The Poor Priorities of BOC's New Majority
--Bad Governance? *You Decide...
Opinion 5-minute read
A few weeks ago, commissioners Rhodea, Miedema and Moss sent letters in their official capacity as elected officials to the President of GVSU asking for reports about what they’re doing at GVSU to comply with President Trump's federal order against DEI at colleges and universities. As the country is well aware and EVEN Michigan’s Democratic Governor acknowledges, it’s time to work with President Donald J. Trump given the smackdown mandate from November.
It makes complete sense that our elected officials would inquire with a University in Ottawa County about this topic given that DEI, as well as cancelling men from participating in women’s athletics is a 90/10 issue and GVSU stands to lose millions in federal aid which would hurt Ottawa County college students.
However, instead of gratitude towards Commissioner's Rhodea, Miedema and Moss for their support of widely popular conservative policy, Vice Chair Brugger, although a 'Republican,' chose instead to sensationalize the use of La …Lahh …Let-ter-head. Chair Teeples as well, piled onto the letterhead issue. [Sidebar: We are wondering, if in Mr. Teeple’s esteemed legal career, if he didn’t perhaps work on more pressing cases than this?? It makes one wonder how someone made a long legal career and a great deal of money taking cases that could be this petty, but we digress.)
Yet, many hours over the course of several meetings were devoted to the ridiculousness of whether Elected Officials should use “Letterhead.”
Remember that as recently as last year at this time through August of 2024, the then-candidates/now majority promised “good governance,” not “petty governance.” However, on a day this past Tuesday on April 22, when this majority had the OPPORTUNITY to defend Ottawa County Residents from the closure of the Campbell Consumer’s Power Plant, a plant which is closing 15 YEARS early, they did…wait for it…absolutely NOTHING!
They also spent hours rewriting Roberts Rules of Order to change a rule that protects the minority voice in board meetings and even more time to establishing the “Letterhead” policy.
Sorry to the Residents of West Olive and Port Sheldon! The new majority on the BOC could care less if you go dark this June or freeze next winter. These Republicans are staying the course for "renewables." We should ask Texas how well that worked out in their ice storm in 2021? Texas is not a state that has frequent ice storms in the southern part of their state. *But Michigan is ripe for this anywhere in our state and in any given winter as a recent weather pattern has just demonstrated.
What are the priorities going to be? Letterhead Policy or Energy Policy? The current Majority chose Letterhead.
Good Governance? *You decide.
