Monthly Archives: September 2019

Ottawa County Honors Employees for Customer Service

Join us in congratulating Judy Kettring, Community Health Worker, from the Department of Public Health and Frank Archer, Maintenance Worker, from the Facilities Maintainance Department, who have been recognized as Ottawa County’s Outstanding Customer Service Award recipients for the first quarter of 2019. You can read the nominations which earned each recipient an award plus learn more about them at miOttawa.org.

Judy Kettering

“Judy truly cares about the well-being of the people she works with in the community and it shows in her efforts to assure she is providing the highest level of customer service. She is consistent, compassionate, responsive and reliable. Judy is a great representative of the Ottawa Way and demonstrates what customer service is all about.” said Susan Keen, Nurse Supervisor.

Frank Archer

“In Frank’s twenty-five plus years with the County Facilities team, he continually demonstrates to all his natural talent for customer service. He always greets our customers with a friendly hello and a smile. He gives his full attention to their issue and quickly follows up with a solution and a can-do attitude. We are all proud of Frank’s work, the example he sets for others and being recognized for this achievement,” said John Borgerding, Building and Grounds Supervisor.

Implemented in 2012, the Customer Service initiative is one of the County’s Four C’s, along with Communication, Cultural Intelligence and Creativity. Customers can nominate an Ottawa County employee for an Outstanding Customer Service Award at miOttawa.org.

Access services and learn more about the County at miOttawa.org, on Facebook, on Twitter or on Instagram.

Ottawa County Population and Growth Rates

The 2018 population estimates for townships, cities, and villages were released by the U.S. Census Bureau in May. Some of the Ottawa County highlights are provided below:

• All of the townships, cities, and villages in Ottawa County continued to grow in population between 2010 and 2018
• Since 2010, the local units that experienced the largest population growth rates were Allendale (28.9% increase), Jamestown (22.5% increase), Blendon (16.1%), and Grand Haven Townships (15.6% increase)
• Grand Haven Township experienced the largest population growth rate between 2017 and 2018 (3.9% increase)

The County population estimates, which were released in April, showed Ottawa County as the fastest growing in the State and the 8th most populous.

The County Statistics page has been updated to reflect the latest population estimates.

Secretary Benson to Expand Appointment Option to Every Secretary of State Branch Office

Move is a significant step toward achieving 30-minute guarantee for all Michigan residents

MACKINAC ISLAND – May 30, 2019 — Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson today announced that the Michigan Department of State is expanding the option for Michigan residents to schedule appointments to every branch office across the state.

“No one in Michigan should wait more than 30 minutes to renew their license, register their vehicle or register to vote,” Benson said. “With our statewide expansion of appointments, every Michigan resident will have the option to make an appointment at their local branch office and get in and out of a branch office in less than 30 minutes.”

The Department of State currently offers appointments in 43 branches. The appointment option will be expanded to the remaining 88 branches in phases beginning in mid-June. Customers also will be able to make appointments to complete interstate commercial truck registrations at the International Registration Plan office in Dimondale.

“As I visited our 131 branch offices during my first 100 days in office, every resident I met who had the option to make an appointment ahead of time was able to get in and out of the branch office in less than 30 minutes. But our limited appointment options weren’t available to all residents,” Benson said. “This important change will ensure we are able to serve more residents effectively and efficiently throughout our state. It’s the first of several steps we intend to take in the months and years ahead as we modernize how the Department of State provides services for Michigan’s residents.”

As the expansion is phased in, Michigan residents can schedule appointments at their convenience by selecting the day, time and location they would like to visit at Michigan.gov/SOSAppointments.

Jim Edmonson Selected to Lead a New Era of Economic Development as Head of Muskegon Area First

MUSKEGON, MI – The Muskegon Area First Economic Development Corp. – the Muskegon County-wide non-profit economic development agency – is being transformed by community leaders from a government-led organization to one mainly funded and directed by the private sector.

A newly recreated, private-sector-led Muskegon Area First (MAF) board of directors has selected Jim Edmonson as its new president and chief executive officer to launch the new direction of the agency. Edmonson brings 43 years of economic development experience to the new position, including three years as MAF head in 2004-07.

The former Muskegon Area First board of directors hired Edmonson Associates of Baton Rouge, LA to help it in the transition. Edmonson took over the leadership of the agency June 3.

“Every era in a community’s history has different economic development needs,” said new MAF Board Chairman Mike Olthoff, CEO of Nichols – one of the largest independently owned paper, package and sanitary supply distributors in the Great Lakes region headquartered in Norton Shores.

“In 2019, Muskegon County needs to support its current employers with a skilled workforce as it continues to grow the county’s manufacturing base with local company expansions and attraction of new companies to fill needed niches in our economy. The MAF board feels that Jim Edmonson is perfectly suited to launch a new direction for Muskegon Area First and have the agency address the current economic development needs of Muskegon County.”

Edmonson will be spending his initial months with MAF establishing the private-sector led agency, which will still have financial and strategic relationships with local governments in Muskegon County. Early work with the revamped agency will be with ongoing development of revenues, a first-year budget and reorganization of staff.

“Honestly, I did not consult with MAF to become its next president and CEO,” Edmonson said. “But board members were very persuasive and this is an incredible time to be involved in Muskegon County economic development. Look around, Muskegon County is going through an historic community transformation. As a county resident, I am thrilled to be asked to be a part of it.”

Muskegon Area First has been in transition since former President and CEO Ed Garner left the agency for a regional small business development position in October 2017. Leading MAF through its transition has been interim President and CEO Darryl Todd, who will remain with the agency to work on business and talent development.

“We have been fortunate to have Darryl Todd provide steady leadership in countywide economic development these past 20 months and the board thanks him for his dedication to the community,” Olthoff said. “As MAF evolves, we are confident that Darryl’s skills will be used to meet the economic development needs the agency will be addressing.”

Hometown Health Hero Award

State Representative Brad Slagh, Public Health Nurse Leanna Kermeen, MDHHS Director Robert Gordon, State Senator Roger Victory

Leanna Kermeen, public health nurse, Ottawa County Department of Public Health, received a 2019 Hometown Health Hero Award presented by the Michigan Public Health Week Partnership. This award recognizes people across the state working tirelessly to maintain and improve the health of their local communities. Kermeen received the award for her dedication to the migrant farm worker program in Ottawa County. When Kermeen clocks out of work, she does not go home or run errands, instead she visits migrant communities to provide sexual health services and education to break down barriers to STD testing and treatment.

“Your impactful work to improve the health of migrant workers outside of your normal working hours is exemplary and we wish you continued success,” stated James Koval, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, in the award letter.

During the last two years, Kermeen has worked with public health agencies, private farm owners and growers and a multi-county migrant resource council to identify and treat communicable diseases within the camps; primarily in men 25 years of age and younger. Her work to slow or stop the spread of infections, such as chlamydia, has positively impacted migrant farm workers and the community. She also connects with local food pantries to seek donated food, ensuring the workers have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, clothing, toothbrushes and other necessities.

“Public health is vital to the health of our county, state and nation. An act of public health positively impacts a person but it has a ripple effect to the larger population,” exclaimed Kermeen. “It’s been my privilege, honor and passion to work in public health. Receiving a Hometown Health Hero Award is humbling and it gives validation for the work being done. This work matters, and it’s thrilling to drive public health forward with such a supportive network.”

Underfunding of Michigan Mental Health System Shifts Financial Burden to Counties

County governments are being forced to loan millions to cover state shortfalls

A lack of adequate mental health funding from the state is putting an increased financial strain on already cash-strapped county governments, including Muskegon County.

HealthWest, a department of Muskegon County, is the local Community Mental Health Service Program (CMHSP) and is responsible for providing government-mandated services to those on Medicaid with a serious mental illness, developmental disability, serious emotional disturbance, and/or co-occurring substance use disorder.

About 84 percent of HealthWest’s $69 million annual budget comes from Medicaid payments distributed by the State of Michigan through local Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs). Muskegon County’s general fund is responsible for roughly 1 percent of HealthWest’s annual budget. The remaining budget is funded through grants, substance use block grants and Public Act 2, the state general fund, reimbursements, and third-party funding sources.

However, delays in payments from the state and inadequate funding of the PIHPs have forced county governments across the state, including Muskegon County, to loan millions of dollars to their Community Mental Health Service Programs to cover expenses for programs the CMHSPs are required by law to provide.

Of the 10 PIHPs across the state, 9 are projecting a funding deficit for FY2019 and 4 PIHPs have no reserve funds to cover the anticipated shortfalls, including the Lakeshore Regional Entity. Lakeshore serves as the PIHP for Muskegon, Allegan, Kent, Lake, Mason, Oceana, and Ottawa counties.

These shortfalls have forced Muskegon County to loan more than $9 million from the county to cover payments owed to HealthWest, some of which date back as far as FY2017. Those funds have been used to pay for Medicaid-eligible services, which HealthWest is legally required to provide to any eligible Muskegon County resident.

“It is unfair that Muskegon County taxpayers are asked to foot the bill for services the State of Michigan is legally required to pay for,” said HealthWest Executive Director Julia Rupp. “We are working hard to ensure Muskegon County residents are receiving quality mental health services in the most cost-efficient manner possible, while also working with legislators to find real solutions to the state’s shortfall in mental health funding.”

HealthWest workers are carrying larger than ever caseloads and serving more people with less. In addition, administrative costs have been cut in response to the state’s funding issues, making it very challenging to respond to the rapidly changing mental health care scene. Since FY2015, HealthWest has become increasingly efficient in its service delivery, reducing delivery cost per person by more than 20 percent.

HealthWest has also joined the Section 298 Pilot, which will improve the coordination of publicly-funded physical and behavioral health services in Michigan and overhaul how they are funded. “The pilot gives us the chance to use savings resulting from improved care coordination to expand the services we provide to more people, and to better manage care for the whole person,” Rupp adds. Research shows that integrated care leads to overall community savings and better outcomes for the individuals served.

The cost of providing services continues to increase along with demand for services. Since FY2015, HealthWest has experienced a 41 percent increase in the number of people it serves annually. However, funding from the state has not kept pace as Medicaid payments have increased only 12 percent over the same period.

A study released earlier this year by the Community Mental Health Association of Michigan revealed a $150 million gap between the cost of health care and the funding provided to Michigan’s public mental health system.

Properly addressing the state’s mental healthcare needs not only helps those struggling with mental health issues, but it also saves county taxpayers money by reducing the strain on other more-costly services, such as the criminal justice and emergency medical systems.

“The state’s payment formulas have not kept up with the increasing demand for mental health services,” said Rupp. “This puts our local governments, taxpayers, and individuals receiving services at risk.”

For more information on Michigan’s mental health system underfunding, visit https://cmham.org/systemic-underfunding-of-michigans-public-mental-health-system/. To learn more about HealthWest, visit www.healthwest.net.

Pilot Project in Holland Aims to Help get People Outside Using Nature Prescriptions

Park Rx America is a new platform available to Holland-area doctors used to prescribe patients with time outdoors at a park that is accessible and convenient.

Ottawa County Parks, along with the City of Holland, Holland Charter Township, Park Township, Laketown Township, and the Outdoor Discovery Center are partnering with a non-profit organization, Park Rx America, and the Holland Hospital Physical Hospital Organization (PHO) to bring nature prescriptions to patients. Leading this pilot project is Dr. Beth Peter MD whose background is in family medicine.

Go get some fresh air is advice that’s been given for years. Intuitively, many people know that fresh air and sunshine can make you feel better, but in the past there hasn’t been much science to back that up. That is changing.

A number of recent evidentiary studies are uncovering the science behind the healing power of nature. Researchers are finding that time spent outdoors can have many positive, measurable outcomes such as: reduced stress, improved sleep, lower blood pressure, and increased social connectedness. (A full list of findings can be found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5744722/).

At the same time humans are spending more time inside and in front of screens and other studies beg the question: Why is our culture so stressed?

“What those researchers are finding is that we were designed to be healthier, to exercise more and to eat more plants,” says Dr. Peter. “Our brains are developed for sunshine and fresh air.”

Park Rx America is a platform physicians can use to get their patients outdoors more often and create healthier habits. It contains a database of area parks that includes information to help doctors prescribe a park that will be the right fit for a patient. “Park Rx America will be helpful to patients and doctors because we don’t always know what’s out there,” said Dr. Peter. “It can also help answer important questions like ‘are there accessible pathways and bathrooms’? Or, ‘are dogs allowed?’”

Once doctors find the right park, they can create a prescription for their patient. Individuals will receive text reminders to visit their prescribed park and are able to check in when they arrive. They can also opt-in to answer questions about how they are feeling after their time outside. After the initial prescription is filled, the hope is that people keep coming back and perhaps begin to explore new places.

“The PHO is always searching for resources we can give our physicians to help them motivate their patients to make important habit changes so they are healthier, feel better, and are less stressed,” said Dr. Peter. “Park Rx America is one we’re really excited about.”

Dismembering Human Beings is Wrong

Since New York endorsed abortion-on-demand through all nine months of pregnancy, prolifers have been on the move. Many people who considered themselves prolife but didn’t commit themselves to regular efforts to end abortion have suddenly been awakened and activated.

Many of those people have seen prolife legislation in other states and wonder what Michigan will do. In Michigan, our focus will be a ban on dismemberment abortions (also called a D&E abortion).

Sadly, in Michigan, this prolife crescendo came at a bad time. Michigan went from having an indifferent governor in Rick Snyder to now having an actively pro-abortion governor in Gretchen Whitmer. The silver lining is Michigan voters returned prolife majorities to the Legislature.

Thankfully, Michigan’s Constitution has a provision that allows citizens to initiate legislation directly to the Legislature by collecting a large number of signatures. If the Michigan House and Senate approve the legislation, it becomes law without the governor.

Right to Life of Michigan and local affiliates have been very successful in the past using these petition drives, most recently in 2013. Such an effort requires a laser-like focus, and for the next two years our focus is on banning dismemberment abortion.

Several other states have advanced different prolife laws: bans on abortion after 20 weeks, heartbeat bans, bans on targeted abortions for reasons of sex-selection or disability, etc. Most of these laws require Roe v. Wade to be overturned to be effective.

Michigan is unique. Michigan currently has a law on the books banning abortion except to save the life of the mother. After Roe was decided in 1973, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that our law remains in legal effect, but not fully enforceable. The day Roe v. Wade is overturned, our law has an opportunity to be restored to full effect. So, Michigan law already bans abortions after 20 weeks, or after a heartbeat is detected, or abortions targeted at specific demographics; we’ve got that covered.

A ban on dismemberment abortion is different. It’s the next prolife law likely to be upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court if they aren’t willing to fully overturn Roe v. Wade yet. Crucially, it allows us to educate people about abortion itself. A dismemberment abortion involves tearing the arms and legs off a child in the later stages of pregnancy.

Dismembering a human being goes against our Michigan values and it’s time for us to stop it.

Chris Gast
Director of Communication/Education

Community: Reward Offered in 2018 Assault

***REWARD***
Fruitport Police are seeking new tips in a random assault case that occurred in November of 2018. A reward of up to $10,000 is being offered through Muskegon County Silent Observer for any tip(s) that lead to an arrest and conviction in this incident.

On 11/01/2018, in the area of Jensen Rd and Cloverville Rd, a woman reported that she walked outside of her home to get the mail, when a small gold colored vehicle (possibly a Toyota Camry) pulled into her driveway. The driver of the vehicle got out, chased after her and physically assaulted her. The woman was able to get away from the subject, and flee back into her house.

The subject was described by the victim as a white male approximately 6’3” – 6’ 4” tall and weighing approximately 225 pounds. He was said to be wearing all black clothing with Brown colored work boots, a ski mask and gloves.

Anyone having information which would help lead polic e to the positive identity of the above described subject or vehicle, please contact the Fruitport Police department (231-865-8477), or Muskegon County Silent observer (72-CRIME or Online).

Ottawa County Launches New Program to Battle Brownfields and Blight

West Olive, MI – Ottawa County is economically diverse, with strong tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing industries. But the industrial history upon which we built our thriving economy left a legacy of not only economic strength, but contaminated or underutilized properties in need of revitalization. Even today, there are tool and die shops, dry cleaning businesses, and gas stations, to name a few, that may be leave behind contamination once those operations cease. Contaminated, underutilized, or blighted properties like these all qualify as “brownfields”, and that means developers may be saddled with extra costs if they want to site their project on brownfield property.

The Ottawa County Board of Commissioners recognizes that burden, and recently approved the creation of a new, unique, and locally driven financial tool to help defray those costs. Dubbed the Brownfield Incentive Program, or BIP, the fund was established to help incentivize the redevelopment of brownfield properties with local funding. The fund, managed by the Ottawa County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority (OCBRA), consists of certain revenues generated under the Brownfield Redevelopment Act, and from an Urban Cooperation Agreement with the Ottawa County Land Bank Authority, which provided funding for the BIP because of their shared goal of revitalizing vacant and underutilized land in Ottawa County.

Typically, using grants or loans from the United States Environmental Protection Agency or the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, or utilizing tax increment financing under an approved Brownfield Plan, are methods by which developers offset the costs of brownfield redevelopment. However, grants are difficult to secure consistently, and loan funding is limited. It is for this reason the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners approved the creation of the BIP. While Ottawa County is fortunate not to have the extensive issues with blight and contaminated properties that many large municipalities do, it is still best to take a proactive and aggressive approach to redeveloping brownfield properties.

2019 Muskegon River Clean-up

by John Cramblet

Thanks for helping us make the 8th annual Muskegon River Cleanup a big success again this year. Our 356 volunteers removed 3026 beverage containers, 3 tires, 14 pairs of sunglasses, 76 flip flops from the river. They also removed over 25 glass bottles, approximately 450 pounds of wood, 80 pounds of steel, a tricycle and approximately 350 pounds general trash The strangest find this year was a toilet seat and we don’t know the story on that. Thanks to everyone that helped from the ground crew to all of us unfortunate ones that had to float down this beautiful river and clean up the trash. Please remember that a glass bottle, at the bottom of the river, can be there anywhere from 500-800 years before it turns back to sand. Next year the Muskegon River Clean-up, sponsored by Muskegon River Clean-up Company, LLC, will be on Saturday August 1, 2020. Please mark your calendars.

The Crisis on Our Southern Border

from The Huizenga Huddle: July 2, 2019

Most of us have seen the photos and heard the stories of the tragic conditions on the border. For nearly two months, the President’s funding request to address the growing crisis on the border sat idle.

During this time, House Republicans attempted to pass legislation 18 times that would deliver humanitarian aid. Unfortunately, the majority in the House refused to consider the President’s request and every one of these attempts were blocked or rejected.

Thankfully, a bipartisan agreement was reached in the Senate that passed 84-8. After initially refusing to hold a vote on this critical legislation Speaker Pelosi relented and this bipartisan measure passed the House with over 300 votes. I voted for this aid package because we need to provide relief and work to improve conditions on the border while giving federal agencies the flexibility to address this ongoing crisis.

It’s clear there is a crisis on the southern border. In May, Customs and Border Patrol encountered 144,000 individuals alone. To put this in perspective, that is roughly double the size of Wyoming, the largest city in the Second District, and just over four times the size of Holland. Remember, this happened in one month.

The Big Five-Oh!

submitted by Suzanne Prell, Development Director, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore

Muskegon, MI– Dig out your bell-bottoms for an evening of Peace, Love, and Rock-n-Roll on Sept. 26, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Bella Maria’s Event Center in Norton Shores.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore is celebrating 50 years of providing one-to-one mentoring in our lakeshore communities and is inviting the public to join the festivities. “You are invited to the party,” said Suzanne Prell, Development Director at BBBSL. “1969 was one of the most memorable years in history with the Apollo 11 landing on the moon, Woodstock, and the premiere of TV shows like Scooby-Doo and The Brady Bunch. Let’s enjoy it one more time in honor of supporting our youth and helping them achieve their full potential.”

Tickets and sponsorships are available to purchase at www.bbbslakeshore.org/events/.

General admission includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, silent auction, VW Bus photo booth, and live music by the band Sweet Justice.

Since 1969, Big Brothers Big Sisters has provided mentoring to over 12,000 kids in our community. All proceeds from the event stay local and benefit youth mentoring programs at Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore.

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore, established locally in 1969, serves West Michigan children in Muskegon, Ottawa, Oceana and Mason Counties. Our mission is to “Create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.”

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the United States. Big Brothers Big Sisters has been the leader in one-to-one youth service for more than a century, developing positive relationships that have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of young people. Big Brothers Big Sisters mentors children, ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country. For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Lakeshore, visit www.bbbslakeshore.org

Calvary Christian Schools Graduate Daniel Beals Nominated for Multiple Emmy Awards

May 30, 2019 – Calvary Christian Schools Class of 2010 graduate Daniel Beals was recently nominated for multiple Emmy Awards which will be announced on June 15th. Beals, who is the Newscast Producer for WPTA ABC21 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, was recognized for his proficient work in the categories of “Best Newscast”, “Best Investigative”, and “Education Schools” (for his solo work “Found on the Bus”).

Beals, who lives in Indiana with his wife Melissa, is no stranger to success. He has already won statewide Indiana newscasting awards in “Best Newscast”, “Best Investigative Report”, Best Producer”, and “Best Breaking Newscast”.

Daniel Beals said that his experiences at Calvary Christian in Fruitport were formative in helping him become so successful in the broadcasting world. Beals shared that “Mrs. Ferlaak and Mrs. Wilson taught me design and composition, photography, and accuracy…Calvary gave me the opportunity to film graduation every year, and English with Kara Paetschow taught College level essay writing with deep research which I use on a daily basis”.

Beals thinks that his biggest accomplishment so far is his work on the Investigative Report, “Dying on the Job”, that inspired a change in state law! Congratulations to CCS alumnus Daniel Beals for his Emmy nominations, and best of luck at the June 15th Awards!

Will Graham Releases New Video Bible Study

willg Will Graham launched a new video Bible study and study guide to accompany his book Redeemed: Devotions for the Longing Soul.

In the five-part video series, Redeemed—How God Satisfies the Longing Soul, Graham talks about the redemption that is found as we call on Jesus as Savior.

“[God] loves you with an overarching, eternal love, and He’s waiting to embrace you today,” Graham writes in the study guide.

The Bible study kit contains a DVD, along with teaching notes, discussion questions, Scripture and questions for personal reflection.

Purchase your copy of the devotional or Bible study at billygrahambookstore.org or learn more about the series here.

Billy Graham Rapid Response Team Chaplains Respond to Mass Shootings

Teams of crisis-trained chaplains with the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT) deployed to El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, following a pair of shootings the first weekend in August. News reports say 22 people have died and dozens were injured in El Paso. In Dayton, an additional nine people were killed and 26 people were hurt. RRT chaplains at both sites will work alongside government officials, churches, first responders and with the community at large to provide emotional and spiritual care.

“This is such a difficult time for both of these cities,” said Jack Munday, international director of the RRT. “In this time of shock, anger, brokenness and incredible loss, we can’t imagine the pain and suffering people are feeling from these senseless acts of evil. Yet, we know God hasn’t forgotten them, and seeks to heal the brokenhearted and bring comfort to those who grieve.”

For more information on the ministry, including videos, photos, news articles and an interactive map of former and current deployments, visit billygraham.org/rrt. Updates can also be found at facebook.com/RRTChaplains.

Fruitport Area News Online

The Hometown Paper Reaching Fruitport and Sullivan Townships