Leelanau County is facing yet another setback in its search for a finance leader. Sean Cowan, who had been serving as the county’s finance director since June, recently resigned from his position. Cowan had also taken on the newly-created role of chief financial officer (CFO) for the county government but has now officially stepped down. The resignation comes after Cowan expressed concerns about lacking the necessary resources, authority, staff, and executive support to effectively carry out his duties. This is the fifth time the finance director role has been vacated since its inception in January 2022.
In an attempt to retain Cowan, the county made some structural changes by creating the finance committee and offering him the role of CFO. However, despite initially agreeing to the offer and viewing it as an opportunity to move things in the right direction, Cowan has ultimately decided to leave. Leelanau County Board of Commissioners Chair Ty Wessell stated that the finance committee will meet to discuss the next steps in the search for a new finance leader. It is unlikely that the board will attempt to convince Cowan to rescind his resignation for a second time.
The continuous turnover in the finance director position highlights the ongoing struggles faced by Leelanau County in finding a suitable candidate. The county has dealt with financial department woes since the beginning of 2022, and the repeated vacancies in the role hinder its stability. Moving forward, the county will need to address the systemic issues that have contributed to the difficulties in attracting and retaining a finance leader. The finance committee and board of commissioners will work together to develop a recommended plan to address this ongoing challenge.
