Shelby hires new administrator, police chief.
By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.
SHELBY — The Shelby Village Council voted to hire a new village administrator and police chief during a regular council meeting Monday evening, Oct. 26.
The council voted 6-1 to hire Brady Selner as village administrator at a $65,000 yearly salary and voted unanimously to hire Steven Waltz as police chief at a $58,000 salary.
Councilman Dan Zaverl cast the lone dissenting vote due to a $25,000 bonus included as an incentive for Selner to stay for five years. “I can’t see giving him $25,000 to stay in Shelby,” said Zaverl. “That’s ridiculous.”
“I don’t call it a bonus — I call it an incentive compensation,” said Councilman Andy Near. “I’ve done this in the past with my employees. Why? Because I want them to stay five years. We’ve never had a village administrator stay five years because we haven’t had this role for very long.
“The bottom line is if he stays five years, he gets the bonus. And if he stays four years and nine months and he leaves, he doesn’t get the bonus. We can’t have turnover in this position every two or three years.”
Zaverl said he’s heard negative reaction from the public about the bonus.
Selner, of Norton Shores, is the planning and zoning director for Mason County, and Waltz, who lives in New Era, is a lieutenant for the Muskegon Police Department.
Selner is slated to begin duties Nov. 19, and Waltz will begin Nov. 9.
“I think he’s the guy for the job,” said Councilman John Sutton who chairs the personnel committee. “He seems smart and hardworking, and I’m looking forward to having him with the village,” he said of Selner. “He will be a great asset.”
“I just would like to thank you guys for the opportunity,” said Waltz to the council. “I am looking forward to starting in two weeks.”
“We look forward to having you on board,” said Village President Paul Inglis.
The Village of Shelby has been without a permanent police chief for two years after the resignation of Ryan Furman Oct. 31, 2018 and a village administrator for about three months following the resignation of Robert Widigan last July.
Former Oceana County Sheriff Robert Farber has been filling in as an interim police chief, and Bill Cousins, who has worked in many facets of local government in Michigan since 1988, has been serving as Shelby’s interim administrator.
The meeting was held via Zoom videoconferencing due to COVID-19.
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