Deputy County Admin on Medical Leave

Bill Reynolds, Washtenaw County’s deputy administrator, has been on medical leave from his job since April 8, and is expected to be out for at least the next few months. County administrator Verna McDaniel included the news in her May 9 monthly newsletter.

Reynolds’ paid leave is related to post-military issues. In his most recent military experience, Reynolds was deployed to Iraq in 2004 with a Marine Corps reserve unit, and was a senior officer leading civil/military operations in Al Anbar province. Diane Heidt, the county’s human resources and labor relations director, said that Reynolds is expected back on the job after he returns from medical leave.

Kelly Belknap, the county’s finance director, has been named interim deputy administrator, and was introduced with that title at a May 5, 2011 board working session. Pete Collinson, finance accounting manager, is now interim finance director – a role he held for several months following the retirement of Pete Ballios in 2009.

Reynolds has been on the job just under a year – the county board of commissioners approved his hire at their June 2010 meeting, and he started work on June 21, 2010, with a salary of $138,000. Reynolds was the first hire of McDaniel, who was deputy administrator under Bob Guenzel. Guenzel retired as county administrator in May 2010, and the board of commissioners promoted McDaniel into that job. Before coming to Washtenaw County, Reynolds was the administrator for Chippewa County, Wisc.