The Swearing in of the 2025 Commissioners

Yesterday was the official swearing in ceremony for the newly elected Board of Commissioners. Our terms are from January 2025–December 2028.

After public comment and our oaths of office, nominations were first gathered for a chair position and then for a vice chair. Two names were nominated for Chair – John Teeples and Joe Moss. Two names were nominated for Vice Chair – Josh Brugger and Joe Moss.

With a 7-4 vote, John Teeples became the next Chair and Josh Brugger became the Vice Chair.

Prior to voting, I requested that some discussion take place on the nominations.

Listed below is what I requested my fellow board members to take into consideration.

“I don’t think that what the people of Ottawa County wanted in 2022 has changed all that much. The people of this county voted for the Trump administration both in 2020 and again in 2024. Trump was endlessly defamed and relentlessly attacked and had a great historical political comeback this November. I believe Ottawa County sits in a similar position but timewise is somewhere between Trump’s first inauguration and his second. Let me explain.

Joe and Sylvia began a movement of the people to restore our constitutional freedoms and God-given rights. They uncovered what had been brought into our county – the disregard for our constitutional freedoms, pro-abortion resources being quietly shared, the un-American DEI department and an attack on childhood innocence.

This led to 8 new commissioners being voted in in 2022 and taking our seats in 2023. I am grateful to have been one of them.

Then the 2023–2024 board received by and large what I call “The Trump treatment”. 100s of articles were written with headlines and material that were a far cry from the facts. Commissioners were misquoted, mischaracterized, and relentlessly attacked, and at times even from fellow Republican board members, yet this wasn’t truly an attack on us, but an attack on the people.

At the same time this was happening, the daily “in your face” constitutional battles were lessening as it related to Covid and our children.

And what has history shown us when things are going well in our own lives? We often quickly forget and simply continue being with our families, going to work, spending time with family and friends. This is not all bad. However, I do believe that once some of the dangers were not right in the faces of everyone on a daily basis (such as masking of our children, the one way arrows in grocery stores, the inability to purchase seeds for our gardens, etc.), many were not aware of other issues that were still happening here locally. In fact, I’ve met many individuals that aren’t aware of work that happens at a county level.

So why do I share this?

I believe this played out in the primary election season. The outcome of who was voted in and who wasn’t can’t be pinpointed on only one thing. There was the ongoing barrage of the media, as well as the vast array of talents demonstrated here right at this board level, campaign finances, an open primary, the normalization after Covid which caused many to no longer pay attention or dig deeper and as a result many not showing up to the primary election, as well as two commissioners that chose not to seek another term.

I have heard from many of you that you truly want to serve the people well. We have been given an opportunity to come together on behalf of our community and each of us was voted into office by the people. And I believe each of you here has been placed by God. As I’ve been thinking through each of you that I will have the privilege of serving alongside of, I personally think there could be great wisdom in selecting two people to serve as chair and vice chair that might bring about some unity that focuses on the good work of the county, the Constitution, and our Republican principles. Additionally, these two people should demonstrate humbleness and be committed to truth and facts in their leadership roles. I believe that both Commissioners Moss and Rhodea have led the county very well. I also recognize that a large majority of this new board may want to have new leaders. I ask that you think about the people, what history has shown us, and consider voting for Commissioner Moss as either the Chair or Vice Chair alongside of potentially one of the five new commissioners.

I, alongside others in the community have appreciated Joe’s boldness, integrity, hard work ethic, supporting our constitutional rights as parents fighting against the system that suppressed our voices, godly leadership and governance, following the rule of law, calm demeanor, respect for all, his positive outlook, standing on truth and facts, noticing the hard work of many at the county, and continuing to remember that we are here to serve and protect the rights of ALL the citizens of Ottawa County, including the rights of children.

In the face of constant criticism mostly from the left and barrage from the press, like President Trump, Joe and Sylvia have had the backbone that was needed, the resolve, and were consistent with the America first constitutional mindset during their past two years of leadership.

So again, I ask that this board would greatly consider voting for Joe for either the Chair or Vice Chair position. Thank you for listening to my comments.”

Commissioners Sylvia Rhodea, Joe Moss, Kendra Wenzel and myself after the meeting.