Ottawa County board agrees to lend space to organization fighting human trafficking

OTTAWA COUNTY — The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners voted Tuesday to allow an organization aimed at curbing human trafficking to occupy space in the county’s Fillmore Complex.

Commissioners on the planning and policy committee unanimously supported a request from Sheriff Steve Kempker Tuesday, April 4, to allow Crisis Aid International to use a currently unoccupied space to provide services in the county.

Kempker and representatives from Crisis Aid International first presented to the board during its March 28 meeting. He told the board trafficking occurs locally and has been on the rise.

“I’m here to tell you as your sheriff that yes, there is human trafficking in West Michigan. There is human trafficking in Ottawa County,” Kempker said. “We are seeing an increase in human trafficking-type complaints with children, young teens as the primary target.”

Crisis Aid International’s Children’s Anti-Exploitation Partnership provides advocacy, resources and mentoring to children and families who have experienced or are at risk for child sexual exploitation or sex trafficking.

Kempker said there's currently a “gap” in serving these children and families, and Crisis Aid International will help fill it.

On Tuesday, Kempker said he’s received “overwhelming comments from our citizens” in support of bringing the organization in.

“This is another resource for our families,” Kempker said. “I think it’s going to be an excellent service to our citizens here in our county.”

Crisis Aid International will occupy an old lobby space at the Fillmore Complex that "hasn't been used in years,” Kempker said. The organization will provide its own supplies and “outfit” the space for its use.

The sheriff stressed that bringing in Crisis Aid International doesn't replace the work of the Children’s Advocacy Center, and said he thinks the two organizations can work well together.

Commissioners Gretchen Cosby, Lucy Ebel, Jacob Bonnema, Joe Moss, Rebekah Curran, Sylvia Rhodea, Roger Belknap, Roger Bergman and Allison Miedema all voted in favor of the motion. Doug Zylstra voiced support but didn't vote, as he was participating virtually.

The decision is subject to a vote by the full board in April.

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Firefighting foam approved

Commissioners also gave initial approval to purchase three trailers with firefighting foam during a finance and administration committee meeting Tuesday. The foam is intended to fight potential chemical fires.

The new foam is “environmentally safe,” Kempker told the board, contrasting the new foam to old methods that involved PFAS.

“We’ve been without a method of extinguishing chemical fires for way too long,” Kempker said.

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Kempker presented to the board March 7, suggesting the foam as a potential project for remaining ARPA dollars. Since then, the sheriff’s office, county finance department and local fire chiefs have worked to find a financial solution.

The project will cost a total of $250,000. Funds will be drawn from the Hazardous Material and Technical Rescue Response Team, with the county paying $125,000 and local jurisdictions paying the other $125,000.

Trailers will be stationed with local fire departments in Ferrysburg, Holland Township and Allendale.

New positions approved

Board members unanimously approved multiple new positions for both Community Mental Health and the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office.

Community Mental Health is looking to add a mental health clinician diversion liaison, a recovery coach and a mental health specialist for community support. A total cost of $172,358 will be paid for with an MDHHS Boundary Spanners Grant.

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The positions are meant to help people lodged in the Ottawa County Jail as they prepare to leave. They'll also provide post-release case management for up to one year to provide stability to those individuals and reduce recidivism.

Lynn Doyle, director of CMH, told the board the program could be up and running in three to four months.

Kempker requested a pair of new OCSO positions — an additional road patrol deputy for Allendale Township and a new school resource officer for Hudsonville Public Schools — at Tuesday’s meeting.

The position in Allendale Township is in response to growth and increased calls in the area. It will be fully paid for by Allendale Township.

Hudsonville Public Schools, which currently has one school resource officer, approached OCSO about an additional officer after not being selected for a state SRO grant earlier this school year.

The cost for the new SRO position will be split between Ottawa County (33 percent), HPS (33.5 percent) and Georgetown Township (33.5 percent). When school is not in session, the deputy will patrol and service Georgetown Township.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Ottawa County agrees to lend space to group fighting human trafficking