OTTAWA COUNTY
Breaking the $42 million narrative
Published June 13, 2024
Written by Adams
Photography by Simply American
Why would someone from the Lansing area set up a website targeting the Ottawa County Board and the county budget?
Ottawa For Good Government
“Ottawa for Good Government” is a new nonprofit out of Okemos, Michigan. It was created nine months ago on September 29, 2023. The Resident Agent is listed as Eric Doster.
In addition to an Ottawa for Good Government website, a billboard has popped up on Lake Michigan Drive near 120th Avenue listing claims of “The Ottawa Board’s Spending Spree.” The billboard is attempting to show that Ottawa County’s budget has gone up $42 million since 2022, presumably after the current Board of Commissioners was sworn in.
The problem is, this is misleading.
WHEN THESE TYPES OF POLITICAL ATTACKS ARE LEVIED DURING A CAMPAIGN CYCLE, THE MAIN RESPONSE SHOULD BE TO ASK QUESTIONS.
Ask Questions
Following are five questions to assist in examining the $42 million fake news narrative.
First question:
Which Board of Commissioners is Ottawa for Good Government referring to?
There have been three different Boards since the 2022 budget.
• The 2021–22 Board, which approved the Fiscal Year 2022 budget, was chaired by Roger Bergman in 2021
• The 2022–23 Board, which approved the Fiscal Year 2023 budget, was chaired by Matt Fenske in 2022
• The 2023–24 Board, which approved the Fiscal Year 2024 budget, was chaired by Joe Moss in 2023
Second question:
Which Board approved the Fiscal Year 2023 (2022–23) budget that increased spending by $33 million?
The Board that was chaired by Matt Fenske.
Third question:
Which Board approved the Fiscal Year 2024 (2023–24) budget that increased spending by $9 million?
The Board that was chaired by Joe Moss.
Fourth question:
Where does the $42 million amount come from?
$33M + $9M = $42M
If you combine the increases between these two Boards, you get $42 million. It is misleading to attribute a $42 million increase to the current Board of Commissioners, since they approved the smallest increase in the past five years.
Fifth question:
Which Board approved a new budget (Fiscal Year 2024) with the lowest increase in recent history, at 3.59%?
The Board chaired by Joe Moss.
The county originally proposed a 5.6% increase, but the current Board worked with the county and reduced it to only a 3.59% increase.
The current Board also rejected unnecessary Covid grants and has carefully reviewed contracts and position requests to make sure they are actually needed. Some contracts and position requests have been rejected.
Budget Increases Over The Last Five Years
• 2019–2020: 7.3% increase (Board Chair Greg DeJong)
• 2020–2021: 4.7% increase (Board Chair Roger Bergman)
• 2021–2022: 11.9% increase (Board Chair Roger Bergman)
• 2022–2023: 10.7% increase (Board Chair Matt Fenske)
• 2023–2024: 3.59% increase (Board Chair Joe Moss)
Conclusion
It bears repeating that when these types of narratives are created during a campaign cycle, the main response should be to ask questions.
Local, state, and national news outlets continue to pump false narratives into the minds of Americans, no matter how far their ratings continue to fall.
Simply American exists to connect, inform, and inspire people with truthful journalism.
