OLIVE TWP., MI (WHTC-AM/FM, Jan. 2, 2025) – The lines were apparent on Thursday morning as the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners held its first meeting of a new term.
After nearly 50 minutes of public comment, the 11-member governing board chose a chairman and vice-chairman for 2025. On a seven-four vote, the panel selected John Teeples of Georgetown Township and Josh Brugger of Grand Haven to those posts, respectively. They had replaced Rebecca Curran and Roger Bergman, both of whom opted not to seek reelection to their district seven and 11 posts, respectively, in this past November’s General Election.
The vote went along political lines, as the four incumbent Ottawa Impact-supported members – co-founders Joe Moss and Sylvia Rhodea, along with Allison Miedema and Kendra Wenzel – went with former chairman Moss for both leadership positions.
Although he said that he wasn’t “seeking” the chairman’s post, Teeples was apparently ready for it in a nearly 14 1/2-minute address following the vote.
District 3 Commissioner Doug Zylstra had noticed a change of tone among board leadership following the November 5th General Election.
Zylstra, a Holland Democrat who will be the longest-serving member on the new board, says that getting a new administrator in place is job one for 2025.
The only other listed purpose in Thursday’s meeting was to set up an organizational meeting for this coming Tuesday morning, which Zylstra hopes will not be as dramatic as a similar session two years ago that set the tone for the last board’s term.
The Tuesday session is slated for 9 AM in the Board of Commissioners Room at the Fillmore Street Complex in West Olive (12220 Fillmore St.).
-video of the Jan. 2, 2025 Ottawa County Board meeting courtesy of Ottawa County, Michigan.
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