Retired Prosecutor Michael Sepic has been appointed as the Interim Berrien County Administrator.
The Berrien County Board of Commissioners on Thursday approved the recommendation from the Personnel and Human Services Committee as current County Administrator Brian Dissette leaves the job at the end of the week.
Committee chair Bob Harrison tells us Sepic’s name was mentioned to him several times as he sought out potential interim candidates.
“I met with members of the executive committee, talked through the alternatives, and then his name, given his experience and skills when he was served as a prosecutor, he rose to the top of the list,” Harrison said.
Harrison says Sepic has the background to do the job.
“He’s retired from the county, knows the county well, knows some of the financial systems that we use, as well as the key players, key leaders within the county. And he’s very familiar with a number of the members of the county board.”
Harrison says all of those things checked the boxed commissioners had established. He says Sepic, who still lives in Stevensville, is willing and able to help.
“He was very eager. He’s very appreciative of his service for Bering County when he was a full-time employee, and he just sees this as a great opportunity to give back those years of service. So I’m very excited to have someone with that level of interest and desire to help the county during the transition of administrators. Consider next week at their meeting.”
Harrison is planning to submit a resolution to the board of commissioners next week to hire a search firm as the county seeks a permanent administrator.
“It won’t be quick, and we’re looking forward to having a degree of interest from not only locally but around the state in the position.”
Harrison expects the process to take two to four months.
Sepic served as the Berrien County Prosecutor from 2013 to 2020. He was also an assistant prosecuting attorney for the county from 1988 to 2013. Outgoing County Administrator Brian Dissette tells us he has immense respect for Sepic, and the board couldn’t have chosen a better interim administrator.
