WEST OLIVE, Mich. — 2023 brought new leadership and a new era in Ottawa County, as conservative advocacy group “Ottawa Impact” spearheaded the overhaul.
One year later, FOX 17 is diving deeper into the campaign promises made and how they line up with the board’s actions.
January 3, 2023
Ottawa Impact founder Joe Moss and other organization members were sworn in as Ottawa County commissioners.
The new majority, during the first of many marathon meetings, did the following:
- Fired the county administrator
- Changed the county's motto
- Dismantled the office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
- Demoted the county's health officer
- Brought in new corporate counsel
READ MORE: Public reacts to controversial decisions at Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting
Ottawa Impact is committed to “defending parental rights, individual freedoms and American values.”
Political candidates affiliated with the group had to sign a contract agreeing with to Ottawa Impact’s governing principles and public policy agenda.
Fiscal Responsibility
Ottawa Impact pledges to "use fiscal integrity and responsibility in government operations." This includes a promise to cut spending, rather than increasing taxes, if there is a budget deficit.
The county budgeted $264.2 million for Fiscal Year 2024, which was about $10 million more than it budgeted for FY2023.
Commissioners did try to cut funding in some departments— including public health.
Chairperson Moss suggested, during a meeting in August, to drop the county's public health budget to pre-COVID levels, with a $2.5 million general fund contribution and no COVID grants.
READ MORE: Ottawa County releases proposed budget for FY24, public health sees cuts
Ultimately, county commissioners upped the public health budget after county leaders and community members voiced their concerns.
"Once we got done, we passed the second-highest budget for the health department, at least in the last ten or 12 years, at least," Moss said.
The board also voted to hire the Kallman Legal Group as the county's corporate counsel; however, commissioners did so without opening a bid for other options.
"They're a constitutional law firm and have taken cases for people that have been very meaningful and important to freedom, which, as we all know, is very important to this board. And so, they are exactly the kind of legal firm who both has the experience and the respect to represent the most conservative county in the state of Michigan," Commissioner Sylvia Rhodea said at the meeting on January 3, 2023.
The switch to Kallman Legal Group came at a price to the county. The board decided in July to move $110,000 out of its general fund to cover legal costs.
Additionally, according to numbers FOX 17 tallied, the firm has billed the county around $426,000. County documents show that's $100,000 more than the previous corporate counsel billed Ottawa County is 2022.
Meanwhile, there are four lawsuits currently pending against the county— all filed in the last year— costing the county roughly $153,000 in legal fees so far.
"I really appreciate their expertise. I like, like, their perspective. They're kind of focused on supporting the Constitution and, you know, they, they really are looking at being excellent in their work. And so, I appreciate that," Moss said about Kallman Legal Group.
Pro-Life
Ottawa Impact's public policy agenda promises to "support ending the county's promotion and use of Planned Parenthood-aligned resources."
Proposed public health funding cuts, during the FY24 budget process, put that promise in jeopardy.
In September, FOX 17 obtained emails in which state officials introduced Ottawa County health officials to Planned Parenthood with the goal of discussing other potential options for Title X funding if the proposed budget cuts went through.
READ MORE: Facing budget cuts, Ottawa health officials & Planned Parenthood explore options
Title X is a federal grant program that requires local agencies to provide family planning and preventative health services.
Ultimately, commissioners adjusted the budget, keeping these resources under the control of the county.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Parental Rights
Ottawa Impact does not support "the sexualization of children," and advocates for "childhood innocence." It also does not want "sexuality content" pushed on children at school.
Commissioners took up this topic in June by passing a Protect Childhood Innocence resolution. It reads, in part, "no county staff or resources shall be allocated to activities, programs, events, content or institutions which support, normalize or encourage the sexualization of children and youth."
The vote to pass this resolution came after the county health department administered mpox and COVID-19 vaccines at the Grand Haven Pride Festival.
"Both the Grand Haven Pride Festival and Holland Pride recently celebrated LGBTQ+ with children handing tip money to drag queens at a drag event," Commissioner Rhodea said while voicing her concerns during a June 27, 2023 meeting.
"The second step is creating the policies and procedures, and that we could give them a period of 90 days," Commissioner Lucy Ebel added.
Since passing the resolution, commissioners have yet to clarify how it will be applied throughout the county. FOX 17 previously asked Chairperson Moss for clarification, to which he responded, "the resolution speaks for itself."
Meanwhile, the two county commissioners who voted against the Protect Childhood Innocence resolution, Doug Zylstra and Roger Bergman, both face recall elections.
"Didn't give staff the guidance I think we need to give them," Commissioner Zylstra explained as to why he voted against the resolution. "I mean, if we're going to say things and, you know, 'here's your resolutions,' they should be clear. Because otherwise, staff is left without guidance, and, you know, I think we have talked a lot here about oversight. And I think that's great, but guidance comes before oversight."{
Election Integrity
Ottawa Impact's position statement supports just one election day.
However, commissioners worked with Ottawa County Clerk Justin Roebuck to earmark the funding needed in order to facilitate early voting, as required by state law.
"So, support from that aspect has been strong," Roebuck told FOX 17. "And I think it's important to recognize that and to, you know, of course, we have been very vocal in thanking them for that as well."
Transparency
Ottawa Impact candidates also ran for office on transparency. Their contract talks about supporting a resolution to make county information "public by default."
FOX 17 has filed several Freedom of Information Act requests and has received bills from Ottawa County in the tens of thousands.
We have additionally requested on-camera interviews with nearly every commissioner over the last year, and have been denied the opportunity more often than not.
We were allowed our first on-camera interview with Chairperson Moss on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. You can watch the full interview below.
