WEST OLIVE, Mich. — Ottawa County Commissioners are looking to appoint the newest member on Tuesday.
Before they vote, the commission held a special Friday meeting where the chairperson interviewed the five candidates for Kyle Terpstra's seat, which has been vacant for almost a month.
The commissioners initially had 11 candidates. The board narrowed them to five— Joel Buck, Shawn Haff, Lynn Janson, Joseph McCarter and Kendra Wenzel.
According to their applications, Buck and McCarter are Ottawa Impact members. Six commissioners who are currently on the board are affiliated with Ottawa Impact.
Many of the applicants shared they got involved following what they called "government overreach" during the pandemic.
Chairperson and Ottawa Impact Founder Joe Moss asked the candidates a list of ten questions, which were all the same. He alone asked the questions. Commissioner Rebekah Curran asked if other board members could have follow-up questions.
"I'd also recommend that the Board members reach out to every applicant and talk to them. And any additional questions. Sit down, have coffee, you have a phone call that kind of thing and, and ask additional questions that way," Moss replied.
Commissioner Jacob Bonnmea, Roger Bergman, and Doug Zylstra didn't attend the meeting. Bonnema said he watched online. He did send FOX 17 this statement.
I am deeply disappointed by Chairman Moss's decision to deny commissioners the opportunity to submit questions and the public the chance to observe their elected commissioners asking substantive interview questions to the applicants today.
It is concerning that the public was only allowed to witness what Chairman Moss deemed appropriate for them to see. It is crucial that we strive for a higher standard of transparency and good governance. I am committed to advocating for increased transparency and good governance in the future.
The candidate the board picks would serve the remainder of Terpstra's term, which ends in December 2024. The commission is scheduled to meet Tuesday to announce their pick.
1 - Tell us about yourself and why you want to serve for District 6.
Buck: "I've always been fairly interested in the way our government works in high school, taking AP government, US history classes, learning about the Constitution, what sets America apart from every other country, and being, you know how great it is, and could be again."
Haff: "The only way that I can be certain that I think the conservative and somewhat libertarian values in some ways in this community District Six are upheld would be for me to go for that position. So that's why I put in the application."
Janson: "I was uniquely available and somewhat uniquely qualified because of life experiences to be able to help this board and maybe more than some others."
McCarter: "Actually, you all inspired me." "In terms of seeking bottom up governance, and really meant it in terms of seeking to preserve our liberties, and our Christian principles. It inspired me to get involved."
Wenzel: "I'm currently on the executive committee for the Ottawa County Republican Party. And I'll think of there's a lot of crossover in that in what's required for both that and this."
2 - What qualifications or skill sets, including work or life experience, will you bring with you if you are selected to serve?
Buck: "As far as government goes, I am a newbie; I don't know a lot of the processes, but everything I've done, every job I've ever had, it's I was given 110%."
Haff: "I think with the educational background that I have, and the rigorous studies that I do, plus with being in law school and going on to become a lawyer and practice law, is that I learned you had to stand up for your values, but you needed to be prepared and have a good factual background to make your arguments."
Janson: "I built a couple of successful businesses built more than one unsuccessful business. But more importantly than that is, I think, like many of our lives, my life has been negatively affected by an overreaching government."
McCarter: "So in terms of the work and educational experience I have, I do believe it has given me knowledge of a broad area of expertise, in terms of whether it be legal issues, personnel issues, financial and accounting issues."
Wenzel: "I was asked to be a part of the EC for Ottawa County. And in that the crossover I think, is the setting policy, providing leadership, adding oversight, serving our constituents. So there's a lot of crossover there, which I think in essence, helped me to train me to apply for this position here."
3 - How will you go about making decisions? If selected, and kind of tell us about your internal compass.
Buck: "Any decision I would make number one, it's pray on it. God is my internal compass; gonna show me where true north is? The biggest thing I see with government is trying to keep it small."
Haff: "Every decision I made will follow four to five steps that I go through."
Janson: "My internal compass will be to minimize government interaction with people that don't need it. And to help control and maybe even de-escalate the size of government."
McCarter: "I do like to study issues to make sure that I am as well informed as I can be in making the decisions." "My moral compass, I can sincerely say it's my sincere goal to both honor Christ and do what's best for the common good of the citizens here in Ottawa County."
Wenzel: "I like to know, the lay of the land, the specific things that we're trying to solve the specific things that we need to do to, to do policies, procedures, what the process would be to do that." "Prayer and discernment are huge things for me."
4 - If given the opportunity to decide how to use a $1 million grant, how would you spend it and why?
Buck: "I'd look at where that money came from? Who's involved? What strings are attached? Depending on where that what the grant is actually for? Looking at Cui bono, who benefits? And is that money actually going to be spent correctly."
Haff: "One thing I would be very wanting to do as far as that tip of money is to get body and dash cams for the deputies here in our county."
Janson: "I would look at it very carefully see if where the money's coming from, what strings are attached and see if it's appropriate for us to spend it. In many cases, it won't be."
McCarter: "Commissioner Rhodea mentioned it is perhaps a Department of Family Impact." "Second, I would really love to see a neighborhood watch network."
Wenzel: "Spreadsheets would be involved A lot of research, a lot of figuring out what is needed, where, where those funds are actually going when they are given to someone? Is it legitimate purpose? Is it not."
5 - How much time do you expect to be able to give this role?
Buck: "Looked at expecting about three to four hours a day after work and then probably most of the Saturday," Buck said.
Haff: "I can easily put in up to 20 hours a week as is right now. I think scheduling conflicts would be minimal."
Janson: "I have a very unique work schedule that allows a great deal of flexibility. Much of my work day is research that can be done all times of day."
McCarter: "An initial thought as far as what that may entail 15 to 20 hours a week, but whatever it takes, I am committed to doing a very good job."
Wenzel: Explained she called a couple of commissioners to understand the hours. "Once things settle down a little bit, you get the learning curve under your belt, 40 weeks full time, whatever is needed."
6 - Describe a time when you had to consider differing opinions and make a decision.
Buck: "One of the biggest decisions recently with differing opinions would be deciding to leave the church I attended for 20 years." "The church started making some decisions that rubbed me the wrong way with social decisions and cultural decisions and starting to align themselves with the world and that the Bible."
Haff: "One that stands out the best for me was we had an argument going down where somebody was falsely charged with parental kidnapping," Haff said. "The judge there had been upset at the time about something was real hostile." "We apologize for what we had done that offended him and his demeanor change."
Janson: "The state I believe, at the time had set out some guidance about mask waivers. And now I hadn't had a mask waiver, and we were told we weren't going to need it. So, for the first two weeks of school, I had pulled my children out of school. They weren't going to participate in that nonsense anymore."
McCarter: "Every day of my work involves that. So there's really no day that goes by that I am not dealing with different people having different ideas. It's just part of the business."
Wenzel: She told the story about being diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. "Radiation was a hard no for me that an oncologist stormed out of the room because I wouldn't take radiation." "There was a pharmacist that was in there in that meeting. And when that oncologist stormed out, she said I am so proud of you."
7 - What are the best things about the United States?
Buck: "The opportunity that it affords for every individual to succeed, to be free to make their decisions, whether that's with religion, their careers."
Haff: "Rule of Law, separation of powers, the executive branch, the judicial branch, Congress, the Senate, all designed to protect the liberties of the individual from government overreach."
Janson: "I believe that the founding was very unique in that it recognized the individual person. It bestowed rights on the individual that maybe had been tried once in Rome a couple of 1000 years earlier. But really we're unique. Our founders were really quite brilliant people. I named my children after a couple of them the goals they set forth, and our founding in 1776 was one thing; 1791 was totally different."
McCarter: "I think we are a very blessed nation. And we are a nation of course, that has many challenges going on right now. But we have been blessed by God with the benefits of a heritage that we have to be careful that we don't totally squander."
Wenzel: "Our constitutional freedoms, our ability to have free speech, worship, freely, all of it. And I think that is the most important to me about America. We're a melting pot, and I think that we need to maintain our constitutional freedoms."
8 - What are the best things about Ottawa County?
Buck: "These resolutions that the commissioners have put forth in the last year. The direction that's moving, getting away from DEI, making, constitutional County."
Haff: "'Im blessed to have great neighbors. For the most part, we really have good schools around here. And I liked the values that I see in this community as well."
Janson: "We've got several people right now that have stood up for freedom. They've seen the overreach of government. And it has affected us all on in different ways."
McCarter: "We chose the area because of the family values of the Christian family values of the area. We like the mix of rural, suburban and urban that in the general metropolitan area."
Wenzel: "It seems to be a tight knit community. Predominantly conservative values, which I appreciate good school systems. That's really what brought us here."
9 - Where would you live? If you could not live in Ottawa County?
Buck: "Probably someplace in Florida."
Haff: "The free state of Florida."
Janson: He explained Kent County "They're great people. They're not much different than us. They just have a different leadership structure. And I'm glad that our leadership structure is what it is."
McCarter: "Kent County realistically, and honestly, Kent County would be my second choice."
Wenzel: "Anywhere where I could have 10 acres of farm chickens. Be self-sustaining."
10 - What else would you like to share that you have not been asked.
Buck: "Basically that I don't want this job. I'm not aspiring to move on up. It's something that took a lot of prayer to make this step."
Haff: "My word is my bond; I'm gonna give this a great effort. I will be my own person. I'm sure I'll have some disagreements with you on some things, but I'm going to be honest; I'm going to be upfront with you. I'm going to be respectful."
Janson: "I would just like to make clear that I have agreed with the goals of this commission. Mr. Moss, I really appreciate the way you say thank you."
McCarter: "How do we go about best helping the needs of those who really need help?" "We look at connecting a particular person in need with a counselor that looks at that overall need? And that when I say a counselor, whether that be a church, or charitable organization, and look at the overall, what does that poor person need."
Wenzel: "I would love to get people more civically minded and involved and it's just I have enjoyed this whole year watching you all and really watching you live out what you believe your values and everything."
