HOLLAND, Mich. — The Ottawa Food Program has been left limbo after losing its coordinator last year. For months, the health department has wondered what to do.
"I'm not opposed if they want to come back at some point and prove more of the data sets to us even after the budget. I would be happy to entertain it. I don't want to have this narrative that it is on us that we are specifically cutting the food budget," Ottawa County Commissioner Allison Miedema said in September.
"It would be reasonable, be rational, [to] come back to the finance committee, come back to the board with specific needs since those are funded through county," Ottawa County Chairperson Joe Moss said in November. "The board said that if you have [a] need, please come back and bring the need to the board."
After expressing the need to the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners multiple times, the health department did so in December.
"So, this is a draft action request for such consideration of adding to restore the Ottawa Food coordinator as a county-wide position," Deputy Health Officer Marcia Mansaray said to the board.
Fast forward to February, and there hasn't been any action on that request.
"I just want to talk to you about Ottawa Food," FOX 17 tried to get an answer from commissioners Tuesday.
"I don't have anything to say about Ottawa Food because it wasn't on the agenda today," Finance Chair Gretchen Cosby answered.
"It feels like we very much do not have a voice. The requests we have are not heard," Health Officer Adeline Hambley told FOX 17.
Hambley adds that last fall, the board cut her department's Health Education funding by almost 50%. One impact was the elimination of the Ottawa Food coordinator role.
"I don't have money I can pull from other places. Our funding sources are very particular about what those funds can be used for," Hambley explained.
Ottawa Food's Advisory Board is made up of 45 local nonprofits and organizations. It has been led by a coordinator since 2011. At this time, no one is at the wheel, and the advisory board has put a pause on two programs, which are ones that are typically idle this time of year.
"The role of this coordinator is to help create efficiencies and build bridges so that all of our nonprofits in the county who work in food insecurity are working together and are more efficient," Hambley said.
Last fall, the health department explained how important the coordinator is to Ottawa County.
"350 low-income seniors were reached, 800 migrant farmers, workers and families were reached with food distribution…in fiscal year 2023. 1,000,000 pounds of food were rescued [for the] Lakeshore Food Rescue program. 22,000 pounds of produce and food were gleaned from farmers' markets in Grand Haven, Spring Lake and Holland and distributed to area food pantries. 4,000 pounds of produce were purchased from local farmers," Health Planning and Promotion Manager Lisa Uganski said in November.
But Cosby said Tuesday she wants more info before taking action.
"So, for Ottawa Food, do they use a whole FTE to cover it?" Cosby asked.
"That's what it sounds like," FOX 17 added.
"How many people are they serving? I mean serving you can [be] really vague about it and say, 'I serve the whole community,'" Cosby responded.
"It seems like you're hyper-focused on one little tiny issue," Moss said.
"But that impacts families. That impacts low-income people here," FOX 17 explained.
"So does everything else that we are doing," Moss responded.
Hambley explains she has been asked to use funding from vacant positions to hire a coordinator, but it's not that easy.
"Unless the direction from the board is too to supplant funds and utilize them illegally to pay for this service, I can't move funds around from other services to pay for this," Hambley said.
In November, Ottawa County's deputy administrator gave a presentation called 'Ottawa Food Just the Facts.'
Budget cuts creating ripple effects with Ottawa County Food Programs
In it, he suggested that the advisory board members play a part in funding the coordinator role. Meanwhile, this time of year is typically when the Ottawa Food coordinator plans for the busy season, which is summer. Right now, it's not clear what that'll look like.
