Marshall County Plan Commission hires Lydia Dutton as Plan Director

Friday, January 10, 2025 at 12:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

The Marshall County Plan Commission hired Lydia Dutton from Starke County as the new Marshall County Plan Director.

A hiring committee of Jeff Gustafson, Dave Hostetler, Stan Klotz, and Deb Johnson reviewed the resumes and determined which candidates would get a full interview by the Plan Commission. The selected Dutton and the entire County Plan Commission had an executive session to interview the candidate.

In a special meeting on Monday, January 6, with five of the nine members of the Plan Commission, just enough for a quorum (Deb Johnson, Craig Cultice, Stan Klotz, Terri Barnhart, and Brieanna Slonaker) conducted a brief interview and hired the new plan director.

Lydia Dutton is a University of Massachusetts Boston graduate who earned a Master’s Certification in Planning and Grant Writing in 2021. She completed her undergraduate studies at Michigan State University, graduating with a degree in Landscape Architecture in 2005.

When asked about her experiences, she said, “My interest in professional categories of work led me to pursue additional degrees and certifications in legal science, real estate, and property law in 2014. I have more than ten years of experience working with agricultural conservation, urban and regional planning, and water resource management. This included employment with state and county governments as an administrator for property deeds, zoning, and land use regulations.”

Dutton told GIANT fm WTCA, “My most recent experience with federal and state programs relevant to Marshall County’s Comprehensive Plan will support community partnerships for rural, urban, and suburban development and farmland preservation. I hope to provide Marshall County and its residents with site planning solutions and goals for resource conservation, economic development, and environmental health.”

Lydia Dutton's first day working for the county was Thursday.