Editing Ottawa County, Michigan (section)

==Government==
Ottawa County operates the County jail, maintains rural roads, operates the major local courts, records deeds, mortgages, and [[vital records]], administers [[public health]] regulations, and participates with the state in the provision of social services. The county board of commissioners controls the budget and has limited authority to make laws or ordinances. In Michigan, most local government functions – police and fire, building and zoning, tax assessment, street maintenance etc. – are the responsibility of individual cities and townships.

Most of the county's offices are located in either the city of [[Grand Haven, Michigan|Grand Haven]] or at the [[Olive Township, Ottawa County, Michigan#Ottawa County Fillmore Complex|Fillmore complex]] in [[Olive Township, Ottawa County, Michigan|Olive Township]].

===Elected officials===
{{div col}}
* [[County Clerk]]/[[Register of Deeds]] – Justin F. Roebuck
* [[County Commission]]ers<ref>{{Cite web |title=miOttawa - Ottawa County Board of Commissioners |url=http://www.co.ottawa.mi.us/Departments/BOC/ |website=ottawa.mi.us}}</ref>
* [[Treasurer|County Treasurer]] – Cheryl Clark
* [[Prosecutor|Prosecuting Attorney]] – Sarah F. Matwiejczyk
* [[Sheriff]] – Eric DeBoer
* [[Drain commissioner|Water Resources Commissioner]] – Joe Bush
{{div col end}}

<small>(information as of January 2025)</small>
Since the late 19th century, the county has been strongly supportive of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]].<ref name=":0" />

As of 2023, the county's board of commissioners, a majority of whom are members of the advocacy group [[Ottawa Impact]], has been described as "[[Far-right politics|far-right]]" by national and Michigan-based media organizations. After the 2022 elections in which they took power, the board appointed Trump administration official [[John Gibbs (government official)|John Gibbs]] to serve as the [[county administrator]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Siders |first=David |title=What It Looks Like When the Far Right Takes Control of Local Government |url=https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/02/21/michigan-christian-nationalists-00083251 |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=[[POLITICO]] |date=February 21, 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="FAR">{{bullet}}{{Cite news |last=Kransz |first=Michael |date=January 3, 2023 |title=New far-right board hires John Gibbs to lead Ottawa County government |language=en |work=[[MLive]] |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2023/01/new-far-right-board-hires-john-gibbs-to-lead-ottawa-county-government.html |access-date=January 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gamble |first=Audra |date=November 15, 2022 |title=Far-right Republicans nearly swept Ottawa County's board. What's next for government takeover? |language=en |work=[[MLive]] |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2022/11/far-right-republicans-nearly-swept-ottawa-countys-board-whats-next-for-government-takeover.html |quote=A far-right group that campaigned on individual freedom and parental rights, Ottawa Impact is set to take over control of the county}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite news |date=January 4, 2023 |title=Ottawa County community reacts to John Gibbs, new County Administrator |language=en |work=[[WXMI|Fox 17]] |url=https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/ottawa-county-community-reacts-to-john-gibbs-new-county-administrator |access-date=January 7, 2023 |quote=the eleven-person board saw eight new members sworn in. Most of them are affiliated with the far-right conservative group "Ottawa Impact", which among other things, rallied against public Covid health mandates and diversity efforts.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gamble |first=Audra |date=November 9, 2022 |title=Ottawa Impact secures huge majority on county board with election wins |language=en |work=[[MLive]] |url=https://www.mlive.com/politics/2022/11/ottawa-impact-secures-huge-majority-on-county-board-with-election-wins.html |access-date=January 4, 2023 |quote=The 2023 Ottawa County Board of Commissioners will be {{sic|comprised|hide=y|of}} one Democrat and 10 Republicans, nine of whom were endorsed by the far-right Republican group}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Carlson |first=Kate |date=January 3, 2023 |title='{{title case|COMPLETELY BLINDSIDED}}': Ottawa Impact commissioners oust multiple top officials at first meeting |work=mibiz.com |url=https://mibiz.com/sections/economic-development/completely-blindsided-ottawa-impact-commissioners-oust-multiple-top-officials-at-first-meeting |access-date=January 4, 2023 |quote=eight commissioners, backed by a far-right political action committee who now control a large majority of the county board}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Leatzow |first=Jared |date=June 1, 2022 |title=Ottawa County Republican Party becoming more far right |work=[[The Holland Sentinel]] |url=https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/news/politics/county/2022/06/01/ottawa-county-republican-party-becoming-more-far-right/7467116001/ |access-date=January 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Boothe |first=Daniel |date=January 3, 2023 |title=Ottawa County Board ofCommissioners hires John Gibbs as new Administrator |language=en |publisher=[[WGVU]] |url=https://www.wgvunews.org/news/2023-01-03/ottawa-county-board-of-commissioners-hires-john-gibbs-as-new-administrator |quote=In 2023, the new board is one Democrat and 10 Republicans, nine of whom were endorsed by the far-right}}</ref> In February 2024, the Board of Commissioners voted 10–1 to fire Gibbs for cause.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Morris |first1=Taylor |last2=Skog |first2=Anna |title=Ottawa County commissioners fire Administrator John Gibbs |url=https://www.woodtv.com/news/ottawa-county/ottawa-county-commission-holds-special-meetings-regarding-hambley-gibbs/ |access-date=17 August 2024 |date=29 February 2024}}</ref>

===Board of Commissioners===
11 members, elected from districts (1 Democrat, 10 Republicans)

{| border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" style="border:1px solid #aaa; border-collapse:collapse"
|- bgcolor="#cccccc"
! '''District''' !! Commissioner !! Party !! District's Area
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 1 || Jim Barry || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]  || Townships of Port Sheldon, Olive, and Park
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 2 || Jordan Jorritsma || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]  || Townships of Park and Holland Charter 
|- bgcolor=#aaaaff
| 3 || Doug Zylstra || [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] || City of Holland
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 4 || Jacob Bonnema  || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]  || City of Zeeland and Townships of Zeeland Charter and Holland Charter
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 5 || Joe Moss  || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]  || City of Hudsonville and Townships of Blendon, Jamestown Charter, and Zeeland Charter
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 6 || Kendra Wenzel || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]  || Township of Georgetown Charter 
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 7 || John Teeples (Chairperson) || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || Township of Georgetown Charter 
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 8 || Sylvia Rhodea || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || Township of Allendale Charter
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 9 || Phil Kuyers || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || Townships of Grand Haven Charter, Robinson, and Spring Lake
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 10 || Josh Brugger (Vice-Chairperson) || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || Cities of Grand Haven and Ferrysburg, Township of Spring Lake 
|- bgcolor=#ffaaaa
| 11 || Allison Miedema || [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] || City of Coopersville and Townships of Chester, Crockery, Polkton Charter, Tallmadge Charter, and Wright
|}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.miottawa.org/departments/boc/|title=Board of Commissioners; Meet Your Commissioners|publisher=Ottawa County}}</ref>

<small>(information correct as of January 2025)</small>

===Local policies===
Beginning in 2012, County Administrator Alan Vanderberg and the Board of Commissioners adopted the "Four Cs" Initiative including "Cultural Intelligence." At that time, Vanderberg asserted that there was discrimination in the county, and that it could adversely affect the future prosperity of the county.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Cultural Intelligence Committee - Ottawa County MI |url=https://www.miottawa.org/CI/air.htm |website=miottawa.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150219022445/https://www.miottawa.org/CI/air.htm |archive-date=February 19, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref> The county "rebranded" in 2017, adopting the slogan "Where you belong." Vanderberg said the slogan is intended to let everyone know they are welcome in Ottawa County, regardless of color, ethnic background, sexual identity, religion or other qualifier.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 26, 2018 |title=Administrator touts Ottawa County's attributes in annual address |url=https://www.mlive.com/jenison/index.ssf/2018/01/state_of_the_county_address_sh.html |website=mlive.com}}</ref>

The county board made numerous changes at their first meeting when sworn in on January 3, 2023; the county slogan was changed to "Where Freedom Rings", the [[Diversity, equity, and inclusion]] office was dissolved, the head health official was replaced and a conservative law organization their main legal representative.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kransz |first=Michael |date=January 4, 2023 |title=New Ottawa County board changes motto to 'Where Freedom Rings,' closes DEI office and more |url=https://mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2023/01/new-ottawa-county-board-changes-motto-to-where-freedom-rings-closes-dei-office-and-more.html |access-date=January 4, 2023 |website=[[MLive]]}}</ref> The conservative group that promoted the new board members, according to [[WXMI|Fox 17]], was against the mandated [[COVID-19 safety measures]] and [[cultural diversity]] policies.<ref name="auto"/> Instability surrounding the county board raised concerns about the county's [[bond credit rating]] being lowered from its AAA status according to MLive.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kransz |first=Michael |date=February 17, 2023 |title='Stable counties don't fire their corporation counsel and administrator,' Ottawa County warned |url=https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2023/02/stable-counties-dont-fire-their-corporation-counsel-and-administrator-ottawa-county-warned.html |access-date=March 3, 2023 |website=[[MLive]] |language=en}}</ref> In May 2023 the county board passed a resolution declared that the county was a "constitutional county."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kransz |first=Michael |date=May 24, 2023 |title=Ottawa County becomes 'constitutional county' |url=https://mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2023/05/ottawa-county-becomes-constitutional-county.html |access-date=May 24, 2023 |website=mlive |language=en}}</ref>