Groton hires Michigan administrator as its new town manager
Groton — The Groton Town Council has hired John Burt, the county administrator for Otsego, Mich., as its new town manager.
Burt, 46, who has served as county administrator since 2006, starts in Groton on July 5. He will take over for Mark Oefinger, who is retiring after 15 years as town manager and more than 30 years of service to the town. The town conducted a national search for his replacement.
Mayor Bruce Flax said the council was drawn to Burt’s economic development experience.
“He has the skills and experience we need,” Flax said in a prepared statement. “There’s no question he’s stepping into a challenging position at a challenging time based on all of the uncertainty in Hartford, but we are confident we’ve found the right person for the job.”
Burt said he's eager to move to Groton and was attracted to the community because of its location, amenities and opportunities for growth.
“Groton kind of reminds me of a county because we have cities, villages and townships. I have had a lot of experience working with diverse groups and I like to have a lot going on,” he said Saturday.
As county administrator, Burt managed a budget of $33 million and more than 130 employees. He played an active role in managing county departments, a regional airport, emergency management services, 911 dispatch, all land use services, grants, parks and recreation and human resources. He said there was friction between Otsego County and the City of Gaylord before he arrived, but he developed a close working relationship with the city manager.
Burt also served on the board of directors of the Otsego County Economic Alliance and promoted economic development, including airport expansion, the establishment of a natural gas plan and the creation of a downtown development authority.
As administrator, Burt worked to combine the county's dispatch center with the state of Michigan's. "It made sense for us," he said. The new system has been in place for about three years and has worked well for the county, he said.
Before his role as county administrator, Burt served as director of Berrien County Planning and GIS Mapping, which included management of public works, the harbor authority, the bus system, solid waste and planning.
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