes Jean Derenzy will serve as Interim Deputy Administrator until the position can be permanently filled.