My Take: The dismantling of sound governance in Ottawa County
I have found no evidence in the job description of county commissioner to include parenting or religious instruction, and yet the invocation sermons have me questioning if I am attending a board meeting or a church service.
Despite unanswered emails to Ottawa Impact commissioners and a public statement in June requesting the invocation speaker be introduced by full name, church affiliation and location, Chair Joe Moss has recently resorted to only giving the first name of the speaker.
What is so difficult about granting a simple request based on common courtesy? When making a public comment, citizens are asked to state their name and district residence and often share the topic. Why isn’t that part of the invocation speaker introduction? Commissioners outside the OI bubble aren’t even asked to invite a speaker from their district nor have other faiths been represented or (gasp), a woman speaker, but of course we are reminded we are a welcoming and diverse community where freedom rings for all.
Online public comments were, before the new regime, truly public. In typical OI patronizing fashion, you now need a Freedom of Information request to read these submissions, which has resulted in unnecessary funds and employee hours being spent on what should be readily public.
Publicly chastising the Ottawa County Health Department for participating in certain events is an infringement on their responsibilities to provide educational outreach and services beyond the James Street facility, and is a disservice to county residents. Recently, OI voted down a grant to upgrade the health department entrance to be ADA compliant and install sensory-friendly lighting because they don't want the county to be associated with providing vaccines or sharing that information because, heaven forbid, the health department would be doing its job.
As usual, when grants are brought to the table, OI are often willing to accept funds as long as they could rewrite the grant to their liking or tabling it because it felt “rushed.” They sure didn’t feel rushed at their first meeting in January to change the motto and dismiss the county administrator, legal counsel and DEI.
I do not need or want a moral compass, nor do I want to be parented. However, Vice Chair Sylvia Rhodea et al believe otherwise and have accused those attending Pride Fest, including the OCHD, of being “groomers and contributing to the sexualization of children.”
I take offense at that accusation and should file a lawsuit for defamation of character by exercising my rights to attend both local festivals. The preposterous suggestion by a commissioner of putting an age limit on who could attend the Holland drag show was beyond condescending. This was the 20th annual Holland Pride Fest, so I believe the organizers are more than capable of handling these concerns without BOC parental overreach. It was painful to listen to the cutesy sentiment echoed by another that “you do you,” providing it is behind closed doors and stupidly thinking that is such a generous display of understanding and acceptance.
One out-of-touch commissioner was left wondering what to do when a young student comes to school and asks another to do something for money. Here’s a simple and rather obvious answer from a fellow educator: "We don't do that in our classroom." That same commissioner voted to table a grant specific to men’s mental health because she feared a child’s innocence may be compromised if they read a media release and be tempted to visit the website. It is the job of a parent/guardian to monitor a child’s computer activity, not the BOC, and should not be at the cost of delaying or denying information to those in need. But of course, we need a resolution to protect the innocence of children because the parents and guardians of Ottawa County are not capable of doing their jobs without the interference of OI.
We’ll just have to wait and see what events and services OI decides are contributing to promiscuity, grooming and sexualization because they know better than anyone else; including department professionals, teachers, librarians, city council members, school boards and parents themselves.
OI even likes to parent their fellow commissioners, as evidenced by the censuring of Commissioner Jacob Bonnema. Over an hour of public shaming, raised voices and debating what the proper “punishment” should be; are we talking to an 8-year-old or an adult public servant? Did you forget you were being recorded in a public meeting with your condescending remarks and body language that spoke volumes of how cowardly you handled a disagreement with a fellow commissioner? That circus is surely one I would have protected the innocent children from observing.
I don’t see transparency, I don’t see working toward the common good of all residents, I don’t see diversity, I don't see acceptance, and I certainly don't see sound governance. What I do see are blatant hypocrisy and accusatory and patronizing behavior. Ottawa County residents need to educate themselves and realize the red, white and blue smoke screen promoted by OI is the antithesis of the true meaning. Please attend or watch the video recordings of committee and board meetings because these public spectacles, which are open to all ages, are an education of what you hope your county government does not look like and the importance of vetting candidates and exercising your right to vote.
They are dismantling a county that took pride in being fiscally responsible, supportive of programs and services for the underserved, supportive of county employees without micromanaging; and a welcoming community to new businesses and people from all walks of life. No wonder OI was so anxious to change the motto "Where You Belong" because it certainly wouldn’t ring true now that they have taken over parenting and dismantling the county.
— Deb Cizek is a resident of Port Sheldon Township.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: My Take: The dismantling of sound governance in Ottawa County
