01/14/2025
Editorial comments regarding the Board of Commissioner's meetings today from Kim Nagy:
It was certainly refreshing to attend meetings where the business of the county was conducted in a timely, professional manner. Choosing Doug Zylstra as Vice Chair to the Finance Committee was an excellent move given Doug's experience on the Board and business/finance experience. Additionally, we appreciate the bipartisan nature of the appointment.
It was also clear that new Board members need to get details straight before attempting changes, i. e. changing the Board Chair term to one year (as opposed to statutory 2 year). As Becky Patrick pointed out, State law says Chair positions are two year unless the Board acts through a resolution to change the term. Teeples was elected Chair under the old rules, therefore, he is in a two year term. Had they wanted to change this rule, it would have been done PRIOR to Teeples being elected Chair, during the portion of the first meeting when Justin Roebuck was acting as Chair. Teeples would then have been elected Chair under the new rule. Moss, Rhodea and Miedema are going to gum up the works at every opportunity, and missing these details will give the new board members an appearance of ineptitude. It is abundantly clear that Miedema, particularly, has decided to slow everything down whenever possible. Teeples' move to limit the power of the Chair is welcomed, he is correct to reduce the power of the Chair - but I am concerned that there will be challenges that will hold up. We also understand that being new to this Board, the learning curve is steep - I would have preferred more time spent on clarifying the Chair role and terms and less time on "Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten". The Impact Commissioners are not going to "play nice". Do the business of the county in a professional way - the end.
Miedema and Rhodea again asked silly questions of Adeline Hambley around new positions/expanded hours for Health Department employees. Miedema asked about the exact duties of support staff for Hearing Impaired technicians. This goes to Teeples' directive that the Board DOES NOT micromanage departments. Either Miedema wants to micromanage, or she wants to make Hambley look like she doesn't know what people do. It is ridiculous to expect the Director of the Health Department to know how a secretary spends each minute. It is obvious, the Hearing Impaired program techs asked for additional administrative support - we all know these folks are buried in mounds of paperwork - tech/secretarial support is just that. Rhodea expressed concern over how parents are notified about possible hearing/vision impairment of kids. Rhodea points out what she considers "government over-reach" without actually reading any of the communications, or finding out what actually happens. It is political posturing.
Several Impact supporters used veiled language to criticize Jacob Bonnema's appointment as Chair of the Finance Committee. They accused him of "shady business dealings" and lack of emotional control. Commissioner Bonnema addressed the accusations directly, with specificity. He explained his father's misdeeds clearly, and his response to his father's activity. Bonnema did the right thing in addressing the vague Impact Rumor Mill. Each of us will draw our own conclusions, I admire him for refusing to let the whisperers continue without response.
