OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — Nathaniel Kelly, the man commissioners in Ottawa County are trying to appoint to the position of county health officer, once mocked the governor’s sign language interpreter and told a forum of health professionals that asymptomatic spread of the COVID-19 virus was “not a thing.”
Studies have shown that asymptomatic spread of COVID doesn’t only exist, but accounts for more than 50% of coronavirus transmission.
But at the America’s Frontline Industrial Hygienists and Multidisciplinary Support Summit held in August of 2022, Kelly claimed the opposite, among other disproven statements about the virus that has, so far, killed over a million Americans.
“No social distancing would be suggested since it has no basis in any proven science,” said Kelly, explaining his suggested approach to containing the spread of COVID-19. “No mass testing for asymptomatic individuals. Asymptomatic individuals do not transmit disease, that is not a thing.”
Kelly also suggested during that same speech that residents should’ve been sent COVID-19 kits that contained zinc, vitamin D, vitamin C, and ivermectin, a widely debunked treatment for COVID-19 that is primarily used as a deworming treatment for horses.
In a sweeping overhaul of county government, a far-right faction of newly-elected commissioners associated with the conservative group Ottawa Impact replaced their county administrator, county legal counsel, and even changed the county motto – all within minutes of being sworn in.
The effort appeared to have been coordinated ahead of time, and there are now legal questions, including an investigation launched by the Michigan Attorney General, to look into the unexpected and unannounced changes.
One of the most consequential motions brought by the commission during Tuesday’s meeting was a change to the county’s health officer. Current officer Adeline Hambley was sworn in only in December of 2022, but a motion put forth by six Ottawa Impact commissioners stated their intention to name Hambley “as interim Administrative Health Officer until a new Administrative Health Officer is hired,” going on to name Kelly as their desired candidate.
But it may not be that easy. There’s a rigorous vetting processes through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and specific requirements that have to be met be prospective health officers.
According to Michigan Administrative Code R. 325.13003, candidates under consideration for a county’s administrative health officer must hold the following qualifications:
- Have an M.P.H. or M.S.P.H. degree and 3 years of full-time public health administrative experience.
- Have a related graduate degree and 5 years of full-time public health administrative experience.
- Have a bachelor's degree and 8 years of full-time public health experience, 5 years of which shall have been in the administration of a broad range of public health programs.
FOX17 obtained a copy of Nathaniel Kelly’s resumeon Wednesday – the same one commissioners had in front of them at Tuesday’s meeting. It shows Kelly obtained a Master of Science in Public Health degree from online school Columbia Southern University located in Orange Beach, Alabama. His resume also states he has a Master of Science in Occupational Health, and certificates in Environmental Management and Industrial Hygiene Management – all from Columbia Southern.
Nathaniel Kelley Resume by WXMI on Scribd
Kelly lists employment as a health and safety manager with Grand Rapids-based Pleune Services Company, an occupational safety and health engineer with Plascore, Inc., and as an environmental health safety specialist with Dicastal North America.
But despite having the requisite degree, the question of his qualifications remains as MDHHS requires experience specifically in public health. Kelly only lists experience with private companies on his resume.
Kelly has also been the center of controversy. In a November 2021 parody videothat Kelly and his wife appeared in, he wears a wig and portrays Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s sign language interpreter while his wife and another woman portray the governor and a health official.
“Your year of continued obedience to my tyrannical orders has successfully replaced the normal joy of holiday spirit with lockdown related blessings such as depression, isolation, suicide, child abuse, domestic abuse, overdoses, unemployment, and poverty,” says the woman portraying the governor.
Kelly is seen mocking the signs for suicide by pretending to put a gun to his head, domestic abuse by throwing punches, and overdose by sticking a finger down his throat and pretending to go unconscious.
On Thursday, MDHHS told FOX17 they had “not received a request” from Ottawa County to review Kelly as a candidate for the health official position. The department did provide materials on the approval process.
“None of it matters, because there’s no open position for Mr. Kelly,” said Doug Zylstra, a Democratic commissioner who voted against the motion to replace the health officer.
Zylstra expressed doubt that the commission even had the authority to replace Hambley, given a health officer can only be fired for “incompetence, misconduct, or neglect of duty.” The resolutionsubmitted during Tuesday’s meeting makes no reference to any incompetence, misconduct, or neglect of duty on the part of Hambley.
FOX17 will continue to follow this story.
