Allison Miedema, Ottawa County Commissioner seeking reelection in District 11 – Chester Township, Crockery Township, City of Coopersville, Polkton Charter Township, Tallmadge Charter Township and Wright Township
I recently received a questionnaire from another interested group in Ottawa County. I am uncertain as to how they intend to share the information with constituents, and I wanted to share the questions along with my answers here.
1. Please indicate what, if any, affiliations and organizations assist you in decision-making.
I appreciate input from a variety of like-minded organizations and individuals that promote the Constitution, freedom, truth, and faith in the public square. I utilize organizations such as Right to Life, the Ottawa County Farm Bureau, the Michigan Association of Counties on specific issues that relate to the county, along with Children’s Health Defense. I am appreciative of my pastor at Second Church of Allendale along with other specific faith leaders in the community. I continue to surround myself with individuals that are wise in certain aspects of county government, including conservative parents. One of the most important factors of my decision-making is listening and conversing with my fellow Conservative board members.
2. Please share your thoughts on how to work with the public and the media to communicate how the Board of Commissioners is meeting the needs of the county. Are there unmet needs at election time?
The county serves an important and necessary role in serving the needs of our community through the delivery of a variety of core government services. The Board of Commissioners works with county administration, department leaders, local units of government, and community members. I communicate with the people at Board and township meetings, GOP events and communicate on my Facebook page as well as my blog. More can be read at allisonmiedema.com. Truth in journalism is a current need in our county and beyond. With many mistruths being spread, I and other commissioners have promoted SimplyAmerican.com and have put out other helpful resources on our websites such as the Facts vs Media: Media’s Claims Versus the Facts.
3. What is your view of good county governance (considering fiscal policies, hiring & firing practices, disciplinary processes and serving the needs of your constituents)?
Fulfilling campaign promises I made reflects good county governance. A Board of Commissioners should act courageously, protect local authority, and abide by the Constitution. Employees should abide first by the Constitution followed by county policy and should be immediately replaced if they fail to do so. The county board passed an increase for our law enforcement and Veterans department, funding for body cameras, and passed the second largest health department budget. The FY24 budget had the smallest increase in five years at 3.59%. The county had a clean audit for FY23, with no budgetary overages. The county is in excellent financial health, with over $200 million in assets, and maintains its AAA bond rating.
4. What do you see as the function of public comments during County Commission meetings?
I greatly value public comments at county meetings. In taking my oath to abide by the Constitution, I believe strongly in the freedom of speech and listening, whether it’s something on the current agenda or not. In 2022, I was one of the numerous parents that came to speak up about my constitutional freedoms not being heard nor protected by the current board. Instead of listening, public comment time was often shifted to a more “convenient time” after votes were already taken by the board. Public comment time was also decreased. The current conservative majority board has created opportunities for public comment both at the beginning of every meeting and the end of each meeting, allowing individuals to speak for three minutes.