Yoder to serve as County Administrator

St. Joseph County administrator Pat Yoder will shed his “interim” label at the start of the year.

Yoder, a 65-year-old Sturgis resident, was given a one-year contract Tuesday to serve as the full-fledged county administrator. He has been serving in an interim basis since April, following the January retirement of Judy West-Wing.

Yoder will receive a $105,000 base salary for the year. In addition, terms of his employment starting Jan. 1 include full benefits, a $500-per-month car allowance and five weeks of vacation. Unused vacation days can be rolled over into the following year or paid out upon the end of his employment.

Commissioner Allen Balog said he and board chairman John Dobberteen met with Yoder last week and reviewed feedback yielded by the five-member board regarding Yoder’s nine-month performance. With everyone’s input, Balog said, the commission agreed to extend an offer to stay on as administrator in a permanent capacity.