Eleven county commissioners who were elected in November 2024 were sworn into office today in Ottawa County. The new board is comprised of ten Republicans and one Democrat.

There are five new members of the Board, including:

• Jim Barry, District 1 (R)
• Jordan Jorritsma, District 2 (R)
• John Teeples, District 7 (R)
• Phil Kuyers, District 9 (R)
• Josh Brugger, District 10 (R)

The following commissioners served during the 2023–2024 term and were reelected in November 2024:

• Doug Zylstra, District 3 (D)
• Jacob Bonnema, District 4 (R)
• Joe Moss, District 5 (R)
• Kendra Wenzel, District 6 (R)
• Sylvia Rhodea, District 8 (R)
• Allison Miedema, District 11 (R)

The meeting started at 9:00am and lasted about two hours. Members of the legacy media were present during the meeting and interviewed commissioners afterwards.

County Clerk Justin Roebuck opened the meeting, the purpose of which was to elect board officers.

Twelve people gave public comment, including Democrat activists and one former Democrat candidate for commissioner who lost to Republican Commissioner Sylvia Rhodea in the November 2024 election.

• Jordan Jorritsma nominated John Teeples as Chairman
• Allison Miedema nominated Joe Moss as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners
• John Teeples received seven votes from Kuyers, Bonnema, Brugger, Teeples, Barry, Zylstra, and Jorritsma
• Joe Moss received four votes from Wenzel, Moss, Rhodea, and Moss

• Jacob Bonnema nominated Josh Brugger as Vice Chairman
• Kendra Wenzel nominated Joe Moss as Vice Chairman
• Josh Brugger received 7 votes from Kuyers, Bonnema, Brugger, Teeples, Barry, Zylstra, and Jorritsma
• Joe Moss received 4 votes from Wenzel, Moss, Rhodea, and Moss

“I don’t think that what the people of Ottawa County wanted in 2022 has changed all that much.

The people of this county voted for the Trump administration both in 2020 and again in 2024.

Trump was endlessly defamed and relentlessly attacked and had a great historical political comeback this November.

I believe Ottawa County sits in a similar position but timewise is somewhere between Trump’s first inauguration and his second. Let me explain.

Joe and Sylvia began a movement of the people to restore our constitutional freedoms and God-given rights. They uncovered what had been brought into our county—the disregard for our constitutional freedoms, pro-abortion resources being quietly shared, the un-American DEI department and an attack on childhood innocence.

This led to eight new commissioners being voted in in 2022 and taking our seats in 2023. I am grateful to have been one of them.

Then the 2023–2024 board received by and large what I call “The Trump treatment”. 100s of articles were written with headlines and material that were a far cry from the facts. Commissioners were misquoted, mischaracterized, and relentlessly attacked, and at times even from fellow Republican board members. Yet, this wasn’t truly an attack on us, but an attack on the people.

At the same time this was happening, the daily “in your face” constitutional battles were lessening as it related to Covid and our children.

And what has history shown us when things are going well in our own lives? We often quickly forget and simply continue being with our families, going to work, spending time with family and friends. This is not all bad. However, I do believe that once some of the dangers were not right in the faces of everyone on a daily basis (such as masking of our children, the one way arrows in grocery stores, the inability to purchase seeds for our gardens, etc.), many were not aware of other issues that were still happening here locally. In fact, I’ve met many individuals that aren’t aware of work that happens at a county level.

So why do I share this?

I believe this played out in the primary election season. The outcome of who was voted in and who wasn’t can’t be pinpointed on only one thing. There was the ongoing barrage of the media, a vast array of talents demonstrated already at this board level, campaign finances, an open primary, the normalization after Covid—which caused many to no longer pay attention or dig deeper and as a result many not showing up to the primary election, as well as two commissioners that chose not to seek another term.

I have heard from many of you that you truly want to serve the people well. We have been given an opportunity to come together on behalf of our community and each of us was voted into office by the people. And I believe each of you here has been placed by God. As I’ve been thinking through each of you that I will have the privilege of serving alongside of, I personally think there could be great wisdom in selecting two people to serve as chair and vice chair that might bring about some unity that focuses on the good work of the county, the Constitution, and our Republican principles. Additionally, these two people should demonstrate humbleness and be committed to truth and facts in their leadership roles. I believe that both Commissioners Moss and Rhodea have led the county very well. I also recognize that a large majority of this new board may want to have new leaders. I ask that you think about the people, what history has shown us, and consider voting for Commissioner Moss as either the Chair or Vice Chair alongside of potentially one of the five new commissioners.

I, alongside others in the community have appreciated Joe’s boldness, integrity, hard work ethic, supporting our constitutional rights as parents fighting against the system that suppressed our voices, godly leadership and governance, following the rule of law, calm demeanor, respect for all, his positive outlook, standing on truth and facts, noticing the hard work of many at the county, and continuing to remember that we are here to serve and protect the rights of ALL the citizens of Ottawa County, including the rights of children.

In the face of constant criticism mostly from the left and barrage from the press, like President Trump, Joe and Sylvia have had the backbone that was needed, the resolve, and were consistent with the America first constitutional mindset during their past two years of leadership.

So again, I ask that this board would greatly consider voting for Joe for either the Chair or Vice Chair position. Thank you for listening to my comments.”

After a second round of public comments, Commissioners Moss, Miedema, Brugger, Rhodea, and Teeples gave comment before the meeting ended.

January 2, 2025, Ottawa County Board of Commissioners Organizational Meeting.

Ideology is defined by Merriam-Webster, in part, as “the manner of thinking of an individual or group.”

Ideology also refers to a set of ideas and beliefs, especially one that forms the basis of political theory and policy.

Humans make decisions based on their education, personal experience, and manner of thinking, also called a worldview.

Worldview is defined by D. A. Carson in Christ and Culture Revisited as “nothing other than a view of the ‘world’—that is, of all reality.”

Worldview is important because it can describe how someone sees reality and interacts with it. These terms are sometimes used interchangeably.

Ottawa County Board of Commissioners
Regular Meeting
January 2, 2025

Ottawa County Administration Building
12220 Fillmore Street
West Olive, MI 49460