We know it’ll be hard for those of us who have to work, but we urge as many Alpena County residents as can make it to attend the Alpena County Board of Commissioners’ interviews with three finalists for the open county administrator position.

The interviews begin at noon Friday at the county annex building, 719 W. Chisholm St., and are expected to last several hours.

The finalists include former Alpena County administrator Jeff Thornton, former Gladwin County administrator Mark Justin, and current Alpena County Commissioner Jesse Osmer.

The county administrator is an important position, in charge of overseeing department heads and day-to-day operations at the county on behalf of the county board. The position pays up to $115,000, a sizeable chunk of change for a county looking at a steep budget deficit this year.

We think the public ought to participate in the hiring process by hearing what the finalists have to say about their pasts and their ideas for the county’s future and then sharing with the county board which applicant they think will best serve the county.

The ultimate decision on who will run Alpena County falls to the county board, but we urge the county board to listen to the public’s thoughts.