OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Ottawa County is looking at a new future after a newly elected Board of Commissioners voted for new leaders.
Commissioner John Teeples was voted in as chairperson, and Commissioner Josh Brugger was elected as vice chairperson.
Tepples did take a moment to address county employees, the public and fellow commissioners.
“Today, we begin anew,” Teeples said.
Several people commented their hopefulness to see a different direction compared to the past two years.
“It is a beautiful morning in Ottawa County. The snow outside is refreshing, and now here in the boardroom, we're going to refresh the commission, and I'm so looking forward to that,” Vern Jones said.
The new chairperson took time to talk to the media following the meeting to discuss his vision for moving the county forward.
“I just feel optimistic about the future of Ottawa County. This meeting today was, I think, a good step in the right direction for healing,” Teeples added.
Ottawa Impact (OI) commissioners, who no longer have a majority after two years, nominated Commissioner Joe Moss back as chairperson. Earlier in the meeting, people took time to thank the OI commissioners for their decisions over the past couple of years.
“I especially have to thank Joe Moss for the way that he led the BOC these last two years, removing the Marxist DEI policies, changing the model back to where freedom rings, and doing the necessary research on where county funds are being spent," Harvey Nickel said.
In the end, Moss lost 7-4. The four votes included Moss and the remaining OI commissioners.
“I think we're going to find ways to move forward based on the Republican platform, based on truth and based on that platform that really is designed for the people,” Moss said.
Teeples explained he doesn’t plan to govern like the previous board leadership.
“No longer will decisions be made based on ideologies, political motives of received favoritism,” Teeples said. “My goals haven't changed at all. My goals are to build public trust back in the county government and to unite and heal our community, and those are my ultimate goals.”
He added that he would welcome all ideas to better guide Ottawa County forward.
“The fact that we have different points of view is going to make for better decisions in the end,” Teeples said.
The commissioners voted to hold a meeting next Tuesday to discuss the open positions in the Ottawa County administration.
Currently, the county doesn’t have a county administrator, deputy county administrator or anyone serving as interim.
Teeples said at the meeting he plans to nominate former Ottawa County Sheriff Gary Rosema to interim administrator.
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