Ortonville- The Village of Holly voted 5 to 2 Tuesday night extending an offer to current Village Manager Paul Zelenak for the position of Holly Village Manager. Holly council members Don Winglemire and Shirley Campbell voted against the offer. Winglemire declined comment following the vote.
Peter Clemens, Village of Holly council president said the next step will include discussing a salary compensation package with Zelenak. A meeting between the Village of Holly attorney and Zelenak will be scheduled in the next few weeks.
‘We put three of top candidates through some pretty rigorous interviews and now we must limit it to one,? said Clemens. ‘Paul would make a great village manager.?
Zelenak had two interviews with the Village of Holly in October and November. He was selected from 52 candidates.
Zelenak, 41 was offered the position which has been open since last July when Holly Village Manager Tom Ault accepted a new position in Ohio. He had served about two years.
Prior to the Holly council vote, the Village of Ortonville council in closed session on Monday night extended a 6 percent salary increase to Zelenak.
‘Paul has no contract with the village,? said Sue Bess, village president. ‘We understand that the village is a stepping-stone to other positions. Paul has kept me appraised of the situation over the past few months. There’s so much going on in the village right now’it would be a detriment to lose him.?
Zelenak has been Ortonville village manager since October 2001, and replaced Pete Auger who accepted a similar position in Davison. Zelenak previously served 13 years with the administration at the City of Rochester Hills.
‘Right now I’ve not made a decision’for me everything has to be right,? said Zelenak. ‘I’m still in the process of decision making. I enjoy what I’m doing here in Ortonville’it’s not an easy decision to make. The council and residents have been very supportive of me.?
The Village of Holly, is located in northwestern Oakland County and has a population of about 6,200.