MEETING MINUTES: Ottawa County Board addresses recent tragedies, talks solar lawsuit

Want to know what happened at the most recent Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting, but don't have time to watch? Here are the highlights you missed:

What is the body?

The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners is the elected governing body for Ottawa County, Michigan, responsible for setting local policy, managing the county budget, and overseeing county operations. The board has 11 members representing equal-population districts who serve four-year terms.

• When: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, 2026
• Where: Main Board Room inside the Ottawa County Administration Building (also known as the Fillmore Street Complex), 12220 Fillmore St., West Olive
• Duration of meeting: Two hours and 8 minutes.
• Members present: Chair Josh Brugger, Vice Chair Phil Kuyers, and Commissioners Joe Moss, Jordan Jorritsma, Allison Miedema, Jacob Bonnema, John Teeples, Doug Zylstra, Jim Barry, Kendra Wenzel and Sylvia Rhodea.
• Agenda: The agenda and packet can be found online here.

• Agenda amendments: No amendments were made to the agenda.
• Watch the meeting here:

Tragic events in Grand Haven, Robinson townships:

Board Chair Josh Brugger opened the meeting with a statement about a family of eight that died in Grand Haven Township on July 24:

“Before we continue, I want to acknowledge the devastating tragedy that occurred in Grand Haven Township,” Brugger said. “The loss of eight members of one family, including six children, is almost impossible to comprehend. Our hearts are with the relatives, friends, neighbors, and everyone in our community who is grieving.

“We are deeply grateful to the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office and for the professionalism that the deputies, detectives, and staff have shown throughout an extraordinarily difficult response and investigation. We also thank the Grand Haven Township Fire Department and first responders for their courage and service. We recognize that an event such as this takes a tremendous emotional toll on those called to respond.

“In the days ahead, I hope we will continue to support one another, extend grace to those who are hurting, and remember that no one has to carry grief alone. Ottawa County is a caring community, and this is a time to demonstrate that care, kindness, and support for everyone affected by this tragedy.

“If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, please call the Ottawa County CMH helpline at 866-512-4357, or call 988. You are not alone,” Brugger said.

Commissioner Jim Barry then delivered the invocation, which also acknowledged a mass shooting that took place in Robinson Township on July 26:

“Lord, we ask that you will be present with us as we conduct the people's business here this evening.

“We come to you in prayer, acknowledging that we are a hurting community due to the incidents that occurred in Ottawa County in recent days.

“On Friday, as we've heard, we learned of the deaths of eight people, six of whom were children in Grand Haven Township. There is no ‘why’ for this, and the loss of life is staggering to all of us.

“Two days later, we learned of five people wounded in a shooting incident in Robinson Township. We are shocked at the seemingly callous disregard for human life. We don't think things like this happen in Ottawa County, but unfortunately, sometimes they do.

“Truly, we live in a broken world in need of your presence. We pray for healing for those who were wounded in Robinson Township, and in both incidents, we pray for peace for families, friends, neighbors, classmates, and coworkers that have been touched by these tragedies.

“We also pray for our first responders, on our behalf, dispatch staff, EMTs, firefighters, and law enforcement, who see the worst of humanity. In particular, we pray for officers and investigators of the Ottawa County Sheriff's Office who have diligently cleared these horrendous crime scenes. Be with them and give them peace and strength.”

Three county employees recognized for service:

• From the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Eric DeBoer recognized Hunter Norris, of the county’s Parks & Recreation Department, and Deputy Catalina Garza for their work to help citizens in immediate distress.
• Brugger recognized Public Defender Christopher Langholz with the county’s Customer Service Award for helping an elderly patron who sought assistance in the county’s Administration Building.

Legislative update:

In his regular board update, Bob DeVries of lobbying firm GCSI (Governmental Consultant Services Inc.), said nine bills that were the subject of a multi-year lawsuit were vetoed by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. 

The bills, which passed both chambers of the legislature in 2024, when Democrats had a trifecta, were never transmitted to Whitmer’s desk for her signature prior to the end of that legislative session, and House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) refused to do so once he took control of the chamber at the start of 2025. That led to an 18-month legal battle between the leaders in both chambers, which culminated in the Supreme Court declining to take up the case, leaving a Court of Appeals decision in place that ruled it was unconstitutional for Hall not to transmit the bills to the governor’s desk.

DeVries said one bill, in particular, would affect Ottawa County as well as several other government bodies in terms of how benefits for public employees are funded. Currently, the county has a maximum obligation to cover up to 80% of benefits costs, while employees contribute 20%. Under the revised legislation, public bodies would have a minimum of 80%.

Despite the vetoes, DeVries said he expected the bills to be reintroduced, which happened less than a day later.

Hall said he is open to working on the bills, but tied his cooperation to the Democratic movement on his own priorities.

"If they want to get these priorities done, then they should look at the bills they're sitting on, and they should stop blocking my efforts in House Republican efforts to end the state property tax," Hall said.

Reports

County Clerk Justin Roebuck gave the 2025 annual report for his office.

“Several of our major accomplishments in 2025 reflected that commitment. We improved the accessibility and transparency of election results, significantly expanded public awareness and participation in our Property Fraud Alert System, expanded consumer access to the electronic recording of land records, strengthened efforts to recruit and retain a capable workforce, and continued developing practical ways for our employees to live out our mission and values every day,” Roebuck said.

“Our commitment to trust also extends beyond the services we provide. Throughout the year, our employees participated in community service, educational outreach, voter engagement, and partnerships with other county offices and local organizations. These opportunities help us remain connected to our community and remind us that public service is not just about processes and transactions, but about the people we serve.”

Water Resources Commissioner Joe Bush gave the 2025 annual report for his office. Read the report here.

Silver Maple Solar Project

• Several residents made public comments on the proposed Silver Maple Solar Project in Zeeland Township, a $300 million, 200-megawatt clean energy facility spanning 1,914 acres of agricultural land in Zeeland and Jamestown townships, developed by RWE Clean Energy. 
• RWE bypassed local township approval by filing directly with the Michigan Public Service Commission under Michigan Public Act 233, which shifts large-scale renewable permitting authority to the state. Local residents, neighboring property owners, and township officials have strongly pushed back against the loss of local land-use authority, forming opposition groups and seeking intervenor status in the MPSC case.
• Zeeland Township filed a lawsuit in the 20th Circuit Court challenging the constitutionality of PA 233, and Ottawa County leaders are considering formal intervention proceedings, depending on how legal processes unfold.
• Brugger made a statement, indicating how the county could handle a possible intervention in the lawsuit:

“I wanted to share with the public and what has already been shared with commissioners late last week regarding what is likely to happen as far as the county's response.

“As many are aware, there are two key variables that are in play with the Silver Maple Project. One is the possibility that the Michigan Supreme Court will weigh in and overturn the lower appellate court decision, wherein it was ruled that counties like Ottawa County have standing to weigh in.

“Second, and more immediate, RWE America has suspended or paused their application, as there is no active application request. There is and there was no board action required at this time, and that is why it was not on the agenda this evening.

“I have spoken with officials from Farm Bureau, who sent a letter to the board last week with concepts and a potential county response for the project, and I have also spoken with the township supervisor of Zeeland Township, Carrie Bosma, who has done a fabulous job communicating regarding Zeeland Township's request that Ottawa County intervene in the event that RWE reactivates their request, and this seems likely, is what I've heard.

“I will be requesting that staff gather input from commissioners and then work with the leadership from the Planning and Policy Committee, the chair and vice chair, to review what being an intervenor requires of us and to formulate a draft response. This response will then be brought to the full Planning and Policy Committee, where initial public input can take place, correspondence can be further reviewed, and members of Planning and Policy can then make adjustments to the response where needed.

“Assuming the Planning and Policy Committee makes a recommendation to the full Board of Commissioners, it will be on the immediate Board of Commissioners meeting following the Planning and Policy Committee. While the circumstances are unique, our processes at the county are already in place, and we are ready to address the issue in the event that the application is reactivated.”

Consent resolutions

• Commissioner Joe Moss asked that one item be taken off the consent resolutions agenda for individual discussion and voting: To approve the updated enabling agreement with the Kent Ottawa Muskegon Foreign Trade Zone Authority.
  • Moss said he opposed granting Grand Valley State University voting privileges on the Foreign Trade Zone Authority, which is what the resolution would do. The conversation that ensued saw the far-right Ottawa Impact minority faction uniting against the move — mostly over political and social criticisms of the university — while the current six-seat moderate Republican majority favored the decision to bolster economic growth and coordination.

• Moss: “I oppose this change. I'd not like to see Grand Valley receive voting privileges for this group. They've been a part of it. They have a voice there. They have for many years, but they have not been a voting member.
  
  “Grand Valley State … is fairly liberal-leaning, very left-leaning. I've done a lot of work on the campus. I've spoken to the students directly. They've come and talked to me and other commissioners, and explained the oppressive environment that they're under, and that … it is very frowned upon for them to speak their beliefs when they're in class. I've seen that the leadership of Grand Valley continues to push things like [diversity, equity and inclusion] and other agendas.
  
  “So I'd like to retain the current status quo of what this is, and as they're continuing to participate, let them have a voice, but leave the actual voting to the governmental bodies.”
• Vice Chair Phil Kuyers: “I sit on the Foreign Trade Zone. I'm supporting this because I don't see none of these characters that talk about being forced. … They do put a ton of money into it, which I think we should be very grateful for. I mean, it's a lot of money that we don't have to put in counties. The money that they have created with these foreign trade zones is phenomenal. So I'm supportive of them having a voice on there. 
• OI Commissioner Sylvia Rhodea: “I agree with Commissioner Moss on this. Again, we have so many students coming to us saying that they're not, they're not even allowed to even reflect their personal views in the classroom.
  
  “I have zero confidence in the leadership of GVSU sharing similar values with the community that we represent, and so we're looking at giving non-elected officials equal vote with elected officials who represent our people, and based on the inconsistencies that I hear from the students on campus, with that worldview being so very different from the communities that we represent, I don't agree with them having an equal vote as elected officials.”
• OI Commissioner Allison Miedema: I was a no vote at the Planning and Policy Committee, and, for me, my perspective is, regardless of what university it would be, I believe that we should be just retaining the seats of elected officials that serve on that.”
• Commissioner John Teeples: “I'll be supporting this motion. I think Grand Valley has been a tremendous citizen to West Michigan. We've seen it, and this is an economic issue, not a social issue that affects our entire region. This only … makes great sense, and it's a proven partner. So I'll be supporting this motion.”
• Barry: “I just don't think it's germane to the issue of this being a functioning foreign trade zone. It's this economic issue, not a social issue, as John said, and I'll be voting for it.”
• Rhodea: “I just want to remind this board that GVSU is taxpayer-funded to the tune of $100 million a year, and so, when they're contributing financially towards this, they're actually using taxpayer dollars to make that contribution.
  
  “Economics are actually a political issue as well; there are very different views on economics, and how someone views economics is actually a very fundamental issue to our nation right now. There's very different views on capitalism and socialism, and those things permeate policy, and they make a difference in how somebody chooses to make decisions. And so, I don't think economics are benign to politics.”
• The motion was approved 7-4, with the OI commissioners opposing.

Action items

• In the eight action items listed on the agenda, only one drew discussion: To approve the chair’s recommendation to change the start time of the Sept. 22 Board of Commissioners meeting from 6:30 p.m. to 9 a.m. 

• Commissioner Doug Zylstra, the board’s lone Democrat, said he would like to see the board’s rules revisited to have a clear succession plan for when the chair and vice chair are absent for a planned full board meeting, as is the case on Sept. 22.
  
  “As I understand, it's because yourself and the vice chair will not be here,” Zylstra told Brugger. “I’ve been kind of reflecting on that a little bit. We don't really have anything written as to what happens if you're not here and Phil's not here. My thought is we should tackle that first and then decide [what] we want to do about the meeting in September.”
  
  Commissioner Jordan Jorritsma said there isn’t enough time for the discussion to filter through the Planning and Policy Committee and back up to the full board before knowing how to handle the September meeting. “I think it's a fair discussion to have, but we have another board meeting in between now and then. And if we're going to be revising the board rules, I'd rather do it with more advanced notice.”
  
  Moss said Roberts Rules of Order dictate that remaining board members can vote on a member to chair the meeting when it starts. However, Zylstra said he would like to have the chair of the Finance Committee chair meetings in the event the chair and vice chair are absent.
  
  “So that's kind of my discussion is like what would happen?” Zylstra said. “Joe is suggesting something different than what Phil is suggesting. I think that the vice chair for finance should take over. You're saying that we should decide at that very meeting who's going to lead the meeting,” he said, addressing Moss.
  
  Kuyers, who chairs the Planning & Policy Committee, offered to bring the issue up at the committee’s next meeting, which is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Aug. 11, and Zylstra agreed.

From the Appointment & Alignment Committee

• For the Veterans Services Committee
  • The board unanimously selected Mikal MacDonald to fill one mid-term vacancy beginning immediately and ending Dec. 31, 2028. 
  • Immediately afterward, the board unanimously approved to retitle the position from “War Veteran” to “Active-Duty Veteran” on the Veterans Services Committee.
• For the Community Action Agency Advisory Board:
  • The board unanimously selected Kristi Drooger for the private sector seat for a vacancy beginning immediately and ending July 27, 2029. 

The board's next meeting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, August 25. The county will post an agenda and packet here closer to the date of the meeting.

— Sarah Leach is the executive editor of the Ottawa News Network. Contact her at sleach@ottawanewsnetwork.org. Follow her on Twitter @ONNLeach.