WEST OLIVE, Mich. — Division continues to grow in Ottawa County. Now, there's pushback against the effort to recall commissioner Lucy Ebel.
Proposito, a Latino-based organization in Michigan, held a press conference Wednesday to show their support for Ebel, calling the recall racially targeted because Ebel is the only Latino commissioner.
“We just want to bring it to everybody's attention what's happening here. We want to make sure that the Latino community understands that, you know, [if] Lucy gets recalled, if this all goes through, we've lost our voice on this board,” Proposito State Director Cindy Amante said.
Ebel spoke at the press conference, thanking her supporters and promising to lean on her faith through this time.
“Jesus is Lord over Ottawa County,” Ebel said and urged her dozens of supporters present to repeat her declarations. “I speak life to Ottawa County."
Ebel stood alongside Proposito, a group that helps support the Hispanic community, through education and other activities, to thrive in America.
The gathering came just two days after a constituent in Ebel’s district filed paperwork to recall her.
“I have a deep respect for freedom and the American dream. I'm disappointed that this group of individuals has decided to start the recall process against me," Ebel added.
Larry Jackson from Park Township started the push to get Ebel out of her seat, which she has had for about six months. He says his filing has nothing to do with her heritage.
"I would say people will say anything to cling to power. And that won't, that won't stop the voters from District Two from exercising our First Amendment right to petition for a recall," Jackson told FOX 17 Wednesday.
Jackson did write on the petition that Ebel voted to correct the previous board of commissioners' decision to appoint Adeline Hambley as the county's top health officer.
Hambley is currently fighting through the legal system to keep her position after the new board worked to put their pick, Nathaniel Kelly, into the position back in January.
"I respect the process and will act based upon the review of the language. Just know that I will stand tall and continue to fight for the constituents of Ottawa County," Ebel said.
She is among the several commissioners backed by the conservative group Ottawa Impact.
Sitting on the board, she often votes along with Ottawa Impact board members and their ultra-conservative values and beliefs.
Back at their first board meeting, Ebel motioned and succeeded in eliminating the Diversity-Equity and Inclusion Department within Ottawa County— a department that had an objective to recruit and retain a culturally rich and diverse workforce.
"I was glad. You know, to be honest, you know, a lot of us do not support that diversity and equity. Latinos are hard workers. You know, we want to get jobs based on our merits and based on our hard work. We don't want something just handed out to us," Amante told FOX 17.
Ebel declined to comment further following the press conference.
An election commission has scheduled a hearing for July 17 to hear more about this recall petition.
