Judge signals that officials' private devices exempt from FOIA requests
An Allegan County judge signaled Monday that she likely would rule that Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act does not cover public officials’ private devices and accounts.
Ottawa Impact
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New dynamics on Ottawa County board yield clashes, some consensus
The meeting gave the public an early glimpse into how new leadership will shape policy and decision-making over the next four years — and what resistance they might face.
Sentinel makes argument for court to release $4M settlement sealed testimony
On Friday, Jan. 3, The Holland Sentinel through its attorney Joseph Richotte, submitted a brief to the Michigan Court of Appeals asking the court to reverse a circuit court decision made on Jan. 19, 2024.
Emails: Crockery Lake contract was 'rushed,' intended to prevent new board from dismantling deal
Internal emails show that the contract was crafted in less than two months, with only select officials involved in the process — including the contractor who will receive the funds to complete the work.
County commissioners say they were misled, pressured to approve severance agreements
“What concerns me is that no substantial evidence has ever been presented to board members, the HR department, or our HR attorney to substantiate either Moss’s narrative or Epperson’s allegations."
Appeals court declines to halt severance payouts to Wetmore, Epperson
Howard said although she was disappointed in the decision, the lawsuit challenging the agreements will still move forward.
Judge won't halt payouts to Ottawa County contracts, emergency appeal filed
The emergency filing by Howard to the court of appeals asked that the court rule by 9 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 19, in order "to prevent irreparable harm."
Ottawa County approves $563K contract to restore Crockery Lake as process faces criticism
Questions remain on why the deal happened with little public discussion and didn’t follow the county’s traditional purchasing policies.
Howard challenges legality of severance agreements, Crockery Lake contract
A trio of controversial decisions approved by the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners are in limbo after a local attorney filed a motion for a temporary restraining order preventing funds of about $850,000 from leaving the county’s coffers.