ADRIAN — Five finalists have been chosen for the position of Adrian city administrator and will be interviewed on Thursday, Aug. 14.

Amy Cell, president of search firm Yeo & Yeo, reported that 88 applications were received for the position. After vetting the applications, Cell brought 12 candidates before the city commission for their review. Under the Michigan Open Meetings Act, candidates in the early stages of a job search are able to request confidentiality, so a discussion was held in closed session before commissioners finalized their list.

Each candidate will have a 45-minute interview with commissioners, and the interviews will be public meetings, so the public is able to attend. In addition, a reception with the candidates will be held at 5 p.m. Aug. 14, giving residents an opportunity to talk with the five finalists.

The interview schedule is:

• 12:30 p.m. — Chad Baugh
• 1:15 p.m. — Jeremiah Davies
• 2 p.m. — William Sadler
• 2:45 p.m. — Elle Cole
• 3:30 p.m. — Ellis Mitchell

Chad Baugh is the police chief for Canton Charter Township in western Wayne County, where he has worked since 1996. As police chief, he has expanded community engagement initiatives, enhanced departmental diversity, and strengthened partnerships with local and federal agencies. He is a graduate of Madonna University and holds a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University. He also has a Certified Public Manager certificate from Saginaw Valley State University. He is currently a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police, and other regional law enforcement organizations. He is also a member of the Governor’s Organized Retail Crime Advisory Board and the Hegira Health Substance Use Disorder Advisory Board.

Jeremiah Davies has been the city of Adrian’s parks and recreation director since 2021. He oversees the department’s $3 million budget, manages the execution of the parks and recreation five-year capital improvement plan, and led the city’s initiative to restore Bohn Pool. Before becoming parks and recreation director, he served as the director of communications and community recreation for Adrian Public Schools. He is a graduate of Siena Heights University, earned a master’s degree from Adrian College, and holds 35 certificates from the International City/County Management Association.

William Sadler has been the city of Adrian’s utilities director since 2014. He is responsible for developing and managing an annual budget of around $12 million, planning and oversight of capital improvement projects, and supervising 38 employees. He is also responsible for the oversight of the city’s water treatment plant, wastewater treatment plant, water distribution system, and collections system. Before being named utilities director, he was superintendent of the city’s wastewater treatment plan. He is a graduate of Adrian College.

Elle Cole works for the city of Saline, where she is the city treasurer and deputy city manager, and recently served as acting city manager while the city manager position was vacant. As acting city manager, she was responsible for oversight of a $25 million general fund and $107 million capital improvement plan, forging relationships with regional partners, and being responsible for implementation of the city’s strategic plan. She has been the deputy city manager and treasurer since June 2022. She is a graduate of Michigan State University and holds a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University. She is currently a member of the Michigan Nonprofit Association, Michigan Municipal League, Michigan Government Finance Officers Association, Michigan Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and a variety of other organizations and associations. She is also a liaison of the Risk Mitigation Task Force and Finance Task Force.

Ellis Mitchell was the city manager of Benton Harbor until 2024, where his responsibilities included managing a drinking water crisis and developing a $28 million budget. Before serving as city manager, he was Benton Harbor’s mobility manaer. He is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley and holds a master’s degree from California State University at Hayward. He also has a Senior Executives in State and Local Government Management certificate from Harvard University. He is a member of the International City Management Association’s diversity committee, and previously served as a co-chair of the strategic planning committee for the same organization. He is also a member of the Missouri School Plant Managers Association, the American Management Association, The National Honor Society for Public Affairs and Administration (Pi Alpha Alpha), and other organizations.