Interim County Administrator Gary Rosema shared with the Planning and Policy Committee that the Board’s resolution letter had been sent and that a response was expected this week. Rosema said the Board could anticipate what the response will be—to which Commissioner Allison Miedema clarified to mean the Public Service Commission will hold firm to keeping the closure going and not step in.

• Miedema said that the Michigan Constitution, Article 7, Section 15, gives authority to the Board to enter, or to intervene in, any action or certificate proceeding involving the service charges or rates of any privately-owned public utility furnishing services or commodities to rate payers within the county.

• Miedema shared a similar case study in which 75 of Michigan’s 83 counties went up against the Michigan Public Service Commission regarding local government control to regulate green energy projects. “From my perspective,” Miedema said, “I think we do have the authority to enter into a legal pursuit if we so choose. I think it’s really important to our community that we take this very seriously. It’s not something that we just enter into frivolously. I think we have done our due diligence.”

• Commissioner Josh Brugger said that he felt the Board had done its job by writing the resolution. He added that he appreciated that the Board could challenge the Public Service Commission, but that he thought the decision was a state or federal level issue and wanted to leave it at that.

• Commissioner Sylvia Rhodea suggested looking more into the executive orders and that maybe as a county, the Board should ask those at the federal level to look into the situation. Rhodea echoed Miedema’s concern that time is running out.

• Miedema added that though she would appreciate the help of the federal government, she didn’t want to act as though the Board didn’t have any form of control when they had been elected to serve the people in Ottawa County. She said they do have the power; the Constitution tells them that. “I don’t want it just to be a scapegoat to send it to the federal level,” Miedema said.

The discussion ended with the decision to have Commissioners Jordan Jorritsma and Jacob Bonnema draft a resolution to petition Intergovernmental Affairs which will then be voted on at the next Board meeting.

• Those concerned over the logo issue are suffering from Moss Derangement Syndrome. The overreaction to such miniscule things is “silly.”
• There’s no reason why elected representatives shouldn’t be using a logo of the county they were elected to represent.
• It is perplexing that letters haven’t been written in the past. Commissioners have not recognized that they have a voice in the community, and that that voice matters.
• Teeples isn’t giving citizens enough credit. We have smart citizens here in Ottawa County—we’re one of the most highly educated counties in the state of Michigan—and they can tell that when there is a name on a letter, that the letter is coming from that name. Teeples is making assumptions about the cognition of the constituents, which is just wrong.
• Representative Bill Huizenga posted on Facebook on April 4, that he had sent a letter to The Honorable Jocelyn Benson using Congress of the United States letterhead. Huizenga doesn’t have direct authority over Benson but does have a position where he can speak into his concerns and the concerns of the people of Michigan.
• Constituents have shared for months about what is heavy on their hearts. They’re facing discrimination—violation of civil rights, freedom of speech, conscience, and religion—at levels to where there are investigations going on into GVSU. And so yes, it is 100% appropriate to write a letter on their behalf and ask GVSU to take a look at this. Do commissioners have direct authority to force Grand Valley to do anything? No. But they are a voice for their constituents.
• When Commissioner Moss wrote a letter to Grand Valley, he was representing his points of view and his constituents’. He was speaking for them. He has constituents who live in his district to go to GVSU who are struggling with these same things. It was completely appropriate for him to be their advocate.
• The logo also is in commissioner emails. Is the plan to now look at each email? Do commissioners need to have votes on the emails sent out that have logos on them? How far will this be taken?
• The issue is that this is a non-issue. This was a matter of individuals wanting to exert control and squash the voices of other individuals. There’s a desire for absolute control here on the Board from people who ran on “good governance.” Somehow the Board has become an authoritarian state. There are commissioners who have become the things they were accusing Joe Moss of. Why do those commissioners feel the need to control everybody’s speech?

• Commissioner Jordan Jorritsma agreed that the issue shouldn’t be an issue, and that it would be such an easy compromise to add “From the desk of.” He continued that he thought the reason the discussion was happening was not to shut down anyone and that writing letters is a resource commissioners should have and use.

The discussion concluded with Commissioner Phil Kuyers asking Rosema to draw up an addition to policy 3.1 that includes, “From the desk of.”

Ottawa County Medical Director Gwen Unzicker shared that as of April 3, 2025, there are 607 cases of measles across 22 states. Of those cases, Michigan has four, with only one case in nearby Kent County. Even so, the Health Department is preparing for an outbreak by talking to schools and making sure there are adequate supplies.

Unzicker explained that the Health Department honors non-medical waivers for vaccination, but those who are not vaccinated, also referred to as the “non-immune,” will have a different protocol in the event of an exposure. A non-immune child who is “exposed” will be removed from a “shared space,” such as a classroom, for 21 days. The protocol is meant to be “protective” rather than a punishment. This consequence is discussed with those seeking a waiver appointment. Unzicker added that she knows vaccination is a personal decision, but that the Health Department wants people to know how to prepare if that decision affects others in the community.

• Miedema’s concern was that in Unzicker’s summary of what is said in a waiver appointment, she didn’t hear mention of the potential side effects from the MMR vaccines. There is a whole list of potential side effects just as there are side effects if someone chooses not to get a vaccine. Miedema said she wants the vaccine presented in a fair way. “I really want to hear both perspectives,“ Miedema continued, “so that I can’t even know what your ideology is, that you are presenting both.” Miedema wanted people coming in to be able to make the best decision based on the information being provided, and for people to take the time to research.

• Rhodea interjected that Vitamin A is important, and that it might be good for people to think about finding a natural health provider. Additionally, she recommended the book, The Vaccine-Friendly Plan. Dr. Paul’s Safe and Effective Approach to Immunity and Health from Pregnancy through your Child’s Teen Years, adding that the book gives a good overview to help people make decisions about specific vaccines as well as heath tips whether you’re vaccinated or not.

• Unzicker discouraged adding Vitamin A without talking to a doctor.

• Commissioner Kendra Wenzel asked what the chance is of children getting measles who are vaccinated.

• Unzicker replied that though two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective, they aren’t 100% effective. Those children who are vaccinated and exposed can carry it to the non-immune.

• Rhodea said she highly disagrees with removing healthy children from school, but that she knows Unzicker was put in this position by MDHHS and the legislature. Rhodea encouraged parents to talk to their legislature and advocate for change.

• Rhodea asked Unzicker to be very careful in how broad she makes the exclusion when there is an exposure, reminding her of Jenison’s experience a decade ago when approximately 20 kids were excluded. “It’s a kind of punishment, even though it’s not meant to be,” Rhodea said.

April 10, 2025 Ottawa County Planning & Policy Committee meeting.

Ottawa County Board of Commissioners
Planning & Policy Committee
April 10, 2025

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